Challenges Facing AIDS Activism in America :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Challenges Facing aid Activism in AmericaEven onwards human immunodeficiency virus/ back up first showed up in the United States in 1980-1981, homosexuals were greatly stigmatized within American society. The homophobia that already existed was only exacerbated by the particular that the overwhelming majority of those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS during the first few geezerhood of the plaguey were homosexual young-begetting(prenominal)s (so much so in fact that AIDS was originally called the Gay-Related Immuno Deficiency). The US male homosexual population order itself confronted with a national epidemic that was receiving zero national attention. The political activism of the courageous male population in the 1980s and early 1990s do significant progress towards educating American society about limiting the peril of disease transmission through safe-sex practices and clean-needle exchanges, combating discrimination of people with AIDS (PWAs) and homosexuals, and ensuring that f air to middling health care was earmarkd for PWAs. But now it seems that the fight against AIDS is undecomposed back where it began. Homosexuals no longer account for the highest rate of new HIV/AIDS infections, and as a result, the urgency of their political activism has subsided. The population in which the vast majority of new HIV/AIDS infections occurs is the poor nonage population, a highly stigmatized sector of American society. Once again, the AIDS epidemic is receiving zero national attention because those most affected are non a part of the national dialogue. Whereas male homosexuals found themselves in positions of cause and wealth in the first decade of the epidemic, this new face of AIDS has little in terms of financial and political resources. It is up to opposite AIDS activists to lend their voice and political weight to countenance for the social welfare of these impoverished minorities.Even before AIDS surfaced the US homophile male population had experience in grass-roots political activism from the sexual revolution of the 1970s, and barely as the first rumors of a gay cancer were circulating in San Francisco and New York, the Gay Mens Health Crisis (GMHC) was formed in January 1982 to provide compassionate care to New Yorkers with AIDS, educate to keep people healthy, and advocate for fair and effective public policies (GMHC 1). AIDS first came into the public warmness in 1985 when Rock Hudson, a famous 1960s Hollywood actor, in public admitted to having AIDS and subsequently died later that year. But after five age of unsuccessful lobbying, AIDS was still perceived as a gay mens health crisis and not an american (or international) health crisis.