Sex, Shame, and Survival: A Conversation with Alex Garner

Thirty years of living with HIV. Twenty years of global queer advocacy. And a perspective on shame, sex, and survival that you are not going to hear anywhere else.In this episode of our series Queer Hearts Healthy Starts: Breaking Toxic Relationship Patterns, Renae sits down with Alex Garner (he/him), Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications at MPact Global, for a conversation that moves between the deeply personal and the unmistakably political. Because for Alex, those two things have never been separate.They get into what it actually felt like to come of age as a gay man during the AIDS epidemic, why HIV was, for many men of his generation, a matter of when and not if, and what it took to move from fear and stigma into a life built around joy and self-possession. They talk about what queer rage can do when it gets channeled into something, what parents of queer teens need to unlearn, how MPact is choosing to expand rather than retreat in a moment when so much is being stripped away, and why the dance floor has always been, and still is, a form of resistance.This one goes deep. And it lands somewhere hopeful.Queer Moment of Joy Guest 1: Ronan Mayock He/Him @ronanmayockQueer Moment of Joy Guest 2: Lara Etzen She/Her @laraetzeGuest Bio : Alex Garner is a writer, artist, and community advocate dedicated to advancing queer visibility and health equity. He currently serves as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications at MPact Global Action and previously led sexual health innovation and global campaigns as Senior Health Innovation Strategist at Hornet. With over 25 years in community organizing and two decades as a writer, Alex uses storytelling, art, and advocacy to humanize queer experiences and destigmatize conversations around sex, HIV, and identity.Born and raised in Southern California, Alex is a proud Chicano, gay/queer, and male-presenting person who embraces fluidity and authenticity. Living openly with HIV for 30 years, he shares his personal journey including his time as a sex worker and performer to challenge stigma and inspire others.Links: https://www.instagram.com/alexgarnerla/ www.mpactglobal.org https://www.instagram.com/mpact.global/https://www.facebook.com/MPactGlobalAction/Host Bio: Renae Johnson, LPCC, ATR-BC (they/them) is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Board-Certified Art Therapist, and the Founder of Open Space Therapy Collective, a group practice offering affirming, social justice-driven mental health care for the LGBTQ+ & QTPOC community. With clinical expertise in complex trauma, identity development, and creative expression, Renae blends therapeutic depth with a commitment to equity and inclusion.In addition to their clinical work, Renae produces community wellness events like Queerly Connected and is a founding board member of the LA Queer Coalition, creating spaces where queer and trans people can gather, heal, organize, and celebrate. To find more from us visit:Website: https://www.openspacetherapycollective.comInstagram: @openspacetherapycollective TikTok: @openspacetherapy Spotify: @MyTherapistisOut Apple Podcasts: @mytherapistisoutYouTube: @openspacetherapycollectiveKeywords: queer health, HIV, sexuality, community, impact global, LGBTQ+ activism, mental health, global health, queer joy, advocacy