AIDS may still be a very threatening virus, but there was one point in time when the disease was feared as a gay man’s disease. Ryan White, born on December 6th, 1977 in Kokomo, Indiana, was a young boy who became a national spokesman for equal health care for AIDS patients once he was diagnosed with the virus after a faulty blood transfusion to treat his hemophilia.
White and his family began to face controversy and stigmatization from the public, especially when White was refused the opportunity to go back to school, they were encouraged to fight against the discrimination. Ryan White was a major advocate towards ending the stigma towards AIDS and was the vital reason for the creation of the CARE Act. Ryan White advocated for equal health care rights Much was not known about AIDS at the time, leading to many misconceptions.
At the time, AIDS was thought to be extremely contagious and transmitted through casual contact, such as a handshake. However, this idea completely changed when Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS at age 13. White, wanting to attend school, was denied by his school district, in fear that he would transmit the disease to other students.
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Ryan was a major advocate and acted as an “an eloquent spokesman about AIDS to his classmates, journalists and, through the wide reach of television, the American public” (Markel). He not only educated the general public, he also brought awareness to the national blood supply and how it “needed to be fixed so that every donation was tested for evidence of HIV” (Markel).
All of his advocacy would lead to better treatment for HIV and changed the public perspective of AIDS. Ryan White was a major reason to how AIDS is seen today, however, it did not come without its risks. White faced many hardships, especially when trying to go back to school. After being turned down, his family sued the school district.
After a lengthy court case, White was finally able to go back to school, yet he was continuously bullied and shunned by other students. The harassment did not end at school, the family was threatened by other parents, “vandals broke the windows of the White’s home, and cashiers refused to touch his mother’s hands when making change at the supermarket” (Markel). Despite all of the bullying, and threats, White and his family were determined to advocate for better treatment for AIDS patients. White’s mother, Jeannie White Ginder, distinctly remembered how “people were really cruel, people said that he had to be gay, that he had to have done something bad or wrong” (“Who Was Ryan White?”).
White’s mother statement only reiterates how bad AIDS patients were treated and how they were perceived by the public. Despite only being a kid, White did a lot more than just stop the harassment against people with AIDS– he humanized them. Following his death, he inspired the creation of many organizations and persuaded the government to pass The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act “which [provided] funding for medical care and support services for individuals and families living with HIV/AID” (The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica).
This legislation is still in action to this day and is responsible for funding organizations to help even the poorest American suffering with HIV or AIDS. White believed that “that all people living with HIV—be they gay or not—deserve the same human and health care rights as everyone else” (Decker) and he successfully had his message heard across America: helping end the stigma surrounding AIDS and encouraging the creation of the CARE Act.
Although he and his family faced many hardships, Ryan White was a major advocate for equal health care rights to people with AIDS and would eventually inspire the signing of the CARE Act. After being diagnosed with AIDS, White and his family were pushed into the spotlight, earning much controversy from the public. However, White utilized his publicity to educate the public about AIDS and advocate for better treatment for people with HIV.
Despite having AIDS, White still wanted to attend school but was quickly denied by the school district, leading a lawsuit. After winning the lawsuit, White was able to go back to school, however, it did not come without bullying and harassment from other students, as well as other parents. Following White’s death, all of his advocating lead to the creation of the CARE Act, which funded cities and organizations to offer better treatment to people with AIDS and HIVs. Nearly 30 years after his death, Ryan White is remembered as a passionate young boy, who’s struggle was heard across America and changed the perspective of millions.
Works Cited
- Decker, Shawn. “The Importance of Remembering Ryan White.” POZ, 19 Apr. 2016, www.poz.com/article/Remembering-Ryan-White-18900-1961.
- Johnson, Dirk. “Ryan White Dies of AIDS at 18; His Struggle Helped Pierce Myths.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 Apr. 1990, www.nytimes.com/1990/04/09/obituaries/ryan-white-dies-of-aids-at-18-his-struggle-helped-pierce-myths.html.
- Markel, Dr. Howard. “Remembering Ryan White, the Teen Who Fought against the Stigma of AIDS.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 8 Apr. 2016, www.pbs.org/newshour/health/remembering-ryan-white-the-teen-who-fought-against-the-stigma-of-aids.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Ryan White.” Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2010. “Who Was Ryan White?” HRSA-HAB, 1 Oct. 2016, hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/who-was-ryan-white.
