Thirty years of AIDS

[Yooper]

What Ravenstar said.

 

[Mako247]

lets see I came out in 1980,
and grew up in different parts of the SF bay area for the next 27 years and was in one of the epicenters of the HIV epidemic

yes me and my friends (the survivors) got thru the period with help from each other. Sometimes we had to laugh to keep from crying. I could tell you tales of driving with friends to mexico to get the latest miracle drugs that were purported to be cures/treatments. The sisters of perpetual indulgence (drag queen nuns) were a great resource back then (anyone remember their bingo nights??)


local television and radio covered it alot though national coverage not that much
one of the best sources for information those days was the Bay Area Reporter (BAR) newspaper. They covered it from the first talks of the "cancer" to "GRID" then to HIV and AIDS
They were also one of few papers that would print obituaries that would actually talk of the cause of death. They are maintaining a obituary website H**p://obit.glbthistory.org/olo/ where you can view the obituaries going back to the seventies

There was also a publication named Diseased Pariah News which was a sarcastic and hilarious 'Zine that covered hiv and aids (we LOVED that zine and would pass each copy to each other) it had articles such as get fat, dont die which covered nutrition issues for those who were ill as well as their Opportunistic Infection merit badge collection which was based on scouting badges but were for OIs such as thrush, toxoplasmosis, PCP etc..I wish their stuff was available online....

There was/is a publication called POZ, which use to be very informative on developing and emerging issues and treatments of HIV/AIDS including some of the more unconventional one (anyone remember jeff getty and the baboon transfusion?) though they have become more of advertising media for the drug manufactures than an informative source (though they are better than nothing)

As far as plays/stageworks one of my favorite of the time was a piece called Pouf Positive by Robert Patrick about a gay man on his deathbed again sarcastic and dark humor
..."Must one go through the five official stages? What are those five stages again: "anger, denial, bargaining, depression, and acceptance." Well, back up: here comes my acceptance speech. "I am now, and I have always been a flaming faggot, responsible for style in its every manifestation. I have my own five steps: flippancy, sentimentality, sarcasm, camp, and smut. They've got me through life, and deity dammit, they'll get me through death!"...

when rock hudson got it there as a time when people wouldnt work on the set with him for fear of catching it...

of course in the us this is a primary gay disease, how different do you think it would be if in the US it was a straight disease like in africa?

 

[josher]

At some point I lost count of how many friends and acquantances had died. How I never became infected, I'll never understand.

At this point I've tried to just wipe out that whole period from my memory. So much suffering. So many funerals. So many tears.

 

[Mako247]

At some point I lost count of how many friends and acquantances had died. How I never became infected, I'll never understand.

At this point I've tried to just wipe out that whole period from my memory. So much suffering. So many funerals. So many tears.

as much as I would want to block it from my memories, I cant forget the friends I lost, I have a little black telephone book
--(yes you young'uns there was a time before phones had built in phone lists, infact you have to actually dial a number not just push buttons, but I digress)--
in which my friends who passed away were lined out that I keep as a personal memorial

I stopped going to funerals because at one point I had more friends buried than I had alive....it was a scary time

 

[Grimmy]

Sooner or later science will find the key to unlocking the mutating nature of the cells and once they figure out a way to stop it mutating and replicating itself they'll have the key to irridicating it altogether.

From your keyboard to God's ears! Thanks for the story, Ravenstar. Though it was very sad, it did indeed illustrate the horror of the infection in its early stages. I only wish there were more people as empathetic as you to support those who died a horribly painful death all alone.

-- Grimmy

 

[BeMused]

It's really easy for someone young as me to forget that AIDS just popped up one day. What a horrifying time for so many people.

 

[saxaphonic]

Ironically, condoms have been around in the US as long ago as the early 1900's. I guess only the "responsible" used them back then as well.

 

[Yooper]

How did you guys NOT catch the virus? Did you not engage in unprotected sex? Why would you do this? Did you always? Thanks.

Speaking only for myself, I have no idea. I certainly wasn't jumping into bed with everyone, but know for a fact at least four people I had 'relations' with were dead by 1986. And a couple of those episodes were certainly not what is now considered 'safe.'

There's some stories out there that some folks have a 'natural immunity' to the virus, but that's something I'm not willing to put to the test.

 

[Grimmy]

I wouldn't hold my breath for a cure for HIV. Our world could rid ourselves from many ills (many diseases, war, famine) yet unfortunately our whole economy is based on suffering.

I've heard this conspiracy theory before, but what people never say is where the factual data is to support such a claim. If your premise is that we just don't spend enough money on it -- and therefore don't get the best scientists, technology, etc. on top of it -- then that I can understand. But this idea that the "powers at be" or even the pharmaceutical companies are purposely keeping a cure from hitting the market seems quite unfounded to me.

