Obsessed/interested in HIV and AIDS

[pumpkinbump]

Anyone else? My interest started when I was a child in the 80s. Remember the terrifying tombstone ad? I'm sure I remember a leaflet coming through the door too but not sure. I remember watching a film at my nan's house about the start of the epidemic with Matthew Modine. I found it mysterious, terrifying, fascinating. I was only a young child, around 5 or 6. I remember learning Freddie Mercury had it, and when Queen came on yhe radio, I would cover my ears as I thought I would catch it. I also remember when a boy grabbed me and kissed me on the lips at school, I came home crying to my mother thinking that I had caught it. As an adult, I'm still fascinated. I've watched every documentary, read lots, including HIV forums. The obsession dies down for a while until it starts again for a few weeks. I remember them saying they would have a cure for it in 2 years at the beginning but still we don't have one. I think it's why I find it so fascinating. Anyone else like this or am I just nuts?

You might be interested in these articles about Rock Hudson OP.

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hollywood-star-who-confronted-aids-silent-epidemic-180965059/

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/chrisgeidner/nancy-reagan-turned-down-rock-hudsons-plea-for-help-seven-we

@pumpkinbump

Mumof3girlsandaboy, that's so very sad. Do you mind me asking why medication didn't prevent this in your sister and her husband if this was only a few years back? It must have been so difficult for your neice to lose her parents at such a young age. I am glad she is doing well now. It must be a nuisance taking a pill everyday, but must be lightened slightly by the fact that there are a whole host of conditions that require daily medication, so this hopefully makes the virus less scary on that basis.

Thank you! My sister and her husband didn’t want people to know that they had the disease and they kept hiding from family and friends who knew them and you could tell when someone has it. So they never went for test or to get help and unfortunately it didn’t take long for them to go

@fratellia

I’ve just watched it’s a sin which was heartbreaking but amazing.

I remembered a documentary on BBC (I think) about 10 years ago about a British teenage girl with HIV, she’d had it from birth and chosen to go public with her story, she’d faced a lot of hate and bullying about it though. I tried to find it again on iplayer but don’t think it’s there. Does anyone remember it?

This is so sad. She was born with it, and yet people were being judgemental gits?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_to_Live_for:_The_Alison_Gertz_Story

Am glad am not the only one who gets obsessed with things. My obsession isn't HIV/AIDS but I do go through phases of being obsessed with the most bizarre things! My big one is the 60s, especially in UK and the US. I can binge watch countless videos, fiction or non fiction on the Vietnam war or Woodstock or The Beatles.

I do remember, as an 80s child those AIDS adverts "don't die of ignorance" and my Fundie evangelical Christian dad banging on about AIDS being God's punishment for promiscuity and homosexuality. Fun times (not)!

Bruce Courtney is an Australian author who wrote about his son’s experience with it in “April Fool’s Day”. You might find that worth reading.

That's so very sad mumof3. Sorry you and your family had this happen to you

Thank you for all the recommendations everyone! I will get reading!

Since I've watched It's a Sin I have subsequently watched a couple of other programmes about it because I was born in the early 80s so although I was aware of it, it was through a child's eyes.

My DD keeps coming in and telling me I am obsessed with AIDS because I'm watching something about it. I think it's tragic but also fascinating as it is within recent history but things have also changed so much in that time.

My husband's cousin died from AIDS as a child following a blood transfusion and it's tragic to know that, had he been born a bit later, his life could have been so very different.

Just think - in years to come I imagine people will have similar obsessions with the “Corona” era!

I’m exactly the same, I thought I was the only one! I remember hearing a radio advert while I was at primary school telling you to wear a condom and I asked my mum what one was. She didn’t respond, we didn’t really talk about serious matters in my household growing up, and I do think that sparked my interest. This mysterious disease that wasn’t to be talked about.

The Band Played on is a great book. The Dallas Buyers Club is another amazing film I couldn’t wait to see at the cinema. I’ve not had a chance to watch It’s a Sin yet, because I know I will just want to binge watch it. Maybe this weekend

@HIVpos That's really really interesting. I hope that it becomes available (cheaply) and that women use it.

The study I read was a few years old at the time and I read it in the mid 90s I think. So things may (I really really hope) have changed but there was a lot to do with women feeling obliged to make the vaginal entrance tighter for their men, many of whom had contracted HIV as they were away from home for months at a time working in mines etc - which then led to these open wounds. So it wasn't just that transmission to woman via semen is high risk, it was that transfer to women via semen directly into the bloodstream was very high risk. But, that was nearly 30 years ago so I am optimistic that things like that ring might well be widely taken up. And of course, by giving women the control, that helps a lot.

My siblings and I were highly educated on HIV from a very young age because of my dad's job. But I remember the hysteria that some of my friends had that they could get it from using a toilet someone with HIV had used or whatever. And my 7 year old statements that "my daddy says that's silly" or whatever, fell largely on deaf ears!

One thing I noticed recently is that no blood was allowed on the rugby field (or other sports I assume) because of the HIV transmission risk but quite often these days you'll see players with blood dripping. The fear factor has definitely lessened there.

Not entirely related but also interesting is that a lot of countries, even now, won’t allow blood donors who have lived in the UK for over six months in the 1980s/1990s because of vcjd (‘mad cow disease’)

What really upsets me is the way in which families were treated that had been transmitted the disease by the NHS.

It was interesting to hear public health expert on R4 talk about her experience in 80s. Leading response to virus

Esp as we face this one. Can’t recall name but in last couple of days

I never -and I sincerely mean this- ever lose sight of how far we have come, how miraculously far we've come with HIV/AIDS. I lost SO many friends to AIDS, it was a horrible, horrible time. I spent my formative years terrified of HIV/AIDS and with good reason. I have friends who are now in their 50s, diagnosed in their late teens. I think it's the miracle of my lifetime, overcoming the trauma of this epidemic.

Just think - in years to come I imagine people will have similar obsessions with the “Corona” era!

Not really, or at least, not in the same vein as HIV/AIDS because AIDS had such a stigma attached to it. And it killed off the youth- sorry to sound ageist, I really don't mean to. But that's what made it so traumatic. We lost people in their absolute prime and the stigma is hard to put into words. The fear was much sharper. Corona is, I hate to say it, not as terrifying. AIDS was certain death. Start again, HIV was certain death. There was no shade of grey. You were a dead man walking if you were diagnosed with HIV...and on top of that trauma, you were judged, your family was judged, your family judged you... there was systemic prejudice. It was just awful. I lived in New York at the height of the crisis.

No, I can't relate to this at all.