The Gift (2003 film)
Encyclopedia
The Gift is a 2003 documentary by filmmaker Louise Hogarth documenting the phenomenon of deliberate HIV
infection; bugchasing. The film follows the stories of two "bug chasers" who are seeking "the gift" of HIV infection. Interviews are also conducted with AIDS
activist and author, Walt Odets, PhD, and HIV positive and negative men. The film explores the normalization and glamorization of HIV/AIDS and discusses the isolation and division caused by HIV status in the gay
community.
Kenboy, another young man, explains he moved to an LA
sex house with sex parties and was relieved to finally catch HIV; from then on he would not have to worry about getting it or not, or using a condom (failing to think of the possibility of catching other STI
s). He now runs a barebacking website, and is physically ill.
A group of older men, who did not get HIV on their own volition, explain how they lost a lot of their friends and lovers to HIV, and how they do not want a relationship because they do not want their boyfriend having to bury them too. They also talk about the medication they take, and about the side-effects - namely cardiac attacks, which seem to have replaced direct death from the virus. Advertising for prevention is also exposed for being too positive and showing images of attractive men with AIDS.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
infection; bugchasing. The film follows the stories of two "bug chasers" who are seeking "the gift" of HIV infection. Interviews are also conducted with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
activist and author, Walt Odets, PhD, and HIV positive and negative men. The film explores the normalization and glamorization of HIV/AIDS and discusses the isolation and division caused by HIV status in the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
community.
Plot
Doug Hitzel, a young man, reveals that after a year of unsuccessful dating he gave in to unprotected sex in an attempt to fit in; he is then seen crying.Kenboy, another young man, explains he moved to an LA
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
sex house with sex parties and was relieved to finally catch HIV; from then on he would not have to worry about getting it or not, or using a condom (failing to think of the possibility of catching other STI
STI
-Institutes:*Sega Technical Institute*Semantic Technology Institute International, a scientific and research network; also some of its members call themselves STI*Southern Technical Institute—a university in Marietta, Georgia, USA...
s). He now runs a barebacking website, and is physically ill.
A group of older men, who did not get HIV on their own volition, explain how they lost a lot of their friends and lovers to HIV, and how they do not want a relationship because they do not want their boyfriend having to bury them too. They also talk about the medication they take, and about the side-effects - namely cardiac attacks, which seem to have replaced direct death from the virus. Advertising for prevention is also exposed for being too positive and showing images of attractive men with AIDS.