-- Grimmy

 

[Wajdan]

Speaking only for myself, I have no idea. I certainly wasn't jumping into bed with everyone, but know for a fact at least four people I had 'relations' with were dead by 1986. And a couple of those episodes were certainly not what is now considered 'safe.'

There's some stories out there that some folks have a 'natural immunity' to the virus, but that's something I'm not willing to put to the test.

That's what I said in OP. Not everyone died or caught the bug. Hundreds of thousands of gays were out in the 1980s but only around 10% to 20% of the total, broader population of gays died.

By the way, do you have any Norwegian or North European genes? They have higher immunity to HIV.

 

[bike10]

Does not seem possible 30 years has passed. First it was GRID the GAT DISEASE. We were the targets of bigots of the religious right and we getting our just punishment from God. They still preach it today.

Lost a close college friend to AIDS back in the early 80's. Was difficult loss of true friend.

Remember the days of Reagan years and his death ears to the plight of AIDS and could not even come out public and say the word AIDS.

Who can forget the so call Christians who ran Ryan White and his family out of town because he was HIV+ who was not even gay.

Today we have better educated soceity to some degree who understand AIDS is not just gay disease.

Take time to wrap that cock with condom when chose to fuck. So you and your partner can enjoy today and fuck again tomorrow.

 

[Txgoodoldboy]

How did you NOT get hiv? Did you always use a condom? Monogamous relationship? Didn't have sex?

I figured out early, that anal was the prime suspect. So, I stopped doing anal, and I only did oral. Then, I would spit out the load. Rinse my mouth with water, then rinse with mouthwash. Later, instead of mouthwash, I would rinse with coke-a-cola. Funny, but true.

Plus, you have to remember, that AIDS put a stop to a lot of sex.

 

[Txgoodoldboy]

Today, I posted my reply, then I went an read the other postings that came after my post from yesterday.

There are some really good responses. KalEilde, you bring out a lot of good points.

 

[Thad1527]

Celebrate? No.

Remember? Always, we - not just the GLBT community but the world in general - should always remember, we stand as witness. We should never forget.

Some remember. This was from Dear Abby Tuesday, Feb 9, 2010:

DEAR ABBY: "49 and Holding" (Dec. 5), who doesn't want her daughter to give her a 50th birthday party, needs to grow up and learn to celebrate life instead of hiding from the fact that she's growing older. She is aging because she's alive -- and what a blessing that is.


I lived through the worst years of the AIDS epidemic and witnessed the deaths of more than 200 friends -- all of whom would have loved to celebrate a 50th birthday. My mother died at 82 and was grateful for every year, as am I.
Life's milestones warrant a party. Those who don't want to celebrate life and the birthdays that come with it should consider the alternative. -- BRUCE C., ATLANTA

 

[Audio Tech]

I was in high school when the AIDS epidemic became daily news. Being Gay and deep in the closet, I had to endure the constant Gay jokes, like: What does GAY stand for? Got Aids Yet?

It was brutal. This time in my life put the fear of god into me, and I remained closeted and sexually inactive for fear of catching Aids and dying. I figured it was better to live alone than be dead.

Fast forward past all the people I knew and saw buried from Aids...

I am now out, and looking for a partner to share my life with. I have survived to be 45 and totally healthy. Alas.... I now see the rampant dis-regard for safe sex all around me. Guys DON'T want relationships, just SEX. And frequently UNSAFE sex. All of them are either young, or older and ARE HIV+.

I figure I'll find some SANE soul to spend the remainder of my life with, or maybe a good chunk. Who knows.. but it has to be safe.

My experiences lately have lead me to think that AIDS will NEVER go away, because WE are bound and determined to propagate it at all costs. What the hell is WRONG with the gay community? We could stamp this out in a generation if we could just practice safe sex... PERIOD. But alas.

How sad that so many I knew had to die.

 

[Nomenclature]

I've got nothing to base it on but gut instinct - which I know has no scientific value or meaning to anyone what-so-ever - but I've always thought the emergence of stem cell research will hold the key to unlocking the cure of a lot of diseases including HIV.

Man appears free of HIV after stem cell transplant

A 42-year-old HIV patient with leukemia appears to have no detectable HIV in his blood and no symptoms after a stem cell transplant from a donor carrying a gene mutation that confers natural resistance to the virus that causes AIDS, according to a report published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/02/11/health.hiv.stemcell/index.html?eref=rss_latest


May NOT be a complete cure (or practical for everyone), but it's the most promising news i've ever heard.

 

[Audio Tech]

ravenstar, I agree with you, but one look on manhunt for example would make anyone think it's a Gay only disease. WTF is WRONG with these people???

