Terrance Michael Glynn- theAIDSmemorial Post

Terrance Michael Glynn (1948 - 1996), known by family and during his early years as Terry, but known in the gay community and in Australia as Michael. He was born in Chicago, and spent most of his childhood in Newark. He moved to Australia in 1970, returned to the US in 1975, and came back in 1979.It was in 1979 that Terry set up Australia's longest running free gay community paper, initially called the Sydney Star, now Sydney Star Observer. He was also involved in setting up anti-violence street patrols in the early 1990s, and in People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) support services in the 1990s. He lost control of the Star in the mid 1980s.A letter I came across today processing Terry’s papers at the Australian Queer Archives, it was written by his mother in the US in 1987 after he'd advised her of his AIDS diagnosis:"Dear Terry,I tried twice to call you at the number you gave me - but no answer - so I am writing you.Hope this finds you well. As far as your visiting here, I am sorry but it just can't be - Barb and the boys are here all the time and we all of us just don't feel it would be safe, I know they say it (ARC) or whatever, is not contagious through contact but I don't believe they are 100% sure and we could not take that chance. I know this is going to make you angry - and I am truly sorry. Barb has said if you did come here - she or the boys would not come here again and I could not do that.As I said I know what they say about casual contact - but then on the other hand why are dentists using gloves - and some doctor's are refusing to treat AIDS patients - they have even issues gloves to the police and school teachers.It has been hard enough to accept your lifestyle - let alone this now.I just cannot cope with this kind of situation - I am really sorry.We really do love you and hope you keep in touch. Love mom.P.S. believe me when I tell you this is a very hard thing for me to do, and I do love you."— by Nick Henderson