How pop culture helps us to understand HIV and AIDS

The recent news that medicine for HIV-positive status is now available in the form of two injections every two months, rather than daily, is a reminder of just how far healthcare has come. Especially since the first reported cases of HIV and AIDS in the 1980s, when medicines (and pop culture) were not as effective as they are now.

The advance, which charities have applauded as “incredible news”, comes around World AIDS Day. It’s a time that marks the impact of this virus on millions of people around the world.

Many may hail the developed nature of the medical response to HIV and AIDS. In fact, leading consultant in genitourinary medicine Dr Indrajith Karunaratne spoke to Top Doctors last year about just how effective modern-day treatment for HIV infection is. However, what about society’s attitudes and ideas surrounding the epidemic? Are they on the same, arguably, advanced level in 2021?

A shift in perspective

In 1987, Princess Diana was photographed shaking an AIDS patient’s hand without a glove. It was taken in an era when many people thought it was possible to contract the virus from simply touching a person. Yes, touching a person. It’s said to have played a part in a significant shift in how society viewed – and mainstream media portrayed the condition (which, without stating the obvious, cannot be contracted by skin-on-skin contact).

We take a look at pop culture over the past few decades, considering how its’ relationship with HIV and AIDS has improved. How well are our fellow humans going through this life-changing condition have been supported, rather than shamed, by the mainstream media throughout recent history?

Forever connected to the human-side of AIDS and HIV

Freddie Mercury, the electrifying frontman of Queen, attracted hundreds of thousands of fans to their shows. However, he sadly became forever connected to the human side to the virus when he died of AIDS-related pneumonia at the age of 45, in 1991.

He kept his diagnosis a secret for most of the time that he was still living. However, the benefit tribute concert held in his honour at Wembley Stadium five months after his death raised millions of pounds for AIDS research. It also resulted in The Mercury Phoenix Trust, formed by members and the manager of Queen, alongside Mercury’s former fiancée, Mary Austin. The charity is still successfully raising funds and awareness today.

Pop culture slowly but surely providing a balanced approach towards HIV and AIDS

Mainstream television started to rightly address the issue, three years on from Diana’s headline-grabbing actions. Much-loved Eastenders character Mark Fowler, sat down his parents to tell them he had HIV. The storyline, which lasted up to and after his AIDS-related death, was written with sensitivity. It portrayed the negative and equally supportive attitudes of his family. His father Arthur bleached everything that Mark touched, while his mother Pauline and sister Michelle listened to and encouraged him. Once his HIV-positive status became wider knowledge on Albert Square, he had to handle graffiti like ‘AIDS SCUM’. He was also banned from the Queen Vic pub, until landlady Peggy Mitchell educated herself in her ignorance.

Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks starred in 1993’s ‘Philadelphia’. It was one of the first major Hollywood movies to address how HIV and AIDS affected gay men. Hanks plays a gay lawyer that’s been fired because he has AIDS. It’s an emotional and educational watch, so much so that it won an Oscar. It attracted criticism from some, even members of the gay community, but it received plaudits for successfully humanising people with HIV and AIDS.

How the rest of the world is playing it’s part

These instances show how pop culture in the UK and US have supported the cause, but what about in Africa? This is the most affected region in the world for HIV and AIDS. Former president of Gambia, Kenneth Kaunda, was one of the first African leaders to publicly acknowledge HIV and AIDS. He subsequently released an album in 2005 called We Shall Fight HIV/AIDS. Kaunda, whose son died from the virus in 1986, encouraged people to use condoms and visit testing centres in his songs.

It’s fantastic to see how work is still undergoing to encourage awareness and ownership of the virus. Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, which had the highest prevalence of HIV globally, is the first country in Africa to achieve the United Nations HIV target. This means that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status. 95 per cent of them are on life-saving antiretroviral treatment and 95 per cent of those on treatment have a suppressed viral load.

A more diverse representation of HIV and AIDS in pop culture

The humanisation of people HIV and AIDS seems to be a recurring theme of mainstream media coverage. Let’s fast forward to the current, where we rightly hear from a much more diverse representation of society.

Ru Paul is considered the most commercially successful drag queen in the world. She brought her Drag Race franchise to the UK in 2019 and the successful third series of Drag Race UK has just ended. One of the contestants, Charity Kase, shared her experience of contracting and being diagnosed with HIV on the show.

She spoke about facing discrimination on dating apps because of her status. She received “horrible, nasty comments that are really degrading and mean”, like “you’re diseased, you’re disgusting, stay away from me.”

Leading HIV and sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, praised Charity Kase on using her platform on the show. Chief executive Ian Green said: “It’s so important to know the facts on HIV and challenge attitudes towards the virus that are stuck in the 1980s.

“HIV has changed. Tell everyone.”

Reflecting on pop culture’s past attitudes to HIV and AIDS

It’s clear that people’s perceptions of HIV and AIDS from the 1980s, particularly through pop culture, remain fresh in people’s memories. A prime example is Channel 4’s 2021 hit drama ‘It’s A Sin’. It follows the story of AIDS across the decade from the perspective of a group of friends.

It may have depicted the difficulties that people went through then, but its’ impact encouraged positive action in the current. The programme coincided with National HIV Testing Week (1st to 7th of February, 2021). Over 17,000 orders for tests were placed; more than double to number ordered the previous National HIV Testing Week (8,200).

It remains important that people receive reassurance about HIV and AIDS, too. The Netflix’s popular series ‘Sex Education’ was applauded recently for the scene below. In just over 30 seconds, it covered:

  • HIV prevention
  • The importance of regularly getting tested and;
  • PrEP medication, which protects people from contracting HIV.

Who doesn’t want to receive informative and trustworthy facts about their health without feeling judged, ashamed or patronised?

Taking the challenges of the past to present a brighter future

There are so many more positive pop culture role models that we can look to in the conversation about HIV and AIDS. For example, US series Pose took the fabulousness of the much-loved New York ballroom scene. It created a realistic backstory to the characters that frequented the floors. They all struggled with personal issues including HIV and AIDS, coming together to depict genuine scenes of activism from the past. The characters challenge the lack of access to healthcare and negative institutional perspectives in the US in the 80s and 90s.

You can also listen to HIV-positive Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness discuss HIV and inequality on an episode of his ‘Getting Curious’ podcast.

It’s clear that mainstream pop culture is on the same progressive level as health services today, and rightly so. Today, when Grammy-winning singers Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson headline the World Aids Day Concert, we will celebrate. It’s a fight that hasn’t been won just yet, but it has become much easier to manage. Encouragement to face this virus together, including getting tested, must continue. It gives people with HIV and AIDS the right to lead full and healthy lives.

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