LGBT+ History Month: What was it like to live through the AIDS crisis?
February 8, 2018More than thirty-five million people have died worldwide from AIDS since the virus exploded in the 1980s. Little was known about it when it first started to spread, leading maybe to label it the “gay plague”. For a period of six months in 1982 it was medically known as “Gay Related Immune Deficiency”.
In London, in the 1980s, gay men were dying every day and nobody knew why. Michael Penn, now 75, remembers what it was like: “Back in the day it was very worrying. I had many friends dropping like flies. My partner and I lost friends and no one knew why so many people were dying.”
In the winter of 1986 Michael’s partner, Brian, started rapidly losing weight. They took him to the doctors and discovered he had AIDS. He died five months later.
“It was an awful winter,” Michael remembers, “I didn’t realise how ill he was until he was hospitalised. I watched him deteriorate over five months from a big strapping lad to a skeleton. What killed him in the end was a virus which attacks the central nervous system.
“The night I sat with him when he died I was distraught. I said to myself don’t let this disease get you. Don’t let it spoil your life or kill you. Get on with it and look after your health’.”
Michael discovered he had HIV, but it had not yet become AIDS. He was apprehensive about taking drugs for the virus at first, but eventually relented. Today, the doctors tell Michael he is healthier than most men his age.
As PrEP becomes readily available and HIV rates drop worldwide among gay men it is important to remember the generation lost to the AIDS crisis.
__________________
LGBT professionals, LGBT Graduates, LGBT professional network, LGBT professional events, LGBT networking events, LGBT Recruitment, LGBT Friendly organisations, LGBT Friendly companies, LGBT jobs
__________________
SIGN UP to myGwork, the global networking and recruitment hub for LGBTI professionals and graduates
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Instagram