Representing AIDS in Comics.

Authors :: Czerwiec MK
Source :: AMA journal of ethics [AMA J Ethics] 2018 Feb 01; Vol. 20 (1), pp. 199-205. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Feb 01.
Publication Year :: 2018
Abstract: Matthew P. McAllister wrote: "Comic books can and have contributed positively to the discourse about AIDS: images that encourage true education, understanding and compassion can help cope with a biomedical condition which has more than a biomedical relevance" [1]. With this in mind, I combined a 23-narrator oral history and my personal memoir about an inpatient Chicago AIDS hospital unit in my book, Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371. In doing so, I built upon the existing rich history of HIV/AIDS in comics, which this article will briefly describe. Although not a comprehensive review of the intersection of AIDS and comics, the book is a tour through influences that proved useful to me. In addition, in making my book, I faced a distinct ethical issue with regard to representing patient experiences with HIV/AIDS, and I describe here how I addressed it.<br /> (© 2018 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.)