Legitimizing AIDS as a Disability: The AIDS and Disability Action Project in British Columbia, 1987–1991.

This article examines the first phase (1987–1991) of the AIDS and Disability Action Project launched by the British Columbia Coalition of the Disabled (later the British Columbia Coalition of People with Disabilities) to educate the disability community about HIV/AIDS, advocate for HIV/AIDS to be recognized as a disability, and foster cooperation between the HIV/AIDS and disability rights movements. Through analysis of research reports, educational materials, and a 1991 conference, the Coalition identified shared barriers—such as stigma, discrimination, and lack of access to services—that affected both communities and promoted HIV/AIDS as a health issue rather than a "gay disease." However, their efforts overlooked the complexities of homophobia within the disability community and ableism within the HIV/AIDS community, limiting effective collaboration. Despite these challenges, the Coalition's work contributed to legitimizing HIV/AIDS as a disability and advancing advocacy for legal protections and community integration during a period of widespread government inaction in British Columbia.