Author · Broadcaster · Activist · Speaker
I've spent a lifetime learning how to start again.
There was a time when I thought HIV and AIDS would end my life.
It didn't.
I've lived through illness, TB, addiction, recovery, activism, heartbreak, controversy and some extraordinary changes of fortune.
I've written about many of them. I've talked about them on radio and podcasts. I've campaigned, spoken out and occasionally caused a bit of trouble along the way.
But the question that interests me most now isn't how did I survive?
It's: What do you do with the life you've got afterwards?
That's what I'm exploring through my books, my writing, my broadcasting and my live talks.
Paul Thorn Live
Starting Again
What I've learned about surviving life's biggest changes.
Paul Thorn tells the extraordinary story of his journey through HIV, AIDS, TB, activism, addiction, recovery, relationships, loss and reinvention.
This is not simply a story about illness.
It is about what happens when the life you thought you were going to have disappears — and you have to work out what comes next.
Paul's talks combine personal storytelling, honesty, humour, difficult truths and hard-won experience.
Suitable for conferences, charities, healthcare organisations, universities, LGBTQ+ organisations, festivals, podcasts, radio and private events.
A life worth talking about
A life worth talking about
Paul has spent decades writing and speaking about experiences most people never expect to face.
His story includes HIV, AIDS, TB, activism, stigma, addiction, recovery, broadcasting, writing, controversy and reinvention.
He has campaigned internationally, worked in global health, created and presented radio, written books and articles, appeared in the media and spoken publicly about his experiences.
The point is not simply that Paul survived.
The point is what he learned about what comes afterwards.
Paul in the media
Paul in the media
An experienced public communicator — in print, on air and on stage.
The Guardian
Covered Paul's challenge to the US HIV travel ban, which contributed to the law being changed in 2009.
BBC News
Reported on Paul's refusal to lie on his US visa application and the political response that followed.
Stonewall
Finalist, Journalist of the Year 2014 — recognition of more than two decades writing about HIV and LGBTQ+ health.
RTÉ Pulse
Featured in the Scratch 'n' Sniff online series, talking about writing, HIV, activism and life.
Radio Reverb
Creator and presenter of The HIV Hour — the first live radio show in the world made specifically for people living with HIV.
Spotify
Interviews and conversations available to stream — covering HIV, health, recovery and starting again.
Stay in touch
Stay in touch with Paul
I'm currently writing a candid memoir about HIV, TB, activism, addiction, sobriety and the unexpected freedom of discovering that life can turn out differently from the way you imagined.
Get occasional updates about Paul's memoir, live events, new writing, interviews and appearances.
Talk to Paul
For speaking enquiries, media appearances, interviews, events, books, writing or simply to get in touch, send Paul a message.