1. How did the organizations like SFAF working towards AIDS awareness and prevention adjust their style of information distribution aimed at gay men, and does presenting information in a particular vernacular or style change its meaning or interpretation? When does it become misinformation? How did they maintain accuracy and work conducive to their goals? (Marketing Safe Sex)
As a San Francisco Bay Area native, and someone who has experienced some of the queer community there (though not as a gay man), the history in this article is fascinating to me. I knew some of it of course, but perhaps was ignorant towards the full scope of the deep involvement of San Francisco in the AIDS crisis and activism.
2. How did capitalism and consumerism influence the marketing of condoms? Is this negative, positive, or neutral? In what other ways does capitalism intertwine with activism and informational campaigns? (Marketing Safe Sex)
3. I felt like Cheng's article (Three AIDS, Women of Color Feminism...) was not truly getting to the important point about Black feminist lesbians (and other queer identities) supporting gay men during the AIDS crisis. Lesbians showed solidarity in this time, when white cisgender heterosexuals left the queer community to suffer. Intersectionality comes into play as many queer people getting AIDS were people of color. Cheng speaks to the intersectional oppression and community, and "resistance," race and sexuality bring together. I love that the article mentioned The Watermelon Woman-- that is a great New Queer Cinema film.
Cheng writes, "I have heard decriers of Black protest urge, instead, that Black activists conduct research and write articles—as if they have not and are not already doing so." This quote led to my question-- how many queer people of color were writing, protesting, and working for help and change with the AIDS crisis, that were never heard? How many essays, local neighborhood signs, letters, and pamphlets have been ignored in discussion of AIDS history, because the contribution and disproportionate suffering of people of color are overlooked? Or rather, how many were not passed on and widely proliferated or supported, perhaps impacting or preventing the spread of information? How do discussions of history change with such omissions?
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