In the 1980s, people infected with HIV were dropping like flies. In retaliation for the lack of help and action from government, ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) came into being. ACT UP was a powerful force in the world of HIV and AIDS. It was a reaction to the lack of compassion and care for people affected — directly or indirectly — by HIV and AIDS.
Popping up on the internet today is a trailer for a documentary entitled How to Survive a Plague, a film that details the story of ACT UP and TAG (Team Action Group), two organizations that worked to help those affected.
It’s almost 30 years now since AIDS became a predominant theme in the lives of gay men. Harm-reduction initiatives and policies have been put into place, and drugs have been and continue to be created. But those things are in vain if we don’t remember how and why they have come to fruition.
How do you survive a plague? You remember it.
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