Unpacking Tumblr’s Weirdest Controversy ‘HIVliving’: The ‘Hamilton AIDS Fanficti…

Tumblr’s early fandom communities were no stranger to elaborate controversies, but few were quite as bizarre as the story of “HIVliving.” What initially appeared to be an account raising awareness about HIV and sharing personal experiences was later revealed to involve fabricated identities, false claims of HIV-positive status and donations solicited under pretenses. The account became particularly notable because of its connection to Hamilton fanfiction, with its eventual exposure sparking widespread discussion across Tumblr and the famous musical’s fandom. So, how did HIVliving go from a fandom account to one of Tumblr’s more infamous controversies? Let’s find out what happened with the notorious “Hamilton AIDS Fanfiction Drama.” What And Who Was ‘HIVliving’ On Tumblr? In 2016, one or more Hamilton fans began the HIVliving Tumblr blog to raise awareness about issues surrounding living with HIV-positive status. The blog initially gained attention for posts about HIV activism, resources and personal experiences, as well as for the popular Hamilton high school AU fanfiction To Scale the Blue Sky. The account was thought to be run by two people: “Israa,” described as a nonbinary Chinese-Pakistani human trafficking survivor living in India, and “Naj,” described as a U.S.-born lesbian woman of color also living
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