Paper short abstract:

This presentation draws on reflections that emerged from in-depth interviews conducted with women living with HIV/AIDS in the Indian cities of Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi and the semi-rural Thane district. In spite of hailing from deprived communities leading lives marked by social stigma, economic privation and emotional isolation, the women were keen to participate in this research project. Women shared their experiences spontaneously and one of the prime reasons they said that they wanted to take part in this study was because they wanted ‘to be heard’. This research will map out theoretical debates on feminist research ethics and how feminists have tried to address of making an ‘impact’.

Paper long abstract:

The proposed presentation draws on reflections that emerged from in-depth interviews conducted with women living with HIV/AIDS in Indian cities Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi and semi-rural Thane district. In spite hailing from deprived communities leading lives marked by social stigma, economic privation and emotional isolation the women were keen to participate in this research project. Women shared their experiences spontaneously and one of the prime reasons they said that they wanted to take part in this study was because they wanted ‘to be heard’. They wanted to share their stories to make a difference to other women. The diligence and commitment displayed by the women who were braving through so many everyday challenges had an indelible impact on me as a female researcher. As a researcher who shares a cultural identity albeit the differences in class and educational status it was easy to develop an empathetic understanding of their situation and sheer enormity of their exclusion. At the same time these experiences reverberate through one’s own life experiences in both private and public space in the Indian male dominated society. At certain levels both the researcher and participants want to be change agents for other women who might not have the opportunity to become a part of a public discourse.