When studying an epidemic there is much more to it than the medical aspect; the social occurrence. Even after the disease and its ways of transmission were accurate identified, fear and ignorance remained widespread. In the mid- and even later 1980s, “AIDS hysteria” became a familiar term in the media and public life. Before the disease was officially called “AIDS”, in 1982, it went by “gay-related immune deficiency” (GRID). Homosexuality was no socially accepted in the 1980’s, making it harder for homosexuals that were diagnosed to deal with this illness, but easier for society to pinpoint at them, marginalizing them even more. (See Figure 3, Page 11) “Be good in bed. Use a Condom” This advertisement from America Responds to Aids is using
