TO THE FOREFRONT. THE AIDES CRISIS.
THE AIDES CRISIS. >> THEY WERE ARRESTING US.
>> THEY WERE ARRESTING US. >> Reporter: THE STONE WALL
>> Reporter: THE STONE WALL RIOTS GAVE BIRTH TO THE GAY
RIOTS GAVE BIRTH TO THE GAY RIGHT MOVEMENT.
RIGHT MOVEMENT. IT TOOK DECADES TO REACH
IT TOOK DECADES TO REACH EQUALITY.
EQUALITY. >> MEDICAL EXPERTS AGREE WE’RE
>> MEDICAL EXPERTS AGREE WE’RE IN AN EPIDEMIC.
IN AN EPIDEMIC. >> Reporter: WAS IT THE AIDES
>> Reporter: WAS IT THE AIDES CRISIS THAT REALLY ELEVATED GAY
CRISIS THAT REALLY ELEVATED GAY RIGHTS IN AMERICA?
RIGHTS IN AMERICA? SOME SAY IT WAS, BUT NOT WITHOUT
SOME SAY IT WAS, BUT NOT WITHOUT AN IMMENSE COST.
AN IMMENSE COST. >> IT WAS CRUSHING.
>> IT WAS CRUSHING. IT WAS LIKE NOTHING ELSE I EVER
IT WAS LIKE NOTHING ELSE I EVER EXPERIENCED.
EXPERIENCED. IT WAS LIKE RUSSIAN ROULETTE.
IT WAS LIKE RUSSIAN ROULETTE. WE DIDN’T KNOW.
WE DIDN’T KNOW. >> Reporter: THIS PAINFUL BUT
>> Reporter: THIS PAINFUL BUT IMPORTANT STORY GOES BACK TO
IMPORTANT STORY GOES BACK TO 1969, BUT NOT TO THE WELL-KNOWN
1969, BUT NOT TO THE WELL-KNOWN STONE WALL RIOTS.
STONE WALL RIOTS. RATHER ST. LOUIS WHERE A BLACK
RATHER ST. LOUIS WHERE A BLACK TEENAGER DIED OF NEWPNEUMONIA.
TEENAGER DIED OF NEWPNEUMONIA. WHAT THEY DIDN’T FIGURE OUT
WHAT THEY DIDN’T FIGURE OUT UNTIL MUCH LATER WAS THAT ROBERT
UNTIL MUCH LATER WAS THAT ROBERT HAD AIDES, LIKELY MAKING HIM THE
HAD AIDES, LIKELY MAKING HIM THE FIRST DEATH IN AMERICA.
FIRST DEATH IN AMERICA. >> IT’S UNIMAGINABLE THAT WE
>> IT’S UNIMAGINABLE THAT WE COULD GET TO THE POINT WE’RE AT
COULD GET TO THE POINT WE’RE AT TODAY.
TODAY. THERE’S BEEN INCREDIBLE
THERE’S BEEN INCREDIBLE PROGRESS, BUT THERE’S STILL A
PROGRESS, BUT THERE’S STILL A LOT TO DO.
LOT TO DO. >> Reporter: AT UCLA, THE SAME
>> Reporter: AT UCLA, THE SAME PLACE TO REPORT THE DISEASE,
PLACE TO REPORT THE DISEASE, PROMPTING AN ALERT FROM THE CDC
PROMPTING AN ALERT FROM THE CDC AND SENDING DOCTORS AND THE
AND SENDING DOCTORS AND THE MEDIA TO EXPLAIN WHAT PEOPLE
MEDIA TO EXPLAIN WHAT PEOPLE STARTED TO CALL GAY CANCER.
STARTED TO CALL GAY CANCER. >> THIS HAS TRIGGERED AN
>> THIS HAS TRIGGERED AN EPIDEMIC OF A RARE FORM OF
EPIDEMIC OF A RARE FORM OF CANCER.
CANCER. >> I HAD A FRIEND BENARD THAT
>> I HAD A FRIEND BENARD THAT SAID HE HAD GAY CANCER.
SAID HE HAD GAY CANCER. I WAS LIKE WHAT?
I WAS LIKE WHAT? WHAT IS THAT?
WHAT IS THAT? I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND AND THEN HE
I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND AND THEN HE WAS GONE.
WAS GONE. >> HE DIED?
