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HIV health trainers : a service for people living with HIV / Terrence Higgins Trust ; in partnership with NAM ; service funded by South London HIV Partnership, 

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The Terrence Higgins Trust provides valuable resources for people living with HIV. This approach to advertising the "HIV Health Trainers" service is inclusive of people of multiple genders and sexualities, showing how the conversation around HIV has changed since the 1980s. The focus now is providing adequate knowledge and support to people living with an HIV diagnosis. Notice how it isn't obvious right away who is seeking treatment!

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https://www.tht.org.uk/news/first-tv-ad-hiv-tombstones-40-years-ago-set-tackle-attitudes-stuck-1980s#:~:text=In%201987%20the%20advert's%20message,life%20just%20like%20anyone%20else'.

This TV advert that aired in October conveys health officials' changing attitudes and priorities about AIDS and HIV. Instead of death and doom, this advert focuses on fighting stigmas and false information that persist today, even after being debunked.

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This 1987 PSA was for many people a key symbol of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the UK. Directed by Nicolas Roeg, it utilises the visual language of horror films to convey the fatal dangers of the disease. Here, the government seeks to scare people into practising safe sex.

Interestingly, the voiceover you can hear is by John Hurt, an actor known for playing a gay icon, the famous raconteur Quentin Crisp.

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London lube : make a pass / GMFA.Date:[1995]

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Helloooo Sailor! This poster from Gay Men Fighting Aids is a cheeky reminder to stay safe, no matter where you cruise. An irreverent approach like this, produced for gay men by gay men, made condom use feel less like a politically fraught taboo.

After all, who wouldn’t glove up for a dish like this?

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This advert, depicting two labouring omi palones gives us some bona advice--use a condom, use some lube when out for trade! They are, in fact, the tools of the trade.

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A collage of "camp" motifs, advertising safe gay sex. Colour lithograph by Pfeffer und Salz for the AIDS-Hilfe Schweiz, AIDE Suisse contre le SIDA, and Aiuto AI

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AIDS : don't die of ignorance : government information 1987 / issued by the Department of Health and Social Security.

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These government pamphlets use visuals from the 'Monolith' film to relay information about HIV/AIDS at the height of the epidemic. The straightforward language reveals that this was a public resource, which aims to educate as many people as possible.

Notice how this booklet debunks contemporary misconceptions about the disease: that it could be transmitted through shaking hands or sharing cutlery.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/b9psvdxa

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/zxmcnuvh

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"This is a book about the story of Polari and the people who spoke it - mostly camp gay men. They were a class of people who lived on the margins of society. Many of them broke the law - a law which is now seen in civilized societies as being unfair and cruel - and so they were at risk of arrest, shaming, blackmail and attack. They were not seen as important or interesting. This is a book which gives them a voice."-- Back cover.

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Fabulosa! : the story of polari, Britain's secret gay language / Paul Baker.

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"This is a book about the story of Polari and the people who spoke it - mostly camp gay men. They were a class of people who lived on the margins of society. Many of them broke the law - a law which is now seen in civilized societies as being unfair and cruel - and so they were at risk of arrest, shaming, blackmail and attack.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/bnunvqua/items

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/kxv335pp

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/hwrh7bke

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A collection of 16 titles from over 60 years of British sex education films, spanning the years 1917 - 1973. Disc 1 contains: 1. 'Whatsoever a man soweth' (1917) (38 min.) - black and white, silent film, warning Canadian troops about the dangers of catching veneral disease. It follows young Canadian soldier, Dick, as he tries to avoid propositions from prostitutes in London. He is encouraged to see Dr. Burns who shows him victims of venereal disease in various stages - explicit close-ups show rotting legs, hands and syphilitic sores. After the war it transpires that Dick's brother Tom has infected his wife with syphilis. They are both cured but their child is born blind. The film has a new score by Dave Formula. 2. 'Any evening after work' (1930) (27 min.) - Black and white, silent film, looking at the dangers of leaving venereal disease untreated. It follows the fate of a man who begins to feel unwell following an encounter with a female stranger. While prevaricating about going to see his GP he sees a poster for a lecture by the British Social Hygiene Council. He attends and hears a lecture on venereal disease. Following the lecture, the man secures a hospital appointment. The film has a new score by Dave Formula. 3. 'How to tell' (1931) (21 min.) - Black and white, silent film encouraging parents to equip their children with the truth about reproduction. New score by Dave Formula. 4. 'The mystery of marriage' (1932) (32 min.) - Black and white film which compares human courtship with courtship elsewhere in the animal kingdom; from mould to rabbits. 5. 'Trial for marriage' (1936) (28 min.) - black and white film looking at student life in the 1930s. John, a young medical student, is led astray by a group of wayward art students into the world of all-night parties and illicit liaisons. A concerned friend enlists the help of a doctor who prescribes a tour of the syphilis and gonorrhoea wards of a hospital. Later in the film a dream sequence sees John's behaviour put before a judge and jury. 6. 'A test for love' (1937) (28 min.) - Black and white film. A dramatised warning to young women of the risks of venereal disease. Betty, a shop girl, contracts gonorrhoea after one indescretion with a cad behind her boyfriend's back. She is shunned by family and eventually receives treatment in a socially-funded hospital. She recovers and her boyfriend forgives her. 7. 'The road of health' (1938) (11 min.) - Black and white film which gives information on venereal disease then slips into an allegorical animated section following a possible road to health with sideroads leading off the venereal disease, prostitution and delinquency. Disc 2 contains: 8. 'Love on leave' (1940) (33 min.) - Black and white film charting the moral tale of George and Katherine whose romance is interrupted by the strain of the outbreak of WWII. George is unfaithful to Katherine with a woman who has venereal disease. 9. 'Six little jungle boys' (1945) (9 min.) - Black and white animated cartoon aimed at encouraging good hygiene among six soldiers stationed in the jungle. 10. 'The people at no. 19' (1949) (17 min.) - Black and white film appealing to young women in post-war Britain to effect sexual restraint. In a dramatic melodrama Joan discovers she has syphilis while pregnant with her husband's child. 11. 'Growing girls' (1949) (12 min.) - Black and white film in which Winifred Holmes looks at the sexual development of young girls from adolescence to adulthood. The menstrual cycle is particularly focused upon. 12. 'Learning to live' (1964) (19 min.) - colour film featuring young couple Tina and Eric. Although there are some diagrams and descriptions pertaining to sexual difference, the film is primarily focused on marriage councilling and encourages couples not to have sex before marriage. 13. 'Her name was Ellie, his name was Lyle' (1967) (28 min.) - black and white film which encourages safe sex among teenagers through the medium of melodrama. Bruce contracts syphilis and has to visit a health centre. He gets treated and tells them the name of Ellie, who he caught it from. She is examined for the second stage of syphilis and Bruce's long-term girlfriend dumps him. 14. 'Growing up' (1971) (23 min.) - colour film looking at sexual development in a candid way. Naked male and female bodies are shown, with close-ups of the genital regions, highlighting the changes that occur between childhood and adulthood. Male and female masturbation is also shown as is sexual intercourse. 15. 'Don't be like Brenda' (1973) (8 min.) - colour film dramatising, harshly, the problems of pre-marital sexual relationships. Teenage Brenda falls pregnant and she gives birth to a son, Alan, who she gives up for adoption. However, Alan has a heart defect and is unlikely to be adopted into a family. 16. 'Ave you got a male assistant please miss?' (1973) (4 min.) - colour film encouraging the use of contraception. A humorous take on contraception featuring a 1970s student as he races round the city searching for a condom.

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A collection of 16 titles from over 60 years of British sex education films, spanning the years 1917 - 1973. Disc 1 contains: 1. 'Whatsoever a man soweth' (1917) (38 min.) - black and white, silent film, warning Canadian troops about the dangers of catching veneral disease.

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Sex Ed! - Her Name was Ellie, His Name was Lyle - 1967 Part 1

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First TV ad on HIV since 'tombstones' 40 years ago set to tackle attitudes stuck in the 1980s

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The first major TV advert about HIV to air in Scotland since the 'Don't Die of Ignorance' campaign launches on STV tonight.

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This advert, depicting two labouring omi palones gives us some bona advice--use a condom, use some lube when out for trade! They are, in fact, the tools of the trade.

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Helloooo Sailor! This poster from Gay Men Fighting Aids is a cheeky reminder to stay safe, no matter where you cruise. An irreverent approach like this, produced for gay men by gay men, made condom use feel less like a politically fraught taboo.

After all, who wouldn’t glove up for a dish like this?

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London lube : make a pass / GMFA.Date:[1995]

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ceyvccd5/items?canvas=2

Wherever you stop on the London Line, go via Condom Town! In this cheeky rendition of tube navigation, GFMA uses transportation imagery to promote safe sex through condom wearing. From “Cockfosters” to “Bonk,” a condom is the only way there. Posters like this one use familiar and approachable imagery to remind gay men to rubber up.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/hwrh7bke

Bona Nochy! Instead of taking another buvare, always remember to take a condom with you! Just like what the poster says, safety always comes first on your night out.

