While the first documented cases of HIV in women occurred in 1982, these were often not thought of as a counterpoint to the prevailing narrative of HIV/AIDS being solely associated with white gay men and intravenous drug users because many of the women with documented cases were either intravenous drug users or had partners who were intravenous drug users. It took until 1995 for women to be recognized as part of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and for symptomology of HIV/AIDS that was more likely to occur in women, e.g. yeast infections, to be added to lists of AIDS symptoms.

Women and  HIV/AIDS

Populations of color, in particular, Black and Haitian populations also had early documented cases. Still, it wasn't until 1986 that the medical field identified Black and Latino populations as being disproportionately affected and needing to be targeted for testing. By 1990, 28% of AIDS cases were Black individuals, yet Black people were only 12% of the US population. These numbers would continue to rise throughout the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Populations of Color and HIV/AIDS

White gay men because of their access to medicine, wealth, media, and art outlets organized quickly to demand medical services, research, social services, and widespread concern for those with HIV/AIDS. Women, especially white lesbian women, were involved in HIV/AIDS activism from the beginning but were often not given the same platform as white gay men. Black communities were slower to respond collectively to HIV/AIDS because of a myriad of reasons.

HIV/AIDS Activism by White Gay Men

In 1981, AIDS breached onto the medical scene when hundreds of white gay men started having documented cases of severe immune deficiency. In addition to gay white men, another group that was initially identified as being at risk for HIV/AIDS is intravenous drug users.

University of Wisconsin - Madison

HIV/AIDS was originally only viewed as a medical epidemiologic concern for white gay men. This assumption was made was in part because of assumptions from medical professionals and in part because white gay men had some of the earliest documented cases of HIV/AIDS and  white gay men served at the forefront of activism that emerged from the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

HIV/AIDS Becoming a Medical Epidemiological Concern

Schalk, Sami. Black Disability Politics, New York, USA: Duke University Press, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781478027003

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