Talkabout Magazine

Sometimes it’s easy to think you are the only person dealing with a particular issue. Or that you’re the only person faced with living with HIV or facing a difficult decision or a new situation. Every story shared is a chance feel less alone, and it also can help other people realise they’re not alone.

There’s often many other people experiencing a similar thing. You just haven’t heard about it.

Sharing your story about HIV can also help to normalise the experience of living with HIV as just another medical condition that some people live with. It can also help to break down stigma around HIV by humanising the experience of living with HIV.

Talkabout is the magazine where people living with HIV in NSW speak for ourselves. The magazine is published by Positive Life NSW, the largest organisation staffed by and for all people living with HIV regardless of gender or identity in NSW. Talkabout’s greatest strength is the voices of the people living with HIV who contribute our stories of success and hardship, love and loss, joy and sadness, courage and fear that really make a difference!

To share your story, you don’t need any writing experience, just a willingness to share your experiences or thoughts. We can help you do the rest.

If you have a story to tell, or have an idea for an article or want write but need some ideas, please contact Charlie Tredway, Talkabout Editor on (02) 8357 8386 or 1800 245 677 (freecall outside metro), or email editor@positivelife.org.au

If you want to read the stories of other people living with HIV, you can read these at our extensive Talkabout online library going back to 1988.

Some Guidelines

Protect your privacy

Please don’t include your full name, contact details or details in your story that makes it easy to identify you. Normally we will edit those details to protect your privacy. Please tell us how you want your authorship recognised – your name or a pseudonym. Using just your first name or a pen name (pseudonym) is a good way to protect your privacy. To submit something for Talkabout, please include your name, address and phone number (this will not be published).

Editing and moderation

Positive Life will review stories and edit out any political discussion, swearing or inappropriate language before publication. We will also need to remove the names of specific venues, businesses or organisations, or other advertising or endorsement for services, books, blogs or websites.

Sending in your story is not a replacement for seeking help

Submitting a story or reading these stories isn’t a replacement for clinical care or peer support. If you need to talk to someone, please contact us to find out what support is available for you.

Respect copyright

Anyone else’s copyrighted material will either need to include the original copyright owner’s permission or be acknowledged as their copyrighted work.

For your safety

If you are at immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else, please call Lifeline 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467 or emergency services on triple zero – 000.