>> HE DIED? >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> Reporter: THAT SORT OF STORY
>> Reporter: THAT SORT OF STORY BEGAN PLAYING OUT ACROSS THE
BEGAN PLAYING OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS HOSPITALS BECAME
COUNTRY AS HOSPITALS BECAME OVERWHELMED BY AIDES, ESPECIALLY
OVERWHELMED BY AIDES, ESPECIALLY THE ONE AT SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL
THE ONE AT SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL WHERE RITA VOLUNTEERED AROUND
WHERE RITA VOLUNTEERED AROUND ALLISON AND CLIFF WERE NURSE.
ALLISON AND CLIFF WERE NURSE. >> AFTER THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
>> AFTER THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT FILLED UP AND WE WERE SPILLING
FILLED UP AND WE WERE SPILLING OVER INTO THE REGULAR UNIT OF
OVER INTO THE REGULAR UNIT OF THE HOSPITAL, THAT’S WHEN THINGS
THE HOSPITAL, THAT’S WHEN THINGS GOT OUT OF HAND.
GOT OUT OF HAND. >> Reporter: THE NURSES FEARED
>> Reporter: THE NURSES FEARED THIS UNKNOWN DISEASE THEY
THIS UNKNOWN DISEASE THEY WOULDN’T GO NEAR SOMEONE WITH
WOULDN’T GO NEAR SOMEONE WITH AIDES.
AIDES. >>
>> SOMETHING DIFFERENT BEGAN TO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT BEGAN TO HAPPEN AT SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL.
HAPPEN AT SAN FRANCISCO GENERAL. CLIFF SAW HIS FRIENDS GETTING
CLIFF SAW HIS FRIENDS GETTING SICK AND DYING.
SICK AND DYING. THAT LED TO THE NATION’S FIRST
THAT LED TO THE NATION’S FIRST AIDES FLOOR, FIVE B, ALSO A
AIDES FLOOR, FIVE B, ALSO A DOCUMENTARY.
DOCUMENTARY. >> THIS FILM STARTS WITH YOU RE
>> THIS FILM STARTS WITH YOU RE REVISITING PARTS OF THE FLOOR.
REVISITING PARTS OF THE FLOOR. >> THIS IS THE HARDEST THING.
>> THIS IS THE HARDEST THING. >> IT’S PROBABLY TOUGH TO
>> IT’S PROBABLY TOUGH TO SEPARATE PLACE FROM PEOPLE.
SEPARATE PLACE FROM PEOPLE. >> I DIDN’T REALLY THINK ABOUT
>> I DIDN’T REALLY THINK ABOUT THE POWER OF THAT IMAGE, WHAT IT
THE POWER OF THAT IMAGE, WHAT IT WAS GOING TO DO.
WAS GOING TO DO. >> YOU LOST FRIENDS ALONG THE
>> YOU LOST FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY IN THAT PLACE.
WAY IN THAT PLACE. >> YES.
>> YES. >> IT INSPIRED THE OPENING OF
>> IT INSPIRED THE OPENING OF THE UNIT.
THE UNIT. THERE WAS THE DESIRE TO SEE THE
THERE WAS THE DESIRE TO SEE THE PATIENTS AS PEOPLE, NOT AS A
PATIENTS AS PEOPLE, NOT AS A DISEASE.
DISEASE. >> HOW DIFFICULT WAS THAT
>> HOW DIFFICULT WAS THAT KNOWING THAT WHEN PEOPLE WOULD
KNOWING THAT WHEN PEOPLE WOULD COME IN THAT YOU PROBABLY
COME IN THAT YOU PROBABLY COULDN’T SAVE THEIR LIFE?
COULDN’T SAVE THEIR LIFE? >> IT WAS -- IT WAS DIFFICULT.
>> IT WAS -- IT WAS DIFFICULT. WE KIND OF KNEW THAT.
WE KIND OF KNEW THAT. THEN I THINK SPEAKING FOR MYSELF
THEN I THINK SPEAKING FOR MYSELF I HAD THIS HOPE, YOU KNOW, IT
I HAD THIS HOPE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS STILL RELATIVELY EARLY ON.
WAS STILL RELATIVELY EARLY ON. WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW THE NUMBERS
WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW THE NUMBERS WOULD GROW.
WOULD GROW. >> Reporter: THE NUMBER, THE
>> Reporter: THE NUMBER, THE DEATHS DID GROW QUICKLY.
DEATHS DID GROW QUICKLY. WITH THEM SO DID THE FEAR.
WITH THEM SO DID THE FEAR. >> A SIZEABLE MAJORITY OF
>> A SIZEABLE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS BELIEVE NO SEGMENT OF
AMERICANS BELIEVE NO SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION WILL BE SPARED
THE POPULATION WILL BE SPARED AIDES.
