Kristen Davis

those bigoted activists drum up such an increasingly hostile energy in south florida which has up until then been a safe haven for gay people that cliff decides it's time for him to move to california he's always wanted to spend time in the bay area and of course san francisco has become like the mecca for gay people to escape to from all around the country so in 1979 cliff moves there and takes a job at san francisco general

those bigoted activists drum up such an increasingly hostile energy in south florida which has up until then been a safe haven for gay people that cliff decides it's time for him to move to california he's always wanted to spend time in the bay area and of course san francisco has become like the mecca for gay people to escape to from all around the country so in 1979 cliff moves there and takes a job at san francisco general

which is at the time a teaching hospital for University of California at San Francisco. So what's funny is Cliff doesn't actually take to the city right away. It's cold. It's foggy. The weather, there's not a lot of sunshine in San Francisco. So he misses the Florida sunshine.

which is at the time a teaching hospital for University of California at San Francisco. So what's funny is Cliff doesn't actually take to the city right away. It's cold. It's foggy. The weather, there's not a lot of sunshine in San Francisco. So he misses the Florida sunshine.

He's also not clicking with the gay community like so many places that can become emblematic of like a movement or a subculture. San Francisco is filled with transplants. So he feels like it's a little artificial. So he figures he'll stay for a year or two and then he's going to go try somewhere else. But all that changes in 1981.

He's also not clicking with the gay community like so many places that can become emblematic of like a movement or a subculture. San Francisco is filled with transplants. So he feels like it's a little artificial. So he figures he'll stay for a year or two and then he's going to go try somewhere else. But all that changes in 1981.

The murmurings of a strange, deadly illness that's largely affecting young gay men begin to circulate. So Cliff and his colleagues at SF General start seeing some of these patients come into their ICU. They're all suffering from the same symptoms. They've lost weight. They have fevers that last for days. They have lesions on their skin, swollen lymph nodes. Some of them are confused and delirious.

The murmurings of a strange, deadly illness that's largely affecting young gay men begin to circulate. So Cliff and his colleagues at SF General start seeing some of these patients come into their ICU. They're all suffering from the same symptoms. They've lost weight. They have fevers that last for days. They have lesions on their skin, swollen lymph nodes. Some of them are confused and delirious.

And they almost always die from this illness. The news goes from calling it a mystery illness to saying it's a new type of cancer affecting gay men because they just have no idea. By 1982, and I have told you this story. I told you the last time we talked about the AIDS crisis.

And they almost always die from this illness. The news goes from calling it a mystery illness to saying it's a new type of cancer affecting gay men because they just have no idea. By 1982, and I have told you this story. I told you the last time we talked about the AIDS crisis.

But this happening in 1981, I absolutely remember where I was sitting in the living room watching the 6 o'clock news with my mom, or if it was my mom was there. It was the 7 o'clock news. And Dave McElhatton on the Channel 2 News and the little like chyron next to him just said mystery illness. And he basically was like a mystery illnesses in San Francisco. Terrifying. Yeah. Yeah. Really strange.

But this happening in 1981, I absolutely remember where I was sitting in the living room watching the 6 o'clock news with my mom, or if it was my mom was there. It was the 7 o'clock news. And Dave McElhatton on the Channel 2 News and the little like chyron next to him just said mystery illness. And he basically was like a mystery illnesses in San Francisco. Terrifying. Yeah. Yeah. Really strange.

So by 1982, this mystery illness is given a name, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS for short. Cases are being identified throughout the country now with many, but most importantly, not all of the victims being gay men. So even the best medical experts and the most decorated doctors can't fully explain why these patients are getting sick.

So by 1982, this mystery illness is given a name, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, or AIDS for short. Cases are being identified throughout the country now with many, but most importantly, not all of the victims being gay men. So even the best medical experts and the most decorated doctors can't fully explain why these patients are getting sick.

And that uncertainty begins to fuel a widespread panic and blatant homophobia. According to the website Hospital Watchdog, they say, quote, some men suspected as gay and infected with HIV were kicked out of their apartments and fired from their jobs. In one instance, their desks were taken to a parking lot and set on fire.

And that uncertainty begins to fuel a widespread panic and blatant homophobia. According to the website Hospital Watchdog, they say, quote, some men suspected as gay and infected with HIV were kicked out of their apartments and fired from their jobs. In one instance, their desks were taken to a parking lot and set on fire.

Insurance companies were screening out gay men to deny coverage by sending out surveys asking if they worked as a florist or a hairdresser. Holy shit. Yeah. In actuality, AIDS is affecting people from all walks of life, but it's an extremely hostile time for members of the gay community. It's a hostile time anyway. Right. And then this comes along. Right.

Insurance companies were screening out gay men to deny coverage by sending out surveys asking if they worked as a florist or a hairdresser. Holy shit. Yeah. In actuality, AIDS is affecting people from all walks of life, but it's an extremely hostile time for members of the gay community. It's a hostile time anyway. Right. And then this comes along. Right.

Then it's like they almost feel justified in their homophobia. Those bigots. Yeah. Yeah. So even within the medical establishment and even in progressive cities like San Francisco, some nurses, doctors, and orderlies are reluctant or they outright refuse to treat patients with certain symptoms or if they suspect that they're gay.

Then it's like they almost feel justified in their homophobia. Those bigots. Yeah. Yeah. So even within the medical establishment and even in progressive cities like San Francisco, some nurses, doctors, and orderlies are reluctant or they outright refuse to treat patients with certain symptoms or if they suspect that they're gay.