https://www.c-span.org/video/standalone/?c4869401/user-clip-drfauci-speaks-gay-community-hiv
In this video, Dr.Fauci speaked a bit about what we can learn from the LGBTQ+ community and their response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. From what started as being believed to be a rare form of cancer that only affected gay men to becoming able to control like it is now, those people in the early days were scared because they did not have the knowledge that we do now. This is true of anything new. It takes time to gather scientific knowledge on those things that we do not fully understand.
During the crisis, there were plenty of venues that were hotspots for the gay community that were shut down to prevent the spread of the disease. This crisis also completely change the way that individuals viewed safe sex and has propelled the practice into the importance and commonality that it has now. In time, the attitude changed from demonizing those who were gay and had the disease to raising awareness and becoming activists about the situation.
It became quickly apparent that while it was terrible and the science was catching up, there was still a breaking community that needed to be patched and a world that continued to turn. The gay community banded together to protect each other. Instead of being viewed as terrible “filthy” people who had been cursed with a deadly illness, they turned it around to show how we can truly care for one another. Many began to beg the political leaders and scientists to put greater effort into easing the ailment of the community. Instead of fumbling around and trying to worry with the technical language that would be used to define what they were talking about, the community got to work with using what they knew that they could and fought for themselves. We educated each other practically. We did not demonize sexual behaviors, but we taught each other how to be safe and careful and to look out for our fellow queer folx who were vulnerable as well.
We raised awareness and made the suffering known. We acknowledged the pain and used it as fuel to push forward.
The AIDS Memorial Quilt, Washington D.C. https://aidsmemorial.org/theaidsquilt-learnmore/
In our world today, it is common that people will speak up and be open about their HIV status. This is erasing the stigma and changing the way that we see those who are positive. Celebrities such as Jonathan Van Ness are leading the way toward a better outlook at the condition. We now have medications such as PreEP(https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep.html) that can even prevent the contraction of HIV. While this is definitely not the same kind of situation as we are having with COVID-19, I definitely think that there is a lesson to be learned from the courage and education efforts of the LGBTQ+ community during the HIV/AIDS crisis that can help us to help our communities as we continue to battle widespread illness. If we stick together, even if we are not scientists or medical workers, we can get through this and be inspired by the community light of th gays during the HIV/AIDS crisis. Everything will come to pass, and we will see this crisis through.
Some information sourced from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2625985/?page=4
lavendereducation.school.blog 