Frontline Season 24 Episode 12 The Age of AIDS, Part I

The age of AIDS shaped history, politics, and culture. This disease terrorized the world in the 1980s, and it continues to affect millions of people today. In Frontline season 24 episode 12, titled The Age of AIDS, Part I, we delve into the origins of the epidemic and the response of the United States government.

The episode starts with a montage of news clips from the early 80s, describing a mysterious illness that affects gay men. We see how little was known back then about the disease and how quickly it spread from person to person. It's difficult watching the archival footage and realizing how much fear and misunderstanding surrounded the disease in those early days.

The first part of the episode explores the origins of the epidemic. Scientists believe that HIV/AIDS originated in central Africa, specifically in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The disease jumped from primates to humans, likely through the consumption of bushmeat. The virus then made its way to the United States, likely through Haitian immigrants.

However, it wasn't until gay men in New York City started getting sick that the disease began to receive national attention. We learn how medical professionals struggled to find the cause of the illness and how they initially labeled it as the "gay cancer." The fear and prejudice toward the gay community slowed down research and hindered efforts to combat the disease effectively.

The episode also investigates the government's response to the epidemic. At the time, President Ronald Reagan was in office, and the federal government was slow to act. We see how the Reagan administration ignored early warnings about the disease and how they cut funding for research. Some activists even accused the administration of homophobia and racism because they believed the government didn't care about people who were dying of AIDS because they were gay or black.

The episode also explores how the disease affected different communities. We hear from gay men who lost friends and partners to AIDS, as well as from women who contracted the disease from men. We learn about the stigma surrounding the disease and how AIDS patients were often shunned and discriminated against.

The Age of AIDS, Part I sets the stage for the rest of the series. We learn about the origins of the epidemic, the government's response, and the impact of the disease on different communities. It's an important episode that reminds us how far we've come in the fight against HIV/AIDS and how much work is left to do.

Overall, The Age of AIDS, Part I is a powerful and insightful episode that should not be missed. It sheds light on an important moment in history and encourages us to remember the people who were affected by the disease.