Identity management strategies among HIV-positive Colombian gay men in London

This study set out to explore the social-psychological aspects of living with HIV among a group of HIV-positive Colombian gay men in London, and the strategies that they deployed to manage ensuing threats to their identities. Focus group and individual interview data were collected from 14 Colombian gay men living with HIV, and were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis and identity process theory. The following themes are discussed: (1) identity struggles and conflicts in Colombia, (2), managing multiple layers of social stigma in England, and (3) changing interpersonal and intergroup dynamics, which highlight the inter-connections between sexual prejudice, sexual risk-taking and HIV stigma. Identity may be chronically threatened due to the multiple layers of stigma, which can limit the coping strategies available to individuals. Findings strongly support the need for action and programmes to highlight and tackle both racism and HIV stigma on the gay scene and to fund more specific resources for sub-communities of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, which employ appropriately trained and culturally competent staff

M-health and health promotion: the digital cyborg and surveillance society

The new mobile wireless computer technologies and social media applications using Web 2.0 platforms have recently received attention from those working in health promotion as a promising new way of achieving their goals of preventing ill-health and promoting healthy behaviours at the population level. There is very little critical examination in this literature of how the use of these digital technologies may affect the targeted groups, in terms of the implications for how individuals experience embodiment, selfhood and social relationships. This article addresses these issues, employing a range of social and cultural theories to do so. It is argued that m-health technologies produce a digital cyborg body. They are able to act not only as prostheses but also as interpreters of the body. The subject produced through the use of m-health technologies is constructed as both an object of surveillance and persuasion and as a responsible citizen who is willing and able to act on the health imperatives issuing forth from the technologies and to present their body/self as open to continual measurement and assessment. The implications of this new way of surveilling the body’s health are discussed

Surveillance Technology in Dementia Care: Implicit Assumptions and Unresolved Tensions

This paper examines the concept of “Surveillance Technology [ST]” as it is used in ageing and dementia research but which suffers from poor definition. We attempt to clarify this imprecision by contextualizing a brief history of the development of ST and provide a summary of the research in this area. We contrast this with the responses provided by a public and patient involvement group of people living with a dementia diagnosis, or experience of supporting people with dementia. ST operates in multiple interacting ways, all of which need to be taken into account in research, public and policy debate. As a technology it is often seen as a way of assisting individuals and therefore classified as an Assistive Technology [AT]. However, the meaning of ST used in dementia care has pragmatic implications beyond the meeting of the needs for “safety and independence”; ideas which is often used to justify its use. We argue that there is need to interrogate the terms “Surveillance” and “Technology” more carefully if ST is to be considered as empowering for people with dementia. This tension is brought out in the accounts present in a group discussion on ST and its use. This paper argues that there needs to be an acknowledgement that the purposes of such technologies need to be regularly reviewed in order for society to keep up with the rapidly changing pace of technology and the changing needs of users

Sadness at the Rainbow: Unraveling the Unheard Sentiments of Non-Binary Students

The number of individuals identifying as non-binary or genderqueer has significantly increased over time. This group experiences their gender identity as neither entirely male nor exclusively female; instead, they perceive it as a combination or a complete absence of binary gender identification that may evolve or remain consistent over time. Nevertheless, there is a limited amount of research focusing on the experiences of non-binary students, leading to common misunderstandings within their community. Consequently, this study sought to delve into the physical, mental, interpersonal, emotional, and spiritual experiences of non-binary students. To analyze the collected data, a qualitative approach, specifically a narrative research design, was employed. Three students from the Philippine Science High School - Ilocos Region Campus were chosen through snowball sampling to share their personal experiences as non-binary students. Based on the gathered information, it can be concluded that non-binary students in the PSHS-IRC community undergo a range of experiences that significantly affect their physical, mental, interpersonal, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It was observed that they struggle to form a positive self-image due to their dissatisfaction with their physical appearance. Additionally, their body dysmorphia, stemming from a dislike for their bodies perceived as too masculine or feminine, negatively impacts their mental health. Moreover, homophobia continues to disrupt their interpersonal relationships, as they often endure physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual abuse. Nonetheless, they still have support networks that provide ongoing assistance. Lastly, the results also indicate that their faith in Christianity has waned due to relentless verbal attacks from conservative individuals

Unmaking public housing towers: the role of lifts and stairs in the demolition of a Puerto Rican project

Through the case of a Puerto Rican public housing project, Las Gladiolas, this article argues that demolitions should be understood as long-term physical and emotional processes of home un making. It focuses on the diverse appearances of lifts and stairs in public housing representations, residents' everyday life, memories, and legal arguments to tell a nuanced story about their meaning and materiality in the un making of home. Drawing together strands from critical geographies of architecture, geographies of home, and emotional geographies, these internal building technologies are approached as active mediators in the way personal and communal life was negotiated and remembered, as well as in the anti-displacement struggle unfolding in the final throes of the buildings' existence. The loss of home through long-term deterioration and displacement is situated in its historical and cultural context, since the island's public housing trajectory has been continually framed by dominant national aspirations of homeownership