AIDS: From Ryan White to Today's Silent Epidemic

AIDS: From Ryan White to Today's Silent Epidemic | Retro Report

Рет қаралды 1,387

Ай бұрын

Rates of H.I.V. infection have fallen in many places, but the AIDS crisis persists in some parts of the country. What can be learned from history - and specifically the story of Ryan White? Lesson plan for educators: bit.ly/RR-aids
This story is an excerpt from our broadcast show with PBS. Stream full episodes at www.pbs.org/retroreport.
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Пікірлер: 14

@seanwebb605 Ай бұрын

Let's just point out that each time they tried to describe Ryan White as an innocent victim he made sure to correct them. He didn't think that he was different than anyone else with the disease. There was an attempt to limit the conversation about AIDS to "innocent victims" like Ryan and Kimberly Bergalis who was infected by her dentist. Each and every time Ryan said that he appreciated the support of the gay community while he was ostracized by others. His mother remains a firm supporter for everyone suffering from HIV/AIDS and stands by the gay community. He really made things more difficult for himself by doing this. He could have been treated if he had joined in and blamed other groups for his situation. He didn't do that. It forced a broader conversation than the public wanted and many credible news agencies would have preferred if it was limited in scope.

@michellecrocker2485 Ай бұрын

The parents who got him kicked from school were insensitive monsters and I feel no sympathy for them. That boy deserved to go to school like everyone else

@randombutpro7547 27 күн бұрын

@michellecrocker2485 Well it is easy for you to say but say that you have a child and one of his/her classmates contracted a disease which at the time 1)people have limited knowledge of 2) were contagious 3) deadly You'd too be worried for the safety of your child. Let's not portray the parents as monsters here.

@seanwebb605 27 күн бұрын

@@randombutpro7547 That's complete nonsense. It was entirely irrational and their behaviour was deplorable. Let's not pretend that it was anything but that. Nope. No school children became infected through casual contact from HIV in schools. Even at that time experts in the field understood the difference between a clinical diagnosis of AIDS and the risk of infection to others. I didn't know, we couldn't have known, even the experts didn't know has been the excuse for decades now. A further look at what the Concerned Citizens Of Western School thought at the time shows that they said that they had done their own research and knew better than the experts.

@michellecrocker2485 26 күн бұрын

@@randombutpro7547 this boy was targeted by these parents for something that wasn’t his fault. I feel like these adults should have known better than to victim blame. Not cool at all and I bet they felt no shame in getting this child expelled

@RETROREPORT 21 күн бұрын

You have a good memory -- yes, we did a very minor edit of this video so it could be used in classrooms since it's such an important point in history.

@michellecrocker2485 Ай бұрын

The parents who lobbied against that boy should be ashamed of themselves

@seanwebb605 Ай бұрын

He's one of the better known examples, but there were 11,000 American hemophiliacs infected with HIV and/or Hepatitis C. There were hundreds if not thousands of these cases. Many went away silently. Others just didn't disclose their status. The last of the Ray Brothers from Florida died about a year ago. Three brothers with hemophilia that pushed to attend school. The neighbours burned down their house. Mark Hoyle was an example where his school and community rallied around him, but the public didn't know his identity or much about him until after he died.

@classicerynn8452 27 күн бұрын

I read the book, The Ryan White Story as a kid, and I balled my eyes out when I found out he died at the end. RIP Ryan ❤🙏🏼

@seanwebb605 14 күн бұрын

I would have thought that you would have known that before reading the book. It was published after his death. The title is actually Ryan White My Own Story.

@classicerynn8452 14 күн бұрын

@@seanwebb605 nope. Never knew anything about him as a kid. My teacher recommended the book to me.

@seanwebb605 14 күн бұрын

@@classicerynn8452 He was a very important figure for my generation.