F*g Hags, Divas and Moms: : The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community

The history of the AIDS epidemic has largely been told from the perspective of gay men: their losses, struggles and contributions. But what about the women - in particular, straight women? Not just Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Diana, but thousands whose accomplishments have never been recognized?

For almost forty years, straight women have have been affected by HIV/AIDS. They have fought for the right to be included in clinical trials and qualify for disability benefits. They have raised money and awareness. They have devoted their lives to caregiving, medical research and advocacy. But until now, their stories have been ignored or forgotten, even in accounts of women's history.

Drawing on personal interviews and archival research, F*g Hags, Divas and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community is the first book to share the stories of these women around the world, throughout the epidemic. Some of the names are familiar; most are not. But all have left a lasting impact on the fight against a virus that has killed over 40 million people around the world, half of them women.

Author, speaker and activist Victoria Noe assures their place in women's history, for their determination to educate and advocate, to end the epidemic once and for all.

Bronze Medallion, Readers Favorite 2020 Book of the Year

A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree - 2019

Finalist, A&U Magazine Literature of the Year - 2019

Author: Victoria Noe
Publisher: King Company Publishing
Published: 03/29/2019
Pages: 226
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.68lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.48d
ISBN: 9780990308195

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2019
Publishers Weekly 07/08/2019

About the Author
Noe, Victoria: - VIctoria Noe is an award-winning author, speaker and activist. In 2006, she promised a dying friend that she would write a book about people grieving their friends. That book turned into the Friend Grief series, six small nonfiction collections of stories from people whose lives changed when their friends died. With these books, she filled a gap in grief resources. Noe's freelance work has appeared in Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post, Windy City Times and a variety of writing and HIV/AIDS-related websites. Her essay, "Long-Term Survivor" won the 2015 Christopher Hewitt Award for Creative Nonfiction from A&U Magazine. A sought-after speaker, she has presented at such venues as The Muse and the Marketplace, Mt. Sinai Medical Center HIV rounds and public libraries around the Midwest. Her work in the AIDS community in Chicago began in the mid-1980s as a volunteer, then as a fundraiser for a variety of AIDS-service organizations until 1994. After a long break, she returned as a writer and advocate in 2011. Her focus includes sharing stories of women in the AIDS community and supporting the needs of long-term survivors. Noe holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Speech and Dramatic Art from the University of Iowa, and uses her experience as a stage manager and director to help shy authors overcome their fear of public speaking. She is a member of the Authors Guild, Alliance of Independent Authors, and ACT UP/NY. A St. Louis native, she remains a loyal Cardinals fan despite living in Chicago, married to a Cubs fan. Her website is www.victorianoe.com