Mark S King: Desire, Defiance, Dancing

Mark S King: Desire, Defiance, Dancing

An American HIV journalist and long-term survivor reflects on four decades of living with HIV, from the pre-AIDS era of early 1980s West Hollywood to the age of Undetectable equals Untransmittable. SUMMARY In 1980, Mark S King was a 19-year-old with a strawberry blonde fringe who won a car on The Price Is Right. His boyfriend Charlie was in the audience wearing a matching outfit. Five years later, a friend tested him for HIV after hours in a doctor's office - off the record, because a positive result could cost him his home and his job. The phone call that followed was brief: you're HIV positive, good luck, goodbye. No referral, no medication, no next steps. There was nothing to offer. What followed was a decade spent in the thick of the West Hollywood AIDS crisis - running experimental drugs across the Mexican border, holding dying friends' hands through the Shanti Foundation, and finding moments of wilful joy on San Diego dance floors. Mark lost Ron at 26 in a Connecticut nursing home, Marcos to CMV blindness and suicide, and Lesley surrounded by friends singing him songs. When combination therapy arrived in 1996, the relief came tangled with guilt, confusion, and maxed-out credit cards. Forty years on, Mark sits on a porch in Atlanta with his husband Michael and calls happiness the only revolution he has left. KEY MOMENTS * [00:02] The strawberry blonde twink - Mark's childhood in Louisiana as an Air Force brat, finding role models in community theatre, and navigating desire in the Deep South * [07:20] Winning a car on national television - the Price Is Right appearance in 1980, the matching outfits, and why Mark keeps returning to that footage as a snapshot of the "just before" * [15:27] An encounter with Rock Hudson - a dinner in West Hollywood, an invitation back, and the world-weariness of a closeted star three years from dying on the nightly news * [22:25] The envelope on the table - testing positive in 1985, the after-hours blood draw, and the two-week wait for a result that came with nothing attached * [24:44] The Shanti Foundation and learning not to fix people - volunteering with the dying, the philosophy of compassionate presence, and the bank teller with Kaposi's sarcoma who just stopped showing up * [30:36] Drug running to Tijuana - smuggling AZT across the border, packing it under the spare tyre, and dancing to Laura Branigan on the way home. Wilful joy. * [35:49] Dick, Emile, and the brandy glass - Mark's brother and his partner's final act of love - assisted suicide. * [41:11] The Lazarus effect - combination therapy arrives in 1996, and the impossible emotional whiplash of being told you might actually live * [44:46] Long-term survivor as relic - why Mark resists being turned into a symbol, and why HIV remains the most fascinating societal mirror he knows * [49:32] Joy as a mission statement - not bravado but disposition, and the message he would send back to the boy arriving in West Hollywood: trust your instincts DEDICATION Mark remembers Antoine, a gender-fluid young Black man in gold lamé who died of AIDS only a few years ago - a reminder that the crisis is not history for everyone. ABOUT MARK S KING Mark S King is an American HIV journalist, essayist, and NLGJA LGBTQ Journalist of the Year. His memoir My Fabulous Disease: Chronicles of a Gay Survivor was published in 2024. He was inducted into the NLGJA Hall of Fame in 2025 and is a GLAAD Award winner. He lives in Atlanta with his husband Michael. His blog is My Fabulous Disease [https://www.marksking.com/]. RESOURCES * My Fabulous Disease — Mark's blog and writing archive [https://www.marksking.com/] * Terrence Higgins Trust — Long-term survivor support (UK) [https://www.tht.org.uk/hiv-and-sexual-health/living-hiv-long-term] * National AIDS Trust — HIV and the law in the UK [https://www.nat.org.uk/] * The 2025–2030 UK HIV Action Plan [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-action-plan-for-england-2025-to-2030] If you have been affected by the themes in this episode, support is available at tht.org.uk [https://www.tht.org.uk/]. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Trailer: Series 3

