Queerantine History: The AIDs Epidemic & Activism

In the third episode of the Betches Sup series Queerantine History, Bryan is joined by Chris Burns (aka Fat Carrie Bradshaw) of Betches to interview Eric Sawyer, long term AIDs activist & one of the founding members of ACT UP, co-founder of Housing Works and former worker for United Nations AIDs program to discuss the beginning of the AIDs epidemic, how both the community and the government's response has changed over time, what Pride celebrations looked like then as well as the similarities and differences of the AIDs crisis and the current Black Lives Matter movement. By 1995, AIDS was the single greatest killer of men ages 25-44 in America and millions more around the world were infected. As of 2017, the AIDS epidemic has infected an estimated 77 million people globally and killed 35 million, according to UNAIDS. The organization estimates there are currently 37 million people living with HIV around the world. A government report from August 2016 found that between the start of the AIDS epidemic today, nearly 700,000 people have died of AIDS in the U.S. Eric Begins discussing how the early days of the AIDS epidemic was based in misinformation and quickly became known as the disease of “junkies, queers and whores,” which solicited no help from the government, beginning with President Ronald Reagan. In 1987 Eric founded ACT UP to turn the grief and anger that came from losing so many friends to a disease that nobody could seem to figure out and turn it into action. Speaking of action, Eric has been arrested doing civil disobedience protests for well over 100 times and has done unique forms of protesting such as dressing in a Ronald Reagan costume with a jail full of AIDS patients in quarantine. Eric then moves on to how the current generation of the LGBTQ+ community, specifically the white members of the community, don’t fully realize how terrible things were back then. However young, black members of the community understand how marginalized they were as they’re still often experiencing not being treated equally. Learn more about ACT UP here: https://actupny.org/ Learn more about Housing Works here: https://www.housingworks.org/ Need more Betches Sup? If you’re wondering WTF is going on in this crazy world we live in, you’re not alone. In this news and politics podcast presented by Betches Media, our hosts Sami Fishbein, Alise Morales, Bryan Russell Smith, Kaitlin Byrd, and Amanda Duberman give their honest take on exactly what is going on so you don’t drive yourself to a mental breakdown. During this stressful time, the Betches Sup has transformed into the SUP DAILY CORONACAST, a rundown of all the latest news on COVID-19, how we're getting through it, and just how close we are to ending this crisis. Until our national nightmare is over, the Sup hosts will bring you the latest fact-based news on the coronavirus pandemic each and every weekday. For constant news updates, sign up for the Sup email newsletter at betches.co/supsignup, and follow on Instagram @betches_sup. Get Betches SUP here: http://www.betches.com/sup   / betches_sup     / betchessup     / betches_sup   Follow us on social at: instagram @Betches twitter @betchesluvthis betches.com