AIDES. >> IT FELT LIKE THE END OF THE
>> IT FELT LIKE THE END OF THE WORD.
WORD. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT AND THE REASON I’M WORKING AT A
AND THE REASON I’M WORKING AT A LATE AGE IS BECAUSE I DIDN’T
LATE AGE IS BECAUSE I DIDN’T PLAN FOR RETIREMENT.
PLAN FOR RETIREMENT. I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DEAD.
I THOUGHT I WOULD BE DEAD. >> YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO
>> YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GET AIDES AND DIE?
GET AIDES AND DIE? >> YES.
>> YES. >> Reporter: A GROWING NUMBERS
>> Reporter: A GROWING NUMBERS OF DOCTORS AN NURSES IN WARD
OF DOCTORS AN NURSES IN WARD FIVE B DID SOMETHING
FIVE B DID SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY.
REVOLUTIONARY. THEY TOUCHED PEOPLE WITH AIDES.
THEY TOUCHED PEOPLE WITH AIDES. >> SOMEWHERE IN MY UNCONSCIOUS
>> SOMEWHERE IN MY UNCONSCIOUS THERE WAS A CONCERN.
THERE WAS A CONCERN. I THINK WHAT OVERRODE THAT IN MY
I THINK WHAT OVERRODE THAT IN MY CONSCIOUSNESS REALLY WAS A
CONSCIOUSNESS REALLY WAS A PASSION TO PROVIDE CARE AND TO
PASSION TO PROVIDE CARE AND TO SOMEHOW MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE
SOMEHOW MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COURSE OF THIS DISEASE.
COURSE OF THIS DISEASE. >> EVERY SINGLE DAY AIDES KILLS
>> EVERY SINGLE DAY AIDES KILLS ALL KIND OF PEOPLE RANDOMLY.
ALL KIND OF PEOPLE RANDOMLY. >> THIS IS HYSTERIA, FEAR
>> THIS IS HYSTERIA, FEAR MONGERING, CRAZINESS.
MONGERING, CRAZINESS. SOMEBODY HAD TO SAY YOU GOT TO
SOMEBODY HAD TO SAY YOU GOT TO STOP THIS.
STOP THIS. >> Reporter: THE CARE GIVERS IN
>> Reporter: THE CARE GIVERS IN FIVE B WERE DOING THEIR OWN
FIVE B WERE DOING THEIR OWN ACTIVISM SHOWING THE WORD THAT
ACTIVISM SHOWING THE WORD THAT AIDES PATIENTS NEEDED TO BE
AIDES PATIENTS NEEDED TO BE TREATED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
TREATED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. THEY EXPRESSED THAT ON NATIONAL
THEY EXPRESSED THAT ON NATIONAL TELEVISION.
TELEVISION. >> WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING IN SAN
>> WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING IN SAN FRANCISCO?
FRANCISCO? >> ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES IS THAT
>> ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES IS THAT A PERSON CAN BE INFECTED AND
A PERSON CAN BE INFECTED AND APPEAR CERTAINLY HEALTHY AND BE
APPEAR CERTAINLY HEALTHY AND BE CONTAGIOUS.
CONTAGIOUS. >> Reporter: SOMETHING WAS
>> Reporter: SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL WALLS
HAPPENING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL WALLS ON AMERICA STREETS AS PRIDE
ON AMERICA STREETS AS PRIDE PARADES GREW AND MARCHES AND
PARADES GREW AND MARCHES AND PROTESTS GREW.
PROTESTS GREW. ONE OF THOSE AIDES ACTIVISTS WAS
ONE OF THOSE AIDES ACTIVISTS WAS TERRY PROTESTS IN FRONT OF SAN
TERRY PROTESTS IN FRONT OF SAN FRANCISCO POLICE.
FRANCISCO POLICE. >> THEY CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT
>> THEY CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
IT. THEY CAN FIGHT BACK AND
THEY CAN FIGHT BACK AND ORGANIZE.
ORGANIZE. >> Reporter: HE’S NOW THE
>> Reporter: HE’S NOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LGBTQ
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LGBTQ HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND HE MADE
HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND HE MADE AN IMPORTANT POINT.
AN IMPORTANT POINT. THE AIDES CRISIS GALVANIZED THE
THE AIDES CRISIS GALVANIZED THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY LIKE NOTHING
LGBTQ COMMUNITY LIKE NOTHING BEFORE.
