“And the Band Played On”
The movie “And the Band Played On” touches on different prevalent issues during the AIDS pandemic that afflicted the world in the 1980s. It is a film that chronicled the initial days of the pandemic and the bias and prejudice experienced by homosexuals, who were perceived as the main cause of the disease, among other issues.
Gay Rights and Bathhouses
The movie intended to highlight the plight of homosexuals and how society stigmatized them because of their sexual orientation. Such marginalization and stigmatization infringed on their rights to association, which led to gay bathhouses. These bathhouses offered the gay community a place where they could associate and be intimate with each other (Baume, 2021). However, the American government discouraged the development of bathhouses through frequent raids. These actions by the government were wrong because they denied the gay community the right to associate with each other.
Political Division During the Aids Pandemic
The AIDS pandemic caused political division in America because of the discomfort and prejudice regarding how the disease is transmitted. The disease exposed the glaring inequality and injustices inherent in its handling. There has been positive action in responding to the AIDS pandemic by dealing with its inequalities and injustices, including addressing gay rights issues. On the other hand, politics has presented an opposing force through the blockage of crucial policies on AIDS, such as access to ARVs, Prevention, and harm reduction. This type of political action is wrong because it is a cause of suffering for many AIDS patients.
Lack of Support and Funding
The movie highlighted the experiences of a scientist who spent much of his work researching the AIDS disease. It demonstrated how the federal government withheld funding for research on AIDS (Manuvegeta, 2011). The government was less concerned with the pandemic and instead allocated more money to defense instead of health. Such action by the federal government was wrong because it hindered efforts to manage the pandemic.
References
Baume, M. (2021). A Peek Under the Towel: Inside the 500-Year History of Gay Bathhouses. Hornet. Retrieved from: A Peek Under the Towel: Inside the 500-Year History of Gay Bathhouses | Hornet, the Queer Social Network
Manuvegeta (2011). Summary of movie: And the Band Played On. Hub pages. Retrieved from: Summary of movie: And the Band Played On – HubPages