Viral Representations in Pose (2018–2021)

Abstract

ABSTRACT An analysis of Pose (2018–2021) shows that the way HIV/AIDS suffering was represented in this series was very different to earlier representations. In particular, multimodal analysis is deployed to show how the series contributes to the provision of opportunities for audiences to identify and empathize with people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). At a critical discourse level of analysis, Pose enables audiences to reflect on the position of PLWHA in the society; as such, rather than promoting feelings of care, the series appears to encourage audiences to engage with HIV/AIDS suffering in more depth, promoting the possibility of audiences contributing to the demand for civil rights for PLWHA. Indeed, the analysis suggests that Pose addresses social stigmatization and marginalization in a manner that promotes sociocultural change. The us-versus-them binary is reversed in such a manner whereby it becomes possible that those who contribute to the stigmatization of PLWHA are the ones who become the Others. The contribution of the series lies not only on the fact that PLWHA, as well as members of the queer community, were involved in the creation and production process; rather, the series addresses HIV/AIDS in an empowering, rather than a stigmatizing, manner.