Migration as an active strategy to escape the ‘second closet’ for HIV-positive gay men in Barcelona and Rome

ABSTRACT

Centred around the life narratives of HIV-positive gay migrants in two Mediterranean cities, Barcelona (Catalonia/Spain) and Rome (Italy), this paper frames their decision to migrate towards the big city as an active strategy to escape the ‘second closet’, a concept introduced by Berg and Ross in 2014 to refer to the hiding of HIV-positivity by gay men to avoid negative social condemnation. In line with recent literature on gay migration that has emphasized its relational and situated character, the paper focuses on several factors leading to the decision to migrate: sexual desire and the imagery of the big city; the configuration of the welfare regime allowing free access to antiretroviral therapies (ARTs); access to employment in the services sector; and the absence of strong ties in the new city. Methodologically the paper draws from in-depth interviews conducted with 24 HIV-positive gay men between 2014 and 2016.

ABSTRAIT

Axé sur les récits de vie de migrants gays séropositifs dans deux grandes villes méditerranéennes, Barcelone (Catalogne/Espagne) et Rome (Italie), cet article encadre leur décision de migrer vers la grand ville dans le but d’adopter une stratégie proactive pour échapper au « second placard », un concept introduit par Berg et Ross en 2014 pour faire référence à la dissimulation de leur séropositivité par les hommes gays afin d’éviter la condamnation sociale négative. Conformément à la recherche récente sur la migration gay qui a souligné son caractère relationnel et situé, l’article se concentre sur les différents facteurs qui mènent à la décision de migrer: le désir sexuel et l’imagerie de la grand ville, la configuration du régime de sécurité sociale permettant l’accès gratuit au traitement antirétroviral (ARV), l’accès à l’emploi dans le tertiaire et l’absence d’attachements forts dans la nouvelle ville. L’article s’appuie méthodologiquement sur des entretiens en profondeur effectués auprès de 24 hommes gays séropositifs entre 2014 et 2016.

ABSTRACTO

Centrado en las narrativas de vida de los migrantes homosexuales con VIH en dos ciudades del Mediterráneo, Barcelona (Cataluña/España) y Roma (Italia), este documento enmarca su decisión de migrar hacia la gran ciudad como una estrategia activa para escapar del ‘segundo armario’, un concepto introducido por Berg y Ross en 2014 para referirse a la ocultación de la positividad del VIH por parte de los hombres homosexuales y así evitar una condena social negativa. Conforme a la literatura reciente sobre la migración gay que ha enfatizado su carácter relacional y situado, el documento se centra en varios factores que conducen a la decisión de migrar: el deseo sexual y las imágenes de la gran ciudad; la configuración del régimen de bienestar social que permite el acceso gratuito a terapias antirretrovirales (TAR); acceso al empleo en el sector servicios; y la ausencia de lazos fuertes en la nueva ciudad. Metodológicamente, el documento se basa en entrevistas en profundidad realizadas con 24 hombres gay con VIH entre 2014 y 2016.

KEYWORDS:

• VIH
• gay migration
• Barcelona
• Rome
• qualitative research

MOTS CLÉS:

• VIH
• migration gay
• Barcelone
• Rome
• recherche qualitative

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• VIH
• migración gay
• Barcelona
• Roma
• investigación cualitativa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. To have full information on the regulation around mobility for HIV-positive people across the globe, see the website http://www.hivtravel.org/ [last visit: 4 October 2017].

2. For an exception in the Catalan context, see Rodó-de-Zárate (2014); for an exception in the Italian context see Soggiu (2015).

3. In Spain, the 16/2012 Royal Decree (RD) approved by the right-wing government in 2012 made the access to healthcare impossible for most undocumented migrants, including people living with HIV. However some regional governments implemented regulations to make healthcare accessible for undocumented migrants. The new socialist government in power since 2018 aims at cancelling the 16/2012 RD.

4. Since I’m discussing official data, I here use the medical jargon.

5. See, among others, http://sieropositivo.it/area-informativa/news-dallitalia/5042-l-italia-ha-un-piano-nazionale-aids-lila-ma-ancora-troppi-non-sanno-di-avere-l-hiv-2.html [last visit: 7 November 2017]; http://www.lila.it/it/dal-mondo-aids/919-pna2017 [last visit: 7 November 2017].

6. ʹEnactedʹ stigma refers to openly discriminatory acts and norms; ʹfeltʹ refers to the sense of stigma perceived and internalized by the subject, in the case of HIV this being associated to a sense of moral condemnation (for ʹriskyʹ and ʹdespicableʹ sexual conduits).

7. At the time of the interview, 14 out of 16 declared they were on ARTs; the others had started but had decided to stop them.

8. At the time of the interview, 8 out of 8 declared they were on ARTs.