HIV’s Queer History and the Future of Treatment and Prevention
During an October 1982 White House press briefing journalist Lester Kinsolving questioned Larry Speakes, President Ronald Reagan’s press secretary, about the president’s reaction to AIDS, mentioning the disease was known as the “gay plague”.
The press pool erupted in laughter.
“I don’t have it,” Speakes said, ignoring the question and causing more laughter in reaction. Speakes followed up by asking Kinsolving multiple times if he had AIDS.
A Streak of Lavender: Queer Spaces and the History of Lavender
The color lavender has long been associated with the queer community at large. From the “lavender marriages” of early 20th century Hollywood, to our very own Lavender Graduation at the University of Oregon, this floral moniker has designated LGBTQ+ spaces and communities for hundreds of years.