Discussion question, only 300 words

Literature of Loss:

AIDS and ACT UP (1980

-

Present).

ON

LY 300 words!

Discussio

n

:

AIDs

and

AIDs

activism

led

to

the

creation

of

novels,

plays,

and

autobiographies.

Select

one

or

more

of

this

week’s

readings

(or

one

other

reading

of

your

choice)

and

discuss

the

political

and

social

legacy

of

AIDs

literature

.

1.

How

did

it

impact

our

reaction

to

AIDS,

AIDS

patients,

and

the

gay

community,

for

example?

This

is

an

open

-

ended

question

and

students

have

the

freedom

to

explore

the

literature

and

this

question

from

multiple

angles

.

2.

Do

y

ou

agree

with

Shilts’

thesis

that

the

US

government

only

made

the

AIDs

epidemic

worse

?

Sources:

-

ACT UP Oral History P

roject.

http://www.actuporalhistory.org/interviews/index.html

-

Act Up Today:

https://actupny.com/

-

Larry Kramer:

1,112 and

Co

unting

http://bilerico.lgbtqnation.com/2011/06/larry_kramers_historic_essay_aids_at_30.php

-

Interview with Larry Kramer.

https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/larry

-

kramer

-

ellen

-

barkin

-

american

-

people

-

volume

-

two

-

Sarah Schulman Explains How

Rent

Straightwashe

d Queer Lives and AIDS

Activism

https://www.them.us/story/sarah

-

schulman

-

rent

-

RENT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhG3JTchKDA

Literature of Loss: AIDS and ACT UP (1980-Present).

ONLY 300 words!

Discussion: AIDs and AIDs activism led to the creation of novels, plays, and autobiographies. Select

one or more of this week’s readings (or one other reading of your choice) and discuss the political and

social legacy of AIDs literature.

1. How did it impact our reaction to AIDS, AIDS patients, and the gay community, for example? This

is an open-ended question and students have the freedom to explore the literature and this question

from multiple angles.

2. Do you agree with Shilts’ thesis that the US government only made the AIDs epidemic worse?

Sources:

-ACT UP Oral History Project. http://www.actuporalhistory.org/interviews/index.html

-Act Up Today: https://actupny.com/

- Larry Kramer: 1,112 and

Counting http://bilerico.lgbtqnation.com/2011/06/larry_kramers_historic_essay_aids_at_30.php

- Interview with Larry Kramer. https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/larry-kramer-ellen-barkin-

american-people-volume-two

- Sarah Schulman Explains How Rent Straightwashed Queer Lives and AIDS

Activism https://www.them.us/story/sarah-schulman-rent

- RENT. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhG3JTchKDA