Mark Reid interviewed by Helena Cohen-Robertson in 2021

Mark Reid, born and raised in Melbourne to English parents and later adopted, became a central figure in Western Australia’s early HIV/AIDS response. Moving to Perth in the early 1980s, he was among the founding members of the WA AIDS Council, formed during the first wave of the epidemic when little was understood about HIV. Diagnosed HIV-positive himself, Reid was active in People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) WA, delivering education, running courses for HIV-positive people, and advocating for dignified care outside of hospitals. He recounts the stigma faced both within the wider community and inside the gay community, the shock of early HIV diagnoses, and the rapid loss of peers. Reid was also involved in activism around the PLWHA drop-in centre, which was blocked by Perth City Council, contributing to landmark legal discussions about discrimination. His career included work in the public service before HIV became his main professional focus, and he reflects on the decline of some advocacy groups and the ongoing need for empathy and visibility.