On the February 4 episode of National Public Radio�s "Fresh Air" program, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has led the NIAID since 1984, admitted to frequenting gay bars and bath houses in the 1980s, so he could gain a better scientific understanding of how HIV and AIDS spread among the homosexual population.
In the radio program, Fauci admitted that the federal government did not listen to the concerns of gay activists in the 1980s, who felt the government was not listening to their concerns about a new disease that scientists knew virtually nothing about and spread through the gay community like wildfire.
In response, Fauci said he asked himself, "Let me put myself in their shoes. If I were in their position, what would I be doing?"
To gain a direct and personal understanding of the sexual habits of gay men in the 1980s, Fauci then began visiting gay bars and bath houses in a sort of undercover role. ..
The revelation that gay men were visiting gay bath houses for the purpose of anonymous, often unprotected sex with other men provoked many cities and states to ban gay bath houses.
Gay activists, both at the time and still today, considered this a civil rights violation. ... Fauci was famously lambasted by conservatives in April of last year, when he recommended that sports, schools, businesses, and other necessities of life immediately cease operations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but also gave his support to individuals using hookup apps like Tinder and its LGBT-exclusive counterpart Grindr to have casual sex.
Fauci further said: "I went to the Castro District. I went down to Greenwich Village, and I went into bathhouses to essentially see what was going on."
See, he didn't know what went on in gay bathhouses, without personally inspecting them.
By the way, Fauci went on to blame the spread of AIDS on conservatives: He noted that then-President Ronald Reagan and his religious right supporters made HIV and AIDS research a lot harder, but he doesn�t think Reagan personally hated gay people.
"I believe, because of a large part of his constituency was that way, what he did not do is he did not use the bully pulpit of the presidency to gain support and attention to what was going on right in front of everyone�s eyes," Fauci said.
GRTWT.
2 comments:
In response, Fauci said he asked himself, "Let me put myself in their shoes. If I were in their position, what would I be doing?"
That was a poor choice of words, Anthony.
And while you were down in the Village, you could have picked up a copy of the Voice, or several other publications, at the Sheridan Square kiosk and pretty much read about what you needed to know. Or gone across the street to the Stonewall and asked?
Nothing feels like the real thing.
Post a Comment