Senior Solutions and Bellows Falls Pride are proud to sponsor

a special presentation with Mark S. King

on June 20, In celebration of Pride Month, the Bellows Falls Opera House will host Mark S. King, an internationally acclaimed author of the book “My Fabulous Disease”, will speak about sexual politics, the twin epidemics of addiction and AIDS, and how he has navigated sex, love, and family as a gay man living with HIV for nearly forty years.
He has been writing personal reflections on gay life, sex, addiction and his family since shortly after testing HIV positive in 1985, only weeks after the test became publicly available. “I wanted to put something down on paper while I could,” King explains, “something that said we were here, and this is how it felt. No one is more surprised than I am that I’m still writing it down.”
The result has been nearly four decades of moving, sometimes hilarious accounts of what it was like for a young gay man to make it out of the 1980s alive – and what came next.
Those who were in their twenties in the 1980s when the AIDS crisis began are now in their 60s. 53% of Americans Living with HIV are now over 50. This presents a new demographic challenge for agencies serving seniors and for medical and health professionals.
We have little data or research on the interaction between HIV medicines and other medicines frequently used by seniors. In addition, seniors living with HIV are at serious risk of social isolation due to having lost friends to the disease, a personal reluctance to share their stories freely due to stigma, and the statistical likelihood of not having children or extended family care networks.
Mr. King will address the audience with a multi-media presentation drawn from his lived experience and will hold a question-and-answer session following his presentation.
Due to the expected turnout advanced reservations are recommended and available through the Bellows Falls Opera House. Doors open at 6:30. Event starts at 7:30
This initiative is a first step towards raising awareness of this growing issue and has been funded in part by the Vermont Community Foundation.
Mr. King will be available before the event for interviews and meetings with the media.

About Senior Solutions
Senior Solutions was established in 1973 as part of the federal Older Americans Act. One of five Area Agencies on Aging in Vermont funding is provided from individuals, foundations, the state of Vermont, and the federal government to provide services to residents 60 years and older. Services include case management, caregiver support, HelpLine referrals, health and wellness programs, Medicare and insurance assistance, and much more.

About Bellows Falls Pride
Bellows Falls Pride was formed in April 2023 as a committee of six individuals interested in promoting the iconic history of the Andrews Inn and providing focus for the area’s LGBTQ+ community. Accomplishing a month of Pride events last June led to broader community interest in continuing to provide ongoing awareness and activities. Honoring the Andrews Inn founders in October 2023 for National Coming Out Day and moving the Inn’s historic marker to a more prominent public location were just two of the group’s accomplishments.
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