A preview of the third series of HIV: The Morning After — ten new interviews with people living with HIV across four decades, five countries, and every assumption you thought you had. SUMMARY Series 3 of HIV: The Morning After brings ten new voices to the podcast. An American journalist who smuggled AZT across the Mexican border in the boot of his car. A fashion makeup artist who lived with HIV for 30 years without a single day of medication, carrying a rare gene mutation his doctors couldn't explain. A young woman who kept a physical notebook of lies to remember which cover story she'd given for the pill she took at lunch. A Ukrainian DJ who survived six overdoses on the streets of Kyiv and now drives antiretroviral medication through a war zone in his own car. A Ugandan-born woman who packed six months of pills and flew home to die, arriving in the UK with a CD4 count of one. A man who survived a hijacked 747 at eleven and found clarity on a single dose of LSD taken for cluster headaches. A Nigerian priest who fasted for 40 days to pray the gay away, married a woman under church pressure, and founded Africa's first inclusive LGBTQ church across 22 countries. A Black British-Caribbean woman who told nobody for ten years and found her way back to her body through yoga and Buddhism. An HIV consultant who went from writing prescriptions to needing them, becoming the first person with HIV to lead the British HIV Association. And an actor who was diagnosed at 16, kept it secret for 15 years, and turned his story into a one-man show that led to 53 five-star reviews and a part in It's a Sin. These are not cautionary tales. They are lives. THE GUESTS * Mark S King — HIV journalist and long-term survivor, diagnosed in 1985 in West Hollywood. Author of My Fabulous Disease. * Laurence Close — Fashion hair and makeup artist, diagnosed in 1985. Lived 30 years without medication due to a rare CCR5-Delta 32 gene mutation. This episode is his first public disclosure. * Ellie Harrison — Diagnosed at 21 in 2018. Spent 1,199 days in silence before going public on World AIDS Day 2021. * Anton — Ukrainian DJ and harm reduction advocate, diagnosed in Kyiv. Founding member of the Ukrainian Network of People Who Use Drugs. * Winnie Sseruma — Born in Sheffield, raised in Uganda, diagnosed in 1988 in the US. Co-founded the African HIV Policy Network. Arrived in the UK with a CD4 count of one. * Hamish Noah — Born in Cambridge, raised across Southeast Asia and Africa. Diagnosed in January 2020. Recovery coach and HIV advocate. * Reverend Jide Macaulay — Nigerian-born Anglican priest, diagnosed in 2003. Founder of the House of Rainbow, now operating in 22 countries. * Louise Vallance — Black British-Caribbean woman, diagnosed in 2006 at 37. Told nobody for ten years. Yoga therapist and host of Aunty Lou's House. * Dr Tristan Barber — HIV consultant at the Royal Free Hospital, diagnosed in 2002. First person living with HIV to chair the British HIV Association. * Nathaniel Hall — Actor and activist from Stockport, diagnosed at 16 in 2003. Creator of First Time (53 five-star reviews) and cast member of It's a Sin. RESOURCES * Terrence Higgins Trust [https://www.tht.org.uk/] * National AIDS Trust [https://www.nat.org.uk/] * Positively UK [https://positivelyuk.org/] * George House Trust — Manchester [https://ght.org.uk/] * The 2025–2030 UK HIV Action Plan [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hiv-action-plan-for-england-2025-to-2030] New episodes released weekly. Subscribe on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6STKi9WAVGW1WIVb2MK3wH?si=1c6d70c874b04375], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hiv-the-morning-after/id1835342862], or wherever you listen. If you have been affected by the themes in this series, support is available at tht.org.uk [https://www.tht.org.uk/]. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Compilation Special: Still Here