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This advertisement plays with figurative language to highlight the importance of safe sex. Most interesting is the Chinese translation of AIDS at the bottom of the picture. The direct translation of AIDS in Chinese is "艾滋病", but the poster uses "爱之病", which translates to 'the disease of love.' It's an interesting way to tell people that if they don't pay attention to safe sex, love can make them sick.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/jjpxhrab/images?id=by6eybyk

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Sex Ed! - Her Name was Ellie, His Name was Lyle - 1967 Part 1

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/b9psvdxa

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During the 1980s, nations recognised AIDS as a public health emergency. Governments around the world took action to spread awareness and information about the disease. The tone and imagery used are striking when compared to marketing materials created by the gay community. Rather than using langauge and imagery popular in the gay community, official marketing often used fear to convey their message. Perhaps the most well-known marketing in the UK appeared on television, titled ‘Don’t Die of Ignorance’ is displayed here along with pamphlets that the government distributed alongside it.

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Sexual health services and communication have come a long way since the onset of AIDS. Free services such as STI (sexual transmitted infection) testing, health counseling, and medication provide people with the tools to keep themselves healthy. Because of these advances, conversations about HIV have shifted from having an alarmist tone to a supportive one. Assisting people who are at risk of contracting or spreading HIV and reducing the stigma around having HIV or having a partner who is HIV positive are important topics today.

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The history of sex education has often been fraught. Learning resources often balance information with implicit messages about appropriate sexual behaviour. These issues reached new heights during the AIDS epidemic. As the disease spread widely, health authorities still lacked knowledge of how to treat its deadly symptoms, and ensuring the public practised safe sex became highly important.

The task of educating people about safe sex was embraced within the gay community. The posters displayed here have a strong voice that is distinctly opposed to official government material. Instead, the creators of these campaigns opted for humour, raunchy imagery and an emphasis on sexual pleasure.

This exhibition aims to reveal an alternative history of the AIDS epidemic. Within this period of suffering, there was still joyful erotic material to be found.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/search/images?query=five+men+hold+a+flag&locations.license=cc-by-nc#dzd2yda5

Wage the war on AIDS! Five men work to plant the pride flag into the ground, as though they were soldiers. The image emphasises the strength it takes to conquer AIDS and tells us that it’s possible when we get behind one another in solidarity, anything is possible.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/search/images?query=a+boxer+raises+his+bandaged+fists&locations.license=cc-by-nc#v6cgg639

This tough omi palone reminds us we’ve got what it takes to fight back. The boxer’s raised fists are indicative of the stance the gay community took against AIDS, as well as the attitude organisations like GFMA took when promoting safe sex practices. Condoms and lube pack a punch in the fight against AIDS. Rather than fearing it, fight it!

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Twelve photographs of people living with HIV representing an advertisement for early treatment of HIV by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Lithograph after Annie Leibovitz, 1993.

https://wellcomecollection.org/works/qyudx5yp/items

These moving images by the famed photographer, Annie Leibovitz, are a hopeful advertisement for the HIV treatments that emerged in the early 1990s. Here, we see that survival has become a possibility. Notice how this poster also sensitively acknowledges that a variety of demographics may be affected by HIV.

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https://wellcomecollection.org/works/y2euzack

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In this section of the exhibition, you'll spot some interesting words that might be new to you.

This slang comes from a secret language called Polari. Polari was used within queer communirities, particularly amongst gay men, in the early twentieth century. It used elements of Italian, Romany and even criminal slang. It was essential that gay men keep their relationships private before homosexuality was partially decriminialised in 1967.

Although Polari had fallen out of fashion by the 1970s, some words remain popular. Here are some definitions that'll come in handy!

omi palones - men

bona nochy - good evening

buvare - a drink

trade - attractive men

cruise - scout out potential casual partners for sexual relationships

dish - anus/bum

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In stark contrast to the official marketing promoted by government agencies, organizations such as Gay Men Fighting AIDS (GFMA) took an approach to marketing safe sex that was often funny and used imagery particular to fashion and beauty trends in gay culture at the time. Take a look at the builders and sailors in the posters. Strong, masculine, and youthful, these professions are displayed to convey the attractiveness of practicing safe sex. Rather than relying on dark themes to convince people to use condoms, these posters depict men smiling, kissing, and partying. Safe sex isn’t scary and it certainly isn’t boring!

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Red Ribbon; London: Wellcome Trust, 2001

https://wellcomecollection.org/works/y3t89urz

The red AIDS ribbon was created by the Visual AIDS Artists Caucus in 1991, as a way to show solidarity with HIV positive people worldwide. Celebrities played an important role in popularising this symbol. Elizabeth Taylor wore it during her fundraising efforts for AIDS research, and the performers at the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert sported the ribbon to commemorate the lives lost during the epidemic.

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An Asian couple embrace by a window; advertisement for the new female condom by the Black HIV/AIDS Network. Brown lithograph.

Date:[between 1990 and 1999]

https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ezm54gfc/items

This advertisement highlights that pleasure-focused advertising for safe sex was embraced by many marginalised communities. The Black HIV/AIDS network mobilised to address the lack of inclusivity in sexual health resources for people from minority ethnic groups. This poster in particular advertises the femidom, a new form of contraception which provided protection during oral sex performed on vaginas.