During a period in the 1980’s, the AIDS virus was referred to as the “gay plague,” and was believed to only affect men who slept with men. The virus increased homophobia hugely, the gay community was blamed for the outbreak and became a target for the public to attack. The widespread misinformation and lack of knowledge on the virus created a dangerously stigmatised view of those infected which meant that for a time, patients were left in isolation without meals unless families brought food to them. Gay men were forced into hiding their sexuality in fear of people not wanting to touch them or losing out on jobs and being denied mortgages, all whilst watching their friends die around them.

The gay community had faced discrimination for years even before the AIDS epidemic erupted. In 1968 homosexuality was classed as a mental disorder and hate crimes were at a high. Electric shock therapy and drug treatments were used in conversion therapy attempts that tortured those subjected to it. Therefore, unsurprisingly, as soon as the epidemic arose, the homophobic society of 1980’s Britain was eager to use the LGBTQ+ community as a scape-goat to blame. The amount of misinformation on the topic and advice on controlling the spread only changed when people realised it was not only homosexual men who were affected: heterosexual men and women along with children were also in danger. Even when this distinction was made, gay men along with drug users were categorised into causing their own disease, whilst heterosexual men and women and children, innocent victims.

Once discovered that HIV caused AIDS in 1994, 3 years after the epidemic hit the UK, the first HIV blood test was created. UK media played a huge role in reducing HIV cases and deaths from AIDS in the 1980’s. HIV diagnosis, over 3,000 in 1985, dropped by a third in three years after leaflets were handed out to families and information was given on how to limit the spread of infection. In 1987 AZT treatment to prevent HIV’s progression to AIDS became accessible for the public and even after this breakthrough in research, the government were still blaming the gay community. In 1988, section 28 was enforced, a law which restricted any promotion of homosexuality. Margaret Thatcher stated “Children who need to be taught to respect traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay. All of those children are being cheated of a sound start in life.” As leader of the country at the time, her outward display of homophobia sent the message, that by restricting homosexuality, the UK would prosper and put the epidemic behind them. She also undoubtedly harmed thousands of gay youth’s mental health, suggesting they were not worthy of rights.

Why did it take the deaths of heterosexual men and women to force the government to take action in preventing the spread of HIV? Maybe if they had taken as much care with the gay lives in Britain, hundreds of youth and potential would have been saved.