International HIV Kiss-In returns to United States-Mexico border ahead of World AIDS Day
– 2 min read
MPact Global, the global organisation advancing queer health and human rights, has announced the return of the International HIV Kiss-In (Besoton Sidoso Internacional) - a powerful cross-border community demonstration, which celebrates the sexuality, visibility, and rights of queer people living with HIV and queer migrants on the United States-Mexico border.
“The Besoton Sidoso Internacional is a demonstration that people living with HIV are fearless and shameless,” said Andrew Spieldenner, Executive Director of MPact. “This event is about standing up for those who are denied treatment, safety, and dignity, and ensuring the world sees the humanity and strength of queer migrants and people living with HIV.”
Taking place on 30 November at Friendship Park/Parque de la Amistad, the day before World AIDS Day, International HIV Kiss-In is a public act of defiance and solidarity. A kiss between two HIV-positive men is a powerful demonstration that queer people, in particular queer migrants, living with HIV exist and demand respect, equality, and justice.
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The event amplifies the voices of queer people living with HIV across the US-Mexico border, calling attention to human rights violations and health inequities faced by migrants, particularly those in detention and living with HIV.
According to MPact Global gay men make up "the majority of HIV cases in the U.S. and Mexico", and queer migrants are "particularly vulnerable to HIV". This community activation is "a reminder that nearly 45 years into the epidemic, communities continue to fight for the rights of the most marginalised and amplify the voices of the most vulnerable".
Queer migrants living with HIV in US detention centres continue to face "systemic violence, stigma, and inadequate access to lifesaving medications". LGBTQ detainees can experience "intense discrimination and medical neglect - often with fatal consequences".
“I’ve been living with HIV for over 30 years and our sexuality, community, and freedom of expression are fundamental to our fight for justice for queer people living with HIV and queer migrants. I look forward to standing together with my community on the border to show that we are here and that our lives have value”, said Alex Garner, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications at MPact Global.
This year’s International HIV Kiss-In will unite community members living with HIV, queer and gay men, activists, and community collaborators from both sides of the border. For many in Tijuana, where being openly HIV-positive remains dangerous, participating is an act of profound courage and visibility.
