GUELPH — The AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington County has developed a mobile app as part of its campaign to combat homophobia and educate people about HIV. The app, H3: Halt Homophobia & HIV, allows people to get answers to questions about HIV transmission, provides witty comebacks to homophobic slurs and “even has a quiz which can rate your level of homophobia,” according to a news release. According to Olivia Kijewski, the AIDS Committee’s positive prevention co-ordinator, the app was developed with the help of a local developer and with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada. She said it is aimed at resolving internalized homophobia and improving communication about HIV in a fun way. “HIV isn’t a particularly sexy topic,” said Kijewski. 

She said there is a connection between experiencing homophobia and contracting HIV. People who experience homophobia, she said, tend to have lower self-esteem and are more likely to engage in risky behaviours, which could result in HIV transmission. Kijewski said the AIDS Committee has seen a lot of resilience and support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning community in Guelph, but there is room for improvement. She said people often don’t think of the consequences of forms of homophobia, such as childhood bullying, slurs and using “gay” in a derogatory way. 

With the app, when someone says: “That’s so gay,” people can use the app to produce comebacks, such as: “Did you mean to call it lovely, awesome or joyful?” — encouraging people to adopt more positive meanings for the word. “Homophobia is everywhere and it takes on all kinds of forms,” said Kijewski, adding that it often isn’t as “in your face” as violence. The AIDS Committee hopes to reach a wide audience through people’s mobile devices, including youth at risk and the LGBTQ community. But Kijewski said it’s an opportunity for people of all sexualities to come together and fight homophobia and HIV. The AIDS Committee will host a launch party for the app on Jan. 31 at 8:30 p.m., at the Albion Hotel, including music, dancing, an app demonstration and prizes, according to the news release. The launch will coincide with the Albion’s unofficial “queer night.” According to Kijewski, holding the event there will ensure that they are able to reach people in a safe place and surrounded by people who will be receptive to the app.