gary

i spent many years, when i was still going to college, immersed in the works of queer artists living through the AIDS crisis, artists who were reacting to it in real time. it's one of the things that led me to many of the beliefs i have today. and it's something that still affects all queer people, not just gay men. but it's also a history so easily forgotten, due to the advancements that have been made. and so when the warning signs start to emerge that politicians want to undo those advances, things like a new head of the FDA who has parroted denialism rhetoric in the past, rhetoric that mirrors recent actions cracking down on "just" a party drug? actions like a court case allowing ensurers to deny coverage of preventative care, specifically targeting PrEP? cultural waves moving towards a revulsion among young queers towards the idea of casual sex and cruising? young queers who view these acts as moral failings? i get deeply frightened.

this is where i'm at. this is why i was livid when another queer person called me an annoying faggot for caring about a crackdown on a drug that's used almost primarily by gay men. a drug that the government has spent decades turning a blind eye towards. there is history behind these actions, history that will rear its head once again and hurt many, many people.