No HIV/AIDS Emergence

The more I've thought about this the less certain I've become as to what it would actually be... But if, for whatever reason (not to be flippant, but I'm perfectly happy in this case to just say ASBs stopped it) AIDS does not emerge as anything like a pandemic. What kind of cultural changes do we see? I'm mostly thinking in terms of the west, but that really is just my own bias talking, so whatever thoughts you have are great...
 
Well I imagine the absance of Aids would create major positive butterflies in Africa for a start.
I'm no expert on this-it'd be interesting to know whether any medical developments have happened by accident, as a result of trying to find a cure for Aids though.
On another note 2 of the most creative talents of recent times, Freddy Mercury and Kenny Everett would probably still be around-I wonder what they'd be doing now and how that would affect the music/radio industries respectively.
Finally, the imergence of Aids prompted some of the celebrity fund-raising events we saw a lot of in the 80's in particular. Without it, do we see a lot less of them?
 
Would the various variants of hepatitis have more prominence in the media in this case?

That honor would go to herpes, which was The Big One before being supplanted by AIDS.

Among the people who would have lived longer is Isaac Asimov (who got it from a transfusion). He'd probably have lived to 2005 or so.
 
Were you even around in the 80s? AIDS is one of the few cases where "That which does not kill me makes me stronger" was true. Serious gay activism blossomed in the 80s. Koop, who we all thought was a crank, challenged the Reagan administration in response to the AIDS crisis.

AIDS made the gay marriage movement. The gay subculture might have flourished, but AIDS made it mainstream.

But hetero-liberation may have gone a little further. I doubt there's be Purity Balls.
 
Were you even around in the 80s? AIDS is one of the few cases where "That which does not kill me makes me stronger" was true. Serious gay activism blossomed in the 80s. Koop, who we all thought was a crank, challenged the Reagan administration in response to the AIDS crisis.

AIDS made the gay marriage movement. The gay subculture might have flourished, but AIDS made it mainstream.

But hetero-liberation may have gone a little further. I doubt there's be Purity Balls.
Agreed. Koop is one of the few memorable Surgeon Generals. He was a controversial nominee for his ties to Anti-Abortion groups...but when he left, he was reviled by those groups.
 
Well, there'd be one less reason for people to dislike Reagan. Also, I agree that this will actually suppress gay visibility, and therefore gay rights, to some extent.
On another note 2 of the most creative talents of recent times, Freddy Mercury and Kenny Everett would probably still be around-I wonder what they'd be doing now and how that would affect the music/radio industries respectively.
Don't forget Klaus Nomi!
Among the people who would have lived longer is Isaac Asimov (who got it from a transfusion). He'd probably have lived to 2005 or so.
fffffffffffffffffffffffffffff that would be nice.

EDIT: Also, obviously no movies or media involving AIDS - Angels in America, Band Played On, Rent. I'm sure there are sci-fi movies and novels that I can't recall at the moment that had AIDS-like plagues or AIDS metaphors as a central feature, as well.
 
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