Nom, that's an interesting article. I wonder if we will someday have an "Aids vaccine" of sorts. That would be wonderful, for many reasons. Of course then we'll be back to the same old boring "regular" STI's.

While I personally don't think much of bath houses and quick hookups, it would be great if 2 human beings can be truly intimate again without fear.

I once told my mom how pissed I am that SHE got to grow up in a relatively safe time of promiscuity and I had be in my prime during a time where sex was playing russian roulette. I was REALLY bummed about that in the 80's. (And horny as all hell) Of course, we knew so little then. We used to think that just touching could transmit HIV, or at least many rumors ran rampant. I think I wasn't the only one scared to death of having sex or coming out right at the peak of that time. I still shudder at the thought of it.

Anyway, IF they create an AIDS vaccine (or HIV, to be correct) I wonder who would get it? Probably only the "select".

 

[LongBeachBill]

I remember first hearing of AIDS when I was a teenager, "a disease affecting gay men", which scared me terribly. I didn't realize at first that it came from sexual contact, which I had never had.
Although I had many annonymous encounters throughtout my 20's and 30's, I avoided barebacking or swallowing, never used drugs, and stayed negative. I'm very glad I didn't go the route of many, "oh, I'll just take the drugs". What a horrible choice to make, for something that is so avoidable.
Of course, now I have a wonderful man in my life, so those days are in the past for me. It really is shameful that there isn't a cure or vaccine, after so many years.

 

[saxaphonic]

"Pre-AIDS, I only once heard (second hand) of one gay man who used condoms--and then it was just for an idea of cleanliness".

Maybe, but of course that wasn't the only idea behind the condoms.

"No one thought to say use a condom instead of abstaining"!

No one or no one YOU knew? Apparently, some people have been using condoms for infections and pregnancy as long ago as World War II. STI's existed way before then too.

"Third, everyone knew they weren't fail safe; they leaked, tore, etc., after all, girls sometimes still got pregnant".

That happens NOW.

"So it was just easier to not have sex for a week"!

Easier maybe, but responsible? Was doing both impossible or something? Seems that what I'm hearing is that the free lovers of the 60's 70's and 80's were/are exempt from the sanctimonious reasonsing of some the more overzealous folks of today's "sexual health" movement.

 

[Nomenclature]

Given time they won't need to destroy the immune system for this sort of treatment. It will be a pill. And if nothing else comes from it, a pill or injection that could introduce the CCR5 receptor into peoples blood streams as a vaccine may dramatically reduce the amount of new infections.

I've also heard of "Zinc Finger Therapy", which also involves the CCR5 gene; If the virus has nothing to cling onto, it can't reproduce and the body is eventually supposed to clear itself of the virus( ! ).


-----

ravenstar, I agree with you, but one look on manhunt for example would make anyone think it's a Gay only disease. WTF is WRONG with these people???

HIV can be passed through intravenous drug use, unclean blood transfusions and rape to heterosexuals, but the face remains: Gay and bisexual men are still at the highest risk of acquiring HIV through consensual sex. It's theorized that HIV was largely passed to heterosexuals via drug use, and by bisexual men who were "on the down low".

Honestly, i'm disgusted by all the gay men who are too proud to even admit this; They're choosing to sweep this under the rug and throw the blame on someone else, rather than accept responsibility and do something to stop the virus from spreading and ruining all our fun.

Nom, that's an interesting article. I wonder if we will someday have an "Aids vaccine" of sorts. That would be wonderful, for many reasons. Of course then we'll be back to the same old boring "regular" STI's.

I think it'll be like in the movie Demolition Man; There will be new deadly STDs to take its place. People will have to have virtual reality sex in order to stay clean.

I once told my mom how pissed I am that SHE got to grow up in a relatively safe time of promiscuity and I had be in my prime during a time where sex was playing russian roulette. I was REALLY bummed about that in the 80's. (And horny as all hell) Of course, we knew so little then. We used to think that just touching could transmit HIV, or at least many rumors ran rampant. I think I wasn't the only one scared to death of having sex or coming out right at the peak of that time. I still shudder at the thought of it.

Back in the '80s, my mom (who has never studied medical or given any sort of medical advice) thought AIDS could be passed on through infected needles, and people laughed at her - including doctors - when she suggested this; People thought it could only be passed on by sex. Years later, they discovered that many people were actually infected via needles.

Anyway, IF they create an AIDS vaccine (or HIV, to be correct) I wonder who would get it? Probably only the "select".

Well, chemotherapy costs $250,000 dollars. I'm more than sure that a procedure to cure HIV would be very expensive. . .meaning that people in the US would still be screwed if they weren't wealthy.