Before AIDS
Gay Health Politics in the 1970s
Format:Hardback
Publisher:University of Pennsylvania Press
Published:20th Mar '18
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Challenging the narrative of despair, Before AIDS reveals the proactive role of gay health clinics in addressing public health challenges before the epidemic.
The AIDS crisis of the 1980s is often viewed through the lens of despair and neglect, with narratives focusing on the devastation wrought by an unknown virus on an already marginalized community. However, Before AIDS challenges this prevailing narrative by revealing the proactive measures taken by the gay community in the years leading up to the epidemic. Katie Batza meticulously documents the establishment of a robust network of gay health clinics across major American cities, which played a crucial role as first responders to the emerging health crisis. This book sheds light on the often-overlooked history of these clinics and their impact on public health during a tumultuous time.
In Before AIDS, Batza explores the development of these health institutions in cities such as Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, situating them within a broader political and social context. The narrative highlights how, during the 1970s, gay men faced significant public health challenges that were exacerbated by political marginalization and social stigma. The mistrust of mainstream health care systems led to the creation of a self-sufficient medical network that not only addressed health needs but also educated and collaborated with traditional health practitioners.
The book illustrates the innovative strategies employed by gay health activists, drawing inspiration from various social movements of the time. By utilizing government funding in creative ways and adopting rhetoric from the feminist and civil rights movements, these activists transformed the understanding of health and sexuality. Before AIDS ultimately reveals a story of resilience and agency within the gay community, demonstrating their capacity to confront and navigate the challenges posed by the AIDS crisis.
"[A] highly compelling, important book . . . Katie Batza's Before AIDS dramatically expands our portrait of the gay 1970s and of the relationships between gay liberation, the US state, and the politics of health. Through three case studies and a tightly argued, absorbingly written analysis, Batza shows that health activism was central to gay politics well before the beginning of the AIDS epidemic." * Journal of the History of Sexuality *
"Batza charts new ground in an accomplished debut monograph by tracking the diverse paths that gay health activism followed in the United States during the 1970s. Building up from three case studies of community-based clinics in Boston, Los Angeles, and Chicago, she succeeds in painting a nuanced picture of the development and trajectory of gay health activism—and American gay liberation more generally—during a decade more commonly cast as an era of easy 'promiscuity.'" * Journal of Social History *
"Before AIDS makes significant contributions to our understanding of the social construction of health and medicine, medical homophobia, health care activism, sex and sexuality, the history of medicine and health care, and the history of HIV/AIDS. The astute examination of relationships between social movements, health activism, and the state is relevant to numerous academic disciplines. Finally, the book is so accessible and engaging that it’s perfect for undergraduate and graduate courses as well as laypeople, particularly those working for health care justice." * Bulletin of the History of Medicine *
"Before AIDS is the first book to chart the development of a national gay health network in the 1970s. Katie Batza's insightful and compelling analysis makes valuable contributions to the history of sexuality, LGBTQ studies, the history of medicine, and American political history." * Tamar Carroll, Rochester Institute of Technology *
"Well-conceived, deftly argued, and based on an impressive range of primary materials, oral interviews, and a good command of the secondary literature, Before AIDS brings fresh light and perspective to the wider field of the history of sexuality in the United States." * Jonathan Bell, University College London *
ISBN: 9780812250138
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
192 pages