BEFORE. UP UNTIL THE ’80s DISCRIMINATION
UP UNTIL THE ’80s DISCRIMINATION WAS TOUGH.
WAS TOUGH. BUT NOW DISKRIMCRIMINATION AND
BUT NOW DISKRIMCRIMINATION AND PREJUDICE WERE COSTING PEOPLE’S
PREJUDICE WERE COSTING PEOPLE’S LIVES.
LIVES. >> IT PROPELLED THE RIGHTS
>> IT PROPELLED THE RIGHTS MOVEMENT BECAUSE IT BROUGHT
MOVEMENT BECAUSE IT BROUGHT FORWARD THE DISEASE AND
FORWARD THE DISEASE AND SURVIVAL.
SURVIVAL. WE WERE FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES.
WE WERE FIGHTING FOR OUR LIVES. IT FORCED OUR COMMUNITY ACTUALLY
IT FORCED OUR COMMUNITY ACTUALLY EVEN MORE OUT OF THE CLOSET AND
EVEN MORE OUT OF THE CLOSET AND FORCED US TO ORGANIZE AND
FORCED US TO ORGANIZE AND FUNDRAISE, FORM NEW
FUNDRAISE, FORM NEW ORGANIZATIONS.
ORGANIZATIONS. >> Reporter: DECADES LATER
>> Reporter: DECADES LATER AMERICA HAS MARRIAGE EQUALITY.
AMERICA HAS MARRIAGE EQUALITY. WE HAVE MEDICINE THAT RISKS
WE HAVE MEDICINE THAT RISKS SPREADING HIV.
SPREADING HIV. >> DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA YOU
>> DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA YOU WOULD BE STANDING HERE?
WOULD BE STANDING HERE? >> I HAD NO IDEA.
>> I HAD NO IDEA. >> ME NEITHER.
>> ME NEITHER. I’M WITH A REAL HERO.
I’M WITH A REAL HERO. SHE’S DONE SOME STUFF.
SHE’S DONE SOME STUFF. >> WE’RE ALL HEROS.
>> WE’RE ALL HEROS. I FEEL LIKE I’M STANDING HERE
I FEEL LIKE I’M STANDING HERE WITH MANY ANGELS NO LONGER HERE.
WITH MANY ANGELS NO LONGER HERE. >> THAT’S AN IMPORTANT POINT.
>> THAT’S AN IMPORTANT POINT. EVERY PERSON WE TALKED TO,
EVERY PERSON WE TALKED TO, EVERYONE KNEW AT LEAST ONE IF
EVERYONE KNEW AT LEAST ONE IF NOT DOZENS OF THE 35 MILLION
NOT DOZENS OF THE 35 MILLION PEOPLE THAT DIED FROM HIV AND
PEOPLE THAT DIED FROM HIV AND AIDES.
AIDES. >> Reporter: THEY TALKED ABOUT
>> Reporter: THEY TALKED ABOUT THE PROGRESSED YET ACHIEVED.
THE PROGRESSED YET ACHIEVED. >> I THINK ELIMINATING THE
>> I THINK ELIMINATING THE STIGMA AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL
STIGMA AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE WOULD GO A LONG WAY.
CARE WOULD GO A LONG WAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ABSENCE OF
THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ABSENCE OF COMPASSION.
COMPASSION. >> COMPASSION, THE BELIEF THAT
>> COMPASSION, THE BELIEF THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO BE
EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO BE WHO THEY ARE.
WHO THEY ARE. >> THE BIG CHALLENGE I THINK IS
>> THE BIG CHALLENGE I THINK IS LOOKING AT HOW HEALTH CARE IS
LOOKING AT HOW HEALTH CARE IS DELIVERED.
DELIVERED. >> THERE’S A SERIOUS DISPARITY
>> THERE’S A SERIOUS DISPARITY IN CARE THAT’S PROVIDED TO
IN CARE THAT’S PROVIDED TO PEOPLE OF COLOR IN OUR COUNTRY.
PEOPLE OF COLOR IN OUR COUNTRY. >> IF IT’S JUST GAY WHITE MEN OF
>> IF IT’S JUST GAY WHITE MEN OF PRIVILEGE WHO ARE ASKING FOR OUR
PRIVILEGE WHO ARE ASKING FOR OUR RIGHTS AND IGNORING THE
RIGHTS AND IGNORING THE NECESSITY TO FIGHT TO THE RISING
NECESSITY TO FIGHT TO THE RISING TREND OF PEOPLE, NEITHER ONE OF
