In 1987, amidst the AIDS crisis, a photographer documented the lives of same-sex couples to challenge prevailing stereotypes and misconceptions. The project, titled 'At Home With Themselves,' aimed to highlight the dignity of gay love during a time of fear and backlash. Through interviews and photographs, the photographer met various couples, including Gordon and Jim, who exemplified lasting love despite societal pressures. The initiative demonstrated a community's yearning for representation and challenged the narratives spun by the media around promiscuity and disease transmission.
The mid-1980s marked a turning point in the AIDS crisis, revealing a critical backlash against the growing acceptance of homosexuality, intensifying misconceptions about how HIV was contracted.
Photographer's intention was to capture the dignity of gay love, resisting stereotypes of promiscuity perpetuated by the media and demonstrating the depth of same-sex relationships through intimate portraits.
The ease of finding willing couples to photograph surprised the photographer, highlighting a community seeking representation despite many still hiding their identities.
The strong bond between Gordon and Jim was made more poignant by their choice to live openly, in contrast to Gordon's homophobic father's attitudes.
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