Courtesy of “AIDS Awareness Ribbon” by NIAID licensed under CC.jpg
This December 1, the world recognized the thirty-seventh annual World AIDS Day. Started in 1988 by two World Health Organization officers, this is a day to remember and honor the lives lost to HIV and AIDS. Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 32 million people worldwide have died from AIDS-related illnesses. Every year and every day, it is vital that we learn the history of this epidemic. When we learn, we decrease stigma. When we eliminate stigma, we are a step closer to ending AIDS.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus attacks the immune system. If left untreated, HIV develops into Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the most advanced stage of infection. It is important to note that one does not die from AIDS directly; rather, the body may succumb to a multitude of illnesses as a result of a weak immune system. In the early 1980s, rare illnesses like Kaposi’s Sarcoma (a cancer) and Pneumocystis Pneumonia were common causes of death.
AIDS is an illness rife with discrimination and misconception. The government’s early dismissal of the crisis will forever stain US history. While the Reagan administration remained silent, thousands of people died, and detrimental rumors flourished. For several years, it was believed that only select communities could acquire AIDS. These communities included gay men, IV drug users, hemophiliacs, and Haitian people. We know now that anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or ethnicity, can get AIDS. But in a time of confusion and fear, misinformation spread like wildfire. These assumptions would eventually wreak havoc on already marginalized communities.
The first cases of AIDS in the United States were reported in 1981. Since then, the world has witnessed a myriad of moments that define the epidemic. In 1987, the AIDS Quilt was first displayed on the National Mall, and today remains the world’s largest community art project. In fact, Connecticut College hosts the AIDS Quilt every four years, and is available for the whole community to appreciate. Princess Diana effectively changed the way the world saw the epidemic by offering handshakes and hugs to people with AIDS. 1995 ushered in new hope with the triple cocktail, a successful combination of drugs that began to treat and prevent HIV. As recent as 2023, we have seen government efforts to increase protections for LGBTQ+ youth, and PrEP usage has increased dramatically. There has been and continues to be hope in ending the crisis worldwide. Still, the AIDS Epidemic is the struggle of all our lifetimes, and World AIDS Day serves as a reminder that the work must continue.
This day also serves as a call to action for our national and global community. The fight to end HIV is not over. AIDS is not an issue of the past. Each World AIDS Day, we see the monumental impact that global health workers, volunteers, and activists have on creating a future where no one dies from this preventable disease. The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day was Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress. According to the government’s HIV website, this theme “encapsulates the U.S. government’s dedication to harnessing the significant progress that has been made through global and domestic HIV programs over the last four-plus decades” and “working to ensure that no communities are left behind.” We must remember that HIV affects people globally. Fighting for human rights means advocating for everyone affected.
Working towards change is exhausting, especially in our current state of unrest. It feels as though the universe is against any form of forward progress. However, these moments, when we feel helpless and dejected, are ripe with opportunity.
Even on Connecticut College’s campus, there are opportunities for further learning. I strongly urge students to take Dr. Ginny Anderson’s course, Theater of the AIDS Epidemic, which is being offered in Spring 2025. Whether you are an artist, historian, or scientist, this class offers something to everyone. Covering the seminal years of the epidemic, you will learn how the virus seeped into the cultural fabric of our history. This is one of the most important classes you can take at Conn. You will explore plays, films, and scientific studies of the time that will lead you to reckon with our imperfect past and hopefully encourage you to take on the future. We can all be leaders if we take the necessary steps to understand what we are up against. On World AIDS Day and every day after that, let us continue the education and advocacy of generations before us.
