7/31/2019 Robert Carr Memorial Lecture: Speech by Cheryl Overs
AIDS 2012
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myself the impact of stigma, abuse and discrimination in my
life. He enabled me to own my
experience and therefore move on. So for me Robert was a great
friend and a great counsellor
and a brilliant teacher. Unfortunately he was never able to
teach me how to be graceful and
dignified as he was in the face of bullshit. Meeting Roberts dad
after the session made me
think that maybe that is inherited not taught.
I have great memories of good times with Robert. I am so glad I
got to eat roti with him at his
favorite place in Trinidad. Laughing in London. Some that cant
be mentioned. I miss him
terribly and remember him with lots of smiles and love as well
as the gratitude for his truly
empowering support and I break the silence in his memory.
Post Script : After the session I was surprised by how many
people came to tell me they have
had similar struggles with discrimination within HIV/AIDS NGOs
and had difficulty recognising
that particular form of bullshit and dealing with its
consequences.
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Cheryl Overs works at the Michael Kirby Centre for Health and
Human Rights, Monash
University School of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine in
Australia. Cheryl is founder of
the Global Network of Sex Work Projects and a member of the
Technical Advisory Group of the
Global Commission on HIV and the Law.
