In the reading “How to have sex in an epidemic” it discusses the change in mindset about how and who to have sex with. It is crazy to think that the epidemic completely changed many people’s mindset about casual sex and partners/protection. Now it is more common for people to be concerned about STIs or diseases spread through sex. But back in the 70s it seemed to be of no concern who someone had sex with.
It makes me think about the pandemic we are living in now and how the precautions and new routines we have put in place might affect the way the world works in thirty years. Once again we have to examine our lifestyles and make changes in order to keep us and our friends and families healthy.
Furthermore, to consider the fact that now not only is protection needed during sex but breathing the same air as someone else is a threat to everyone’s safety. But the mindset is still similar to what the article depicted. A person can cut down how many people they have sex with but no matter what they are still at risk for contracting AIDS unless they abstain. Today, the only way to be 100% sure you will not get the virus is to isolate yourself completely. Additionally, in both cases, someone might not show any symptoms of either virus but still be infected.
The multiple similarities and anxieties about both viruses during their respective outbreaks opens up conversation about how we as human beings deal with fear and where our priorities are.
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First off, I found your post super interesting! It is fascinating to study an epidemic in the midst of a pandemic, especially with a focus on how minority groups were affected in both cases. I couldn’t help but relate what you’ve discussed here with Angels in America, specifically the part when they state that there is “no racial past” in America, implying that the skewed nature of priorities in this nation allow minority groups to be discriminated against and, therefore, to be more vulnerable to epidemics and pandemics. I appreciated how you discussed the importance of having conversations with one another to better process the emotions that are brought up by global hardships. I believe that communication is key in overcoming challenges, no matter the size, which is, as Kushner says, must begin with discussions of increasing equality.