This is a special compilation episode featuring highlights from Series 1 and 2 of HIV: The Morning After, released ahead of Series 3 in June 2026. This episode covers what that means to be here today. It covers learning to live with uncertainty as a medical instruction and a life philosophy. The specific weight of a 20-year prognosis delivered cheerfully, echoing in your head on the London Underground for days. The six months after a diagnosis so bleak and depressive that living and dying became things you could weigh against each other with complete neutrality - and the moment of choosing to live, not because it would be easy, but because there would also be great food, great sex and the possibility of wonder. This episode also includes an exclusive clip from Series 3 featuring journalist Mark S King. Resources Terrence Higgins Trust - HIV information, support and campaigning www.tht.org.uk [https://www.tht.org.uk/] NAM aidsmap - Clear, evidence-based information about HIV www.aidsmap.com [https://www.aidsmap.com/] Positively UK - Peer support for people living with HIV in the UK www.positivelyuk.org [https://www.positivelyuk.org/] National AIDS Trust - Policy and advocacy www.nat.org.uk [https://www.nat.org.uk/] Samaritans - Free, confidential support if you're struggling Call: 116 123 | www.samaritans.org [https://www.samaritans.org/] Links Listen to the full episodes: 1. Chris Smith — Series 2, Episode 1 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/3b57aad0-be01-4165-a17e-9abb0df3a958/] 2. Matthew Hodson — Series 1, Episode 7 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/adc5d732-2dad-4e8a-90b3-f6a7e8423dc0/] 3. Alexander Cheves — Series 2, Episode 2 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/7839e562-2c2d-40ea-94d3-d68af49c58b1/] 4. Diego Agurto Beroiza — Series 2, Episode 5 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/403f1101-b827-4786-917a-df0c7932e101/] 5. Nikolaj Tange Lange — Series 2, Episode 9 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/49b90843-a0b7-4aa4-9f97-964b7566bb29/] Music by Paul Leonidou: www.unstoppablemonsters.com [https://www.unstoppablemonsters.com/] Subscribe and listen on: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6STKi9WAVGW1WIVb2MK3wH?si=a62592087a62464c] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hiv-the-morning-after/id1835342862] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HIVTheMorningAfterpodcast] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Compilation Special: Who Gets To Tell This Story?

This is a special compilation episode featuring highlights from Series 1 and 2 of HIV: The Morning After, released ahead of Series 3 in June 2026. The epidemic had a story. A specific kind of story, told in a specific kind of voice - white, male, gay. It wasn't false. But it was one story, and it left a great many people out. This episode covers what it costs to be absent from the dominant narrative: to be a Black woman told by her GP that HIV doesn't affect ladies like her; to grow up without seeing a single image of yourself in any HIV information; to spend years planning your funeral while your friends planned their weddings. These are remarkable people. And the episode ends with a white, gay man whose activism is aimed very much at ensuring all voices are heard, not just those that look like him. Resources Terrence Higgins Trust - HIV information, support and campaigning www.tht.org.uk [https://www.tht.org.uk/] NAM aidsmap - Clear, evidence-based information about HIV www.aidsmap.com [https://www.aidsmap.com/] Positively UK - Peer support for people living with HIV in the UK www.positivelyuk.org [https://www.positivelyuk.org/] National AIDS Trust - Policy and advocacy www.nat.org.uk [https://www.nat.org.uk/] Samaritans - Free, confidential support if you're struggling Call: 116 123 | www.samaritans.org [https://www.samaritans.org/] Links Listen to the full episodes: 1. Gus Cairns - Series 1, Episode 9 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d953e459-e6d4-4b6a-aaf4-1e72152da169/] 2. Marc Thompson - Series 1, Episode 10 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e939ce65-af88-477e-8c7e-192ea50e113a/] 3. Peter Willis - Series 1, Episode 8 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/6ef63fb8-7ada-41ed-92e0-1ba80157f579/] 4. Martin Fenerty - Series 2, Episode 4 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2bcf1d06-9169-4e87-9281-e95a0450c816/] Music by Paul Leonidou: www.unstoppablemonsters.com [https://www.unstoppablemonsters.com/] Subscribe and listen on: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6STKi9WAVGW1WIVb2MK3wH?si=a62592087a62464c] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hiv-the-morning-after/id1835342862] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HIVTheMorningAfterpodcast]This