HIV/AIDS: What Can We Learn From America's Last Epidemic?

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America's last major epidemic was the HIV/AIDS crisis of 1980s and 1990s. In order to better understand our current circumstances, Danielle is looking back at the legacies of action and inaction surrounding HIV/AIDS and how the government's response then informs our approach to COVID-19 now.

Created and Hosted by Danielle Bainbridge
Produced by Complexly for PBS Digital Studios

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Origin of Everything is a show about the undertold histories and cultural dialogues that make up our collective story. From the food we eat, to the trivia and fun facts we can’t seem to get out of our heads, to the social issues we can’t stop debating, everything around us has a history. Origin of Everything is here to explore it all. We like to think that no topic is too small or too challenging to get started.

(Partial) Works Cited:
“For My Own Protection” From: Life. A Black Gay Anthology Ed. Joseph Beam

[pbsorigins]

Correction: At 1:32 we mistakenly say that AIDS stands for “autoimmune deficiency syndrome.” In fact, AIDS stands for “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.” Apologies. - Sheridan

[theonlycatonice]

I live in South Africa and one of the things we're taught constantly is prevention of HIV/AIDS. We've had a huge problem with it. Education and tolerance is key.

[truetuesday]

A new Origin of Everything video? Yayyy! I can't wait to feel sad but educated.

[timothymclean]

Cynic's answer:
1. That quick, decisive action is necessary to mitigate the tragedy caused by epidemics.
2. That governments are often slow to act, or even outright obstructive, when the people most at risk aren't their voter base.

[andrewb.]

So happy to see you made a video on this topic! So many people my age don't know about this since it's such recent history and especially for those of us who went to religious schools

[cheryls]

This brought back a lot of bitter memories. I had a lot of friends in the gay community when AIDS first hit. Actually I should say I lost a lot of friends. Listening to this, I realize the stress I'm feeling now is post traumatic from what happened then. I'm hiding in my house because I don't want to deal with it all again.

[Abigail-huwf]

One thing to mention! I might be wrong on this, they may have updated the name, but I had always known AIDS as standing for *acquired* immune deficiency syndrome, rather than *auto* immune. Autoimmune disorders are typically those that stem from the immune system attacking uninfected self cells as though they were non-self cells, so I would assume that wouldn't apply to AIDS. Since AIDS stems from T-cells no longer being produced and surviving long enough to fight off infections, that person is said to have "acquired" an immune cell deficiency.

Sorry, I know that's really minor, but as a human biologist I feel it's an important distinction since it changes how we treat it!

In an autoimmune disorder, we generally treat patients with anti-immune drugs which suppress the action of their immune cells. This prevents the system killing human cells, but also prevents it killing anything else and thus leads to "immunosuppression": the immune system is artificially compromised, making the patient very vulnerable to outside infections.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is treated like a normal retroviral infection, with "ARVs", or Anti-Retroviral drugs. Since the immune cells are dying due to the presence of the virus destroying them, by suppressing the retroviruses *themselves* you also fix the compromisation of the patient's immune system. ARVs are actually very effective! They typically help get a patient's "viral load" (the amount of virions they have in their body) so low that under normal situations it's not possible for the seropositive patient to transmit the virus. If a person without HIV has unprotected sex with a person with HIV who is properly treated, there's an extremely good chance that they will not catch the virus at all (though sex should always still be protected!) They're an amazing technology!

[yao]

Finally someone did a video about our last American pandemic

[HermesSonofZeus]

Thanks for doing this. As a child in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1980s, the HIV/AIDS crisis had a big influence on my views and behavior (e.g. safer, responsible sex; honest communication; social equality/equity). I'm more than a little curious how the Covid-19 story will play out.

[SaintBroken]

Finally someone made this video!!! The similarities have been eerie since day one!

[emilyonizuka]

thank you for talking about this! I worked for an hiv and aids organization that focused on the asian community and even here in canada where we have universal healthcare, still not everyone has access to treatment. a lot of the people who accessed our resources were immigrants and refugees who had trouble finding help due to not being full citizens or having language barriers, as well as treatment still not being affordable because it's not covered by our healthcare.

[lukas_koe]

Thank you for putting this material together! I really hope the CDC doesnt sit on Covid19 like they did with HIV/AIDS

[VaughanMcAlley]

In the early 90s I was music-directing a show, and the director said she had been going to one or two AIDS funerals a month. Heavy.

[tojioni]

I love these vids and I love the speaker shes so beautiful

[TheAureliac]

Much credit goes to the lesbian community for their support in the fight to make AIDS research and care a priority. They were at the least risk, yet they stood up at a time when AIDS was too often viewed as a just punishment from God.

[madonnam]

Excellent video. The presenter is wonderful.

[Manuscriptsdontburn]

Anybody interested in HIV during the 80s check out 'Close to the knives' by David Wojnarowicz. Incredible ground level account of dying from Aids. Lot of current political figures showing their true colours back then too

[Johnben]

Don't die in silent.. Always remember that a problem shared is a problem solved. we cure any types of illness and diseases.

[pctLowBattery]

That the poorest blackest people will suffer severely and the rich will be fine?

[aaronburrell]

The term African American is used for the same reason as the term Native American or Asian American or Mexican American or Indian American.