An unedited interview with free-lance journalist and author Tom McLean who was diagnosed 18 months prior as having HIV-AIDS. The interview (by an unidentified male interviewer) was recorded for Access Radio, 2YB Wellington, for the programme "Gay BC."
Tom talks about his attitude towards his approaching death. He says he has been surprised at his own resilience and strength.
He talks about his working-class family background – he used to have a conservative approach to money as a result, but money has become less important to him now.
He talks about how relationships have changed as a result of his diagnosis – friends need to accept that he is dying. He is not Christian but says he is religious.
He talks about the process of dying from HIV-related illnesses, which can be prolonged, and hopes he dies quickly after seeing how hard it is on family to have someone lying in hospital for three months.
He was diagnosed as being HIV antibody-positive about two years ago, with an AIDS diagnosis two months ago. He and the interviewer talk about the agony of waiting for AIDS test results.
Tom describes the progression of his condition since diagnosis and his experience with the drug AZT. He notes he hasn’t really felt anger at his diagnosis yet – which he has seen in other AIDS patients – his anger is directed at politicians who try to make mileage out of AIDS.
He says he is not learning how to die with AIDS, but rather learning how to live with it – and he wants people around him to accept this too.
He talks about how people can support those with a diagnosis, without smothering them.
He is critical of current AIDS-prevention campaigns – saying they are very white and middle-class in terms of the language used. He believes they need to try and reach people who are either not thinking about the virus, or who are deliberate avoiding being tested so they don’t have to change their lifestyle.
He says prisons could be a ‘time bomb’ of the virus and the time has come to start ‘frightening the hell out of people.’ He refers to anti-smoking campaigns in the UK and talks about ideas for similar advertisements to spread awareness of AIDS.
He criticises current advertising for a disinfectant that ‘kills the AIDS virus”. [recording ends abruptly.]