is a special compilation episode featuring highlights from Series 1 and 2 of HIV: The Morning After, released ahead of Series 3 in June 2026. Resources Terrence Higgins Trust - HIV information, support and campaigning www.tht.org.uk [https://www.tht.org.uk/] NAM aidsmap - Clear, evidence-based information about HIV www.aidsmap.com [https://www.aidsmap.com/] Positively UK - Peer support for people living with HIV in the UK www.positivelyuk.org [https://www.positivelyuk.org/] National AIDS Trust - Policy and advocacy www.nat.org.uk [https://www.nat.org.uk/] Samaritans - Free, confidential support if you're struggling Call: 116 123 | www.samaritans.org [https://www.samaritans.org/] Links Listen to the full episodes: 1. Gus Cairns - Series 1, Episode 9 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d953e459-e6d4-4b6a-aaf4-1e72152da169/] 2. Marc Thompson - Series 1, Episode 10 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e939ce65-af88-477e-8c7e-192ea50e113a/] 3. Peter Willis - Series 1, Episode 8 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/6ef63fb8-7ada-41ed-92e0-1ba80157f579/] 4. Martin Fenerty - Series 2, Episode 4 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2bcf1d06-9169-4e87-9281-e95a0450c816/] Music by Paul Leonidou: www.unstoppablemonsters.com [https://www.unstoppablemonsters.com/] Subscribe and listen on: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6STKi9WAVGW1WIVb2MK3wH?si=a62592087a62464c] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hiv-the-morning-after/id1835342862] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HIVTheMorningAfterpodcast] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Compilation Special: The People Who Stayed

This is a special compilation episode featuring highlights from Series 1 and 2 of HIV: The Morning After, released ahead of Series 3 in June 2026. What do you do when you were quietly certain you were going to die, and then you didn't? This episode is about the long aftermath of survival. It covers what grief becomes when it stops being a storm and turns into ordinary weather: going to so many funerals you stop going. It covers the particular invisibility of being a young Black gay man in HIV services that hadn't imagined you existed. A GP treating dying patients while privately compartmentalising his own diagnosis. A decade spent keeping life deliberately small - no plans, no ambitions, nothing too far ahead - and the slow, confusing work of learning to want things again when the assumption of early death turned out to be wrong. And everywhere, just beneath the surface, the people who were months too early for the drugs that would have saved them. Resources Terrence Higgins Trust - HIV information, support and campaigning www.tht.org.uk [https://www.tht.org.uk/] NAM aidsmap - Clear, evidence-based information about HIV www.aidsmap.com [https://www.aidsmap.com/] Positively UK - Peer support for people living with HIV in the UK www.positivelyuk.org [https://www.positivelyuk.org/] National AIDS Trust - Policy and advocacy www.nat.org.uk [https://www.nat.org.uk/] Samaritans - Free, confidential support if you're struggling Call: 116 123 | www.samaritans.org [https://www.samaritans.org/] Links Listen to the full episodes: 1. Gus Cairns - Series 1, Episode 9 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/d953e459-e6d4-4b6a-aaf4-1e72152da169/] 2. Marc Thompson - Series 1, Episode 10 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e939ce65-af88-477e-8c7e-192ea50e113a/] 3. Peter Willis - Series 1, Episode 8 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/6ef63fb8-7ada-41ed-92e0-1ba80157f579/] 4. Martin Fenerty - Series 2, Episode 4 [https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2bcf1d06-9169-4e87-9281-e95a0450c816/] Music by Paul Leonidou: www.unstoppablemonsters.com [https://www.unstoppablemonsters.com/] Subscribe and listen on: Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6STKi9WAVGW1WIVb2MK3wH?si=a62592087a62464c] | Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/hiv-the-morning-after/id1835342862] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@HIVTheMorningAfterpodcast] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp