WGS_200_Fall_2024;_A_New_Era_of_Militant_Activism_ copy

Page 1: Reminders

• Acquire a copy of Fun Home for Thanksgiving Break.

• Critical Thinking project due Tuesday, November 26th at 9am CT.

• Guidelines available in week eleven on MyCottey.

• No class on 11/14 - watch Screaming Queens instead.

• Response paper eight due Friday at 9am CT.

• Quiz three scheduled for next Thursday.

Page 2: Course Title

• Title: A New Era of Militant Activism: HIV/AIDS 1980-1996

• Course Code: WGS 200; Fall 2024

Page 3: Course Overview

• Transition from the 1960s-70s to 1980s-90s.

• Examine HIV/AIDS impact on LGBTQ+ lives and sexual norms.

• Analyze political context during HIV/AIDS emergence and its effects.

Page 4: Today’s Objectives

• Acquire context for the HIV/AIDS era.

• Examine economic, social, political forces shaping the epidemic.

• Develop basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS and its human dimensions.

Page 5: Key Questions

• What do you know about HIV/AIDS?

• How and when did the AIDS epidemic emerge? Is it over?

• Why is HIV/AIDS significant to LGBTQ+ history?

• Treatment methods for HIV/AIDS?

Page 6: Course Context

• Overview of social, sexual, and gender politics post-1960s.

• Focus on the HIV/AIDS era (~1980-1996).

• Highlight militant queer movements in US history.

Page 7: Course Reflection

• First half examined end of 60s, 70s sexual revolution.

• Notable social movements: Gay Liberation and feminism.

Page 8: Cultural References of the 1980s

• Notable music influences: Duran Duran, Wham!, Van Halen.

• Popular media: Music Television, Bosom Buddies, Knight Rider.

Page 9: Key Events in the 1980s

• MLK Day established in the US.

• No cell phones or internet; personal computers are luxuries.

• Rise of shopping malls; Wall Street Crash in 1987.

• First recognized HIV/AIDS case in 1982; World AIDS Day in 1988.

Page 10: Political Changes

• 1960s-70s movements led to a cultural backlash.

• Election of Ronald Reagan signified conservative policy shift.

• Emergence of moral majority and evangelicalism as political forces.

Page 11: Neoliberalism

• Definition: Political ideology and economic policy from US Chicago School in late 1970s

• Implemented under Reagan; often termed "Reaganism".

Page 12: Understanding Neoliberalism

• Theory of promoting individual entrepreneurial freedom within strong property rights and free markets.

• The state's role is to support conducive institutional frameworks.

Page 13: Effects of Neoliberalism

• Market perceived as solution to social issues.

• Under Reagan: significant defunding of social programs and union fragility.

• Expansion of the carceral state initiated by the War on Drugs.

Page 14: Ideological Implications

• Promotes emphasis on personal responsibility.

• Suggests social welfare prevents individual responsibility; choices best made individually.

• Advocates laissez-faire (hands-off) policies.

Page 15: Economic Disparities

• The ratio of CEO pay to median worker compensation soared from 30:1 in 1970 to nearly 500:1 by 2000.

• Top 1% own more wealth than the bottom 90% combined today.

Page 16: Wealth Distribution

• Top 20% holds 90 slices of the wealth pie; average net worth: $3 million.

• Bottom 20% has a negative average net worth of -$8,900.

Page 17: Income Growth Trends

• 1979-2015: Top 1% incomes grew significantly faster than that of bottom 90%.

• Data reflects comprehensive income, revealing stark disparities.

Page 18: Productivity vs. Compensation

• Between 1979-2017, productivity grew six times faster than hourly compensation.

• Significant implications for worker earnings and economic equity.

Page 19: Top 0.1% Earnings

• Incomes for the top 0.1% grew fifteen times faster than the bottom 90% from 1979-2017.

• Highlighting increasing inequality in real earnings.

Page 20: Wage Growth Analysis

• Top earners' wages increased four times as fast as median wages between 1979-2018.

• Chart displays wage growth disparities across percentile.

Page 21: Conclusion on Neoliberal Impact

• Neoliberal policies redistributed wealth upwards; stagnated real wages alongside rising living costs.

• Highlighted disconnect between productivity increase and worker benefits.

Page 22: Reagan’s Economic Policies

• Reagan's administration coupled economic strategies with social policies in response to 1970s movements.

• Notable emergence of concepts like "reverse racism" and the "Welfare Queen" stereotype.

• Promotion of the War on Drugs; silence surrounding HIV/AIDS.

Page 23: Carceral State Overview

• Fact Sheet on U.S. Corrections: Trends in incarceration from 1925-2014.

• Notable growth in state and federal prison populations over the decades.

Page 24: Neoliberalism's Lasting Effects

• Neoliberalism significantly reshaped social and political frameworks.

• Consequences included reduced spending on health and welfare, and attacks on unions.

• These changes influenced US government's response to the AIDS crisis.

Page 25: LGBTQ+ Life in the 1980s

• Following Stonewall riots, LGBTQ+ visibility increased.

• 1982: Wisconsin first state to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation.

• 1986: Bowers v. Hardwick upholds sodomy law, sustaining illegality until 2003.

Page 26: Future Challenges

• Cordova’s prediction: Cataclysm needed for equal collaboration between gay men and women.

• Foreshadows significance of HIV/AIDS onset as a transformative event.

Page 27: Emergence of AIDS in the US

• 1981: Rare infections reported among young, healthy gay men in LA.

• By year’s end, around 270 cases of immune deficiency known among gay men.

Page 28: Initial Response to AIDS

• 1982: Term GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) adopted due to early perceptions.

• Shift to AIDS term used by CDC in September, impacted societal perceptions.

Page 29: Broader AIDS Impact

• 1983: cases emerge in heterosexual populations, leading to blood guideline establishment.

• AIDS already widespread since the late 1950s, complicating early government responses.

Page 30: Government Indifference

• Reagan's response characterized by inaction; only commented publicly in May 1987.

• By then, over 36,000 cases reported in the US, with high mortality rates.

Page 31: Administration's Attitude

• Pat Buchanan’s comment exemplified administration’s insensitivity.

• Surgeon General Koop noted an absence of action due to the groups affected by AIDS.

Page 32: Societal Response to the Epidemic

• Neoliberal ideology of personal responsibility shaped the public response.

• Resulted in widespread indifference and lack of proactive measures to contain AIDS.

Page 33: Additional Key Questions

• How HIV/AIDS spreads.

• Vulnerability of specific groups to HIV/AIDS today and globally.

Page 34: Understanding HIV

• HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can progress to AIDS.

• Primary transmission methods: blood, birth, sexual intercourse.

• Today, majority of cases stem from sexual transmission (75-85%).

Page 35: Current HIV Trends

• In the US (2016): high rates in African-American and Latino men who have sex with men.

• Highest infection rates are in the Southern US; peak age of infection is 20-29.

Page 36: Risks Associated with Gay Men

• Receiving partners in anal intercourse face higher risks due to physiological factors.

• Long HIV incubation periods complicate early detection and response.

Page 37: Effects of AIDS on Sexual Norms

• The AIDS crisis fundamentally transformed sexual norms across the US.

• Critically positioned LGBTQ+ individuals to fight for a governmental response.

Page 38: Stigma and Awareness

• AIDS stigma stems from its association with homosexuality and sexuality.

• Sparked discussions on sex; led to creation of "safe sex" narratives in response.

The AIDS crisis fundamentally transformed sexuality and sexual norms in the U.S. through several key ways:

1. Increased Awareness and Education: The urgency of the AIDS epidemic led to a greater emphasis on sexual education and awareness. People began to recognize the importance of understanding sexual health, safe sex practices, and the risks associated with certain behaviors, prompting widespread public health campaigns about HIV prevention and safe sex.

2. Shifting Norms around Sexuality: The crisis brought LGBTQ+ issues to the forefront of societal discussions, encouraging a reevaluation of sexual norms and identities. As the epidemic primarily affected gay men in its early years, it catalyzed a movement towards greater acceptance and understanding of LGBTQ+ individuals and their rights, challenging prevailing stigmas.

3. Activism and Political Engagement: The AIDS crisis galvanized LGBTQ+ activists and organizations to demand government action and resources for research, treatment, and prevention. This activism not only aimed to address the crisis but also broadened the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, leading to a more engaged and politically active community advocating for sexual health and civil rights.