Catalogue Number
NMLH.2020.5.273
Object Name
badge
Title
EXPLORE SAFER SEX
Events
AIDS epidemic
Description
Small white circular badge with a hand-drawn pink triangle in the background. Black text around the triangle reads "EXPLORE SAFER SEX" and a black male (or Mars) symbol is overlaid in the centre.
The campaign for awareness around safer sex grew rapidly during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The epidemic began in the early 1980s, mostly affecting LGBTQIA and other marginalised communities, such as sex workers and intravenous drug users. The epidemic was largely dismissed by medical and government officials, who first named the syndrome GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency) and used it to justify their homophobic and transphobic policies, attitudes, and misinformation. During the 1980s and 1990s, hundreds of thousands of people died after contracting HIV/AIDS, hugely affecting LGBTQIA communities for years to come. Despite there now being very effective treatments, there are still millions of people living and dying with HIV/AIDS every year particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Marginalised people continue to be most vulnerable to facing HIV/AIDS discrimination.
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