AIDS

So most of you probably know that today is the 25th anniversary of the first reported case of AIDS (though some have interesting disputes of the exact date).

Among the surge of media coverage this anniversary has generated, I came across a fascinating and very thought-provoking biography of AIDS in NYC, published in last week's New York magazine, which I'm coming to consider a must-read.

At first I was stricken by how deeply some communities were affected while the generally conservative attitude of the nation at the time prevented any sort of dialogue at all. The gross misinformation disseminated just appalls me (example - Cosmo actually printed that straight women can't get infected if they have sex with HIV-positive men, further elaborating that AIDS can't be contracted while in the missionary position!). I was getting all indignant and infuriated when it started to occur to me... maybe they just didn't know?

I was born five months after the supposed first confirmed case of AIDS, so I have grown up with this disease as it has developed and consumed lives around me. I came of age in a very, very conservative town, where our AIDS education included "You don't have to worry about it - it just gets gays and poor people," as if a disease discriminated along the same lines as my misguided teacher. Students were given the opportunity to attend a taping of Donahue with Ryan White, and they auditioned for this by coming up with the most provocative questions they could imagine, which included "Are you gay?" and "Do you hate gay people for getting you sick?" One girl boasted that she was going to get his autograph... completely missing the point.

I wonder to what extent bigotry and intolerance has really factored into the lack of national awareness and education - were the first known cases of AIDS not sexually-transmitted, would we have responded more appropriately? Say, the way we did with SARS or mad cow disease or bird flu? You don't see anyone saying only Asian people get SARS, you know?

Despite the argument that most people contract HIV or AIDS as a result of their actions, can we really condemn them if they just plain did not know what the consequences of those actions could be? Imagine if you heard a report tomorrow saying anyone who drinks coffee is suddenly at risk for a nasty, fatal disease we don't understand and have no conceivable treatment for. I can't imagine hearing some moron saying "They should have known all along -- drinking coffee is dangerous and unnatural!" To pass moral judgment about contraction was an unconscionable thing to have done, and it does honestly revolt me to know how many people over the years have done so -- and how many of those people included teachers, friends, and respected members of my community.

What I find most disturbing, though, is that in light of our atrocious historical handling of HIV and AIDS, we aren't doing more now. I know people personally who will say AIDS is no longer an issue, who will advocate flagrantly irresponsible sex acts because, once again, they've decided to shove their heads firmly up their asses and decide "It doesn't happen to people like me." I was shocked at how many of the samples of donated blood at Trinity could not be used because they tested HIV positive, as well as when I learned how many of my friends have never even thought of getting an HIV test despite numerous sexual partners. There are so many startling statistics, including the alarming rise of new infections in black women. The world-wide infection rate is still absolutely horrifying... but if asked, I suspect a lot of people would act as if it's not a big deal. After all, it's no hurricane or tsunami, right?

So anyway, I encourage you to donate if you can afford it, and do whatever you can to help raise awareness and education. Get tested, and encourage your friends and lovers to do the same. We're not safe yet, and people are continuing to die needlessly because we can't get them the information and protection they need. As human beings, we owe each other more than that.