Premium Content:

On This Gay Day | The acronym AIDS is proposed in Washington

On this day in 1982 the acronym AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is first proposed at a meeting in Washington.

The meeting brought together leaders of the LGBT+ communities, health experts and people from the US Centre for Disease Control who agreed that the term GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency Syndrome) was misleading.

- Advertisement -

After the Centre for Disease Control identified a pattern of illnesses among gay men, the soon discovered the illness was also occurring in other populations including hemophiliacs, intravenous drug users and there was also a high prevalence among Haitian immigrants – leading to some doctors to refer to it as the 4H disease – homosexuals, heroin, hemophiliacs and Haitians.

Initially cases of what is now known to be HIV were discovered in gay men in New York in 1981, but within less than a year it was clear that the disease was not solely occurring in gay communities, leading for a more appropriate name change.

The following year the virus which would come to be named HIV was discovered.

While cases of HIV did not become prominent until the early 1980s research in the decades since it was first detected has established that the virus probably first appeared in Africa in the 1920s, and it has been established the virus was being transmitted in New York from the early 1970s.

OIP Staff, this post was first published on July 27 2020.

 

 

 

Latest

Former WA Governor Malcolm McCusker to lead inquiry into election

Premier Roger Cook said today that there was no question over who won each seat at the election.

Local legend Ivan King to share his reflections

The much loved local actor and theatre historian has some stories to tell.

‘Thirst’ will be Yirra Yaakin’s first production for 2025

The world premiere of the new play is on 29th April.

Film star Val Kilmer dead at 65

The actor was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s and 1990s.

Newsletter

Don't miss

Former WA Governor Malcolm McCusker to lead inquiry into election

Premier Roger Cook said today that there was no question over who won each seat at the election.

Local legend Ivan King to share his reflections

The much loved local actor and theatre historian has some stories to tell.

‘Thirst’ will be Yirra Yaakin’s first production for 2025

The world premiere of the new play is on 29th April.

Film star Val Kilmer dead at 65

The actor was one of the biggest stars of the 1980s and 1990s.

British comedian Jimmy Carr to play RAC Arena

The British comedian is playing stacks of shows across Australia.

Former WA Governor Malcolm McCusker to lead inquiry into election

Premier Roger Cook said today that there was no question over who won each seat at the election.

Local legend Ivan King to share his reflections

The much loved local actor and theatre historian has some stories to tell.

‘Thirst’ will be Yirra Yaakin’s first production for 2025

The world premiere of the new play is on 29th April.