“How to tell you it was horrible”: The Perceptions of HIV/AIDS and the Responses of the Homosexual Movement of Lima (1983-1990)

Abstract

This article analyzes how distinct social actors perceived HIV in Lima from its arrival in 1983 until 1990. I argue that, to understand the social character of the virus, one must not only focus on the representations of the press or the policies of the State, but analyzing it from the point of view of those affected is essential to comprehend it from an integral and bidirectional perspective. To do this, I focus on the proposals of the Homosexual Movement of Lima. This non-governmental organization was established as one of the few institutions in Peru that planned, developed, and executed effective measures to prevent, control, and treat the virus.