The Face Of HIV/AIDS

[bear60]

I know there are many faces.
But if I had to nominate ONE face........ this would be the person I'd nominate to portray the Face of HIV/AIDS.  I wonder if Jesse has even heard of this guy. I suggest reading about him.

[Dan J.]

To me HIV has many faces, it would be next to imossible to choose one person as the face of aids today. In the '80's it was Ryan White & then Pedro Zamora in the early '90's. When I think of the face of aids today I think of the diverse group of people that log onto this website everyday.

[Lwood]

heres a link to the article on Larry Kramer in the Above issue   http://www.poz.com/archive/2007_Apr_1971.shtml

[Moffie65]

Thank you Bear, now I can rest in peace seeing my activist idol on these forums gives me so very much hope.  Unfortunately, his voice has been silenced by the din of "HIV Lite".

Ah the good times of Larry.

[pozattitude]

I admire Larry, he is one of the true heroes.  The article is also fantastic.  He is so on target about ACT UP, it's time to bring it back to life.

Rich

[bear60]

Oh thanks.... Lwood....for posting the link!

[englishgirl]

amen to all the above

and moffie im glad to see you once again sharing your thoughts and wisdom with us, even if it has taken the nonsense of the past few days to do it. please please dont go away again!!!

much love to all of you who are talking so much sense
xxx

[AlanBama]

I kind of agree with Dan, I think about MANY faces making up the "new face of AIDS"....kind of like a collage.

but I definitely think Larry Kramer is the "elder statesman of AIDS" in the US.   I've never had the pleasure of meeting him, but would like to.

[Iggy]

I think it is absolutely important to remember how much Larry Kramer was HATED by the gay community and was outed from GMHC which helped found all because he refused to pretend that all was right with the world in regards to HIV and disagreed that the truth was better served with sugarcoating.

It always amazed me when some (none who have posted on this thread btw) have held him up as a symbol and yet are the ones who attack others for being doom and gloom when they speak the truth of HIV and AIDS.

It's because of this - I agree that he is THE face of HIV/AIDS as the lessons he has been screaming about since the beginning are still be rejected by others - including our organizations and publications and our numbers continue to rise.

BTW I accept that my very being in a sense is something that Larry would hate, because for all my admiration of him - I ignored him instead of listened and am Poz today. 

[allopathicholistic]

excellent post bear

[thunter34]

your crystal ball might have a good bit of cut in it.

[leatherman]

Thanks so much for that link!

Now that's the kind of story that should be told. Until a cure and/or better treatment is found, we should be "voicing" our needs. (if no one knows that your'e hurting, how can they know that you need help?) There are telethons for other serious illnesses that get no rebuke for still continuing to talk about their problems year after year.

BTW I accept that my very being in a sense is something that Larry would hate, because for all my admiration of him - I ignored him instead of listened and am Poz today. 

Coming from the Bible Belt in the South, I didn't hear the message until too late. Just think, if I had heard that message louder or sooner, I might not be in this situation today. It's because of that, that I think education still needs to be pushed. I've already heard stories here where the message is barely even told now-a-days. Somewhere out there, there's another person just like me, not hearing the message (or worse, hearing a distorted "everything will always be rosey" story), that'll end up here in these forums one day looking for answers just like I did. That just breaks my heart.  

[Miss Philicia]

I caught Larry in the Prada boutique on 5th Avenue once.  Don't tell anyone though.