Charlie Tredway

In a recording from Out in the Park (2016), held in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, community engagement officer Charlie Tredway discusses various aspects of interacting with the LGBTQ+ community and advocacy on behalf of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. Tredway was interviewed by Gareth Watkins on March 12, 2016, touching on several issues that were relevant to the time.

The interview began with Tredway expressing enthusiasm about their first attendance at Out in the Park, a smaller event compared to Auckland's Big Gay Out but with a notable sense of community and intimacy. Tredway highlighted the love and support found in a smaller community, calling out the closeness observed among the New Zealand AIDS Foundation and the Love Your Condom campaign volunteers, something less visible in larger cities like Auckland.

A central topic discussed was the challenge of engaging younger people in HIV awareness and prevention efforts. The interview pointed out that traditional messaging, which often focused on the impact of AIDS and HIV-related policy reforms, failed to connect with the youth. To address this, it was essential to tailor communication efforts to be accessible, fun, and understandable by utilizing social media and other platforms that resonate more with younger audiences and to shift toward promoting a condom culture.

The interviewer also inquired about the strategies used to reach the target demographic—individuals in their late teens to thirties. Tredway emphasized the necessity of improving sexual health education since schools typically provide fundamental reproductive information, which is not sufficient for people within the LGBTQ+ community. Specific messaging is needed to fill the gap, particularly about the risks of HIV transmission through anal sex and to address the higher vulnerability among LGBTQ+ individuals.

Furthermore, Tredway brought attention to the issue of the CD4 threshold in New Zealand, a benchmark used to determine when HIV-positive individuals can begin medication. At the time, the policy required that one's CD4 count drop below a critical level before receiving treatment, an approach widely criticized and inconsistent with global health recommendations which favored early treatment for better outcomes.

When asked about the broader issues affecting the rainbow communities in 2016, Tredway identified the need for greater unity and less judgment within the community, as well as stigmas associated with HIV. They advocated for reducing stigma and fostering open discussions about sexual health, which could be advanced through education and newer methods like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Toward the end of the interview, Tredway expressed a vision for the future of New Zealand—a place with a greater sense of unity among the LGBTQ+ community, reduced stigma around HIV, and an environment encouraging open conversations about safe sex practices. These goals, combined with informed choices and widespread testing, could help mitigate the transmission of HIV, which was noted to occur frequently among those unaware of their HIV status.

The recording concluded with a reflection on the state of HIV stigma in the community, pointing out that fear and lack of information perpetuate misconceptions, hindering testing and safe practices. As a result, tackling HIV stigma is essential not only for individuals living with HIV but also as a public health strategy to prevent further transmission.

This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.

Charlie Tredway

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