AIDS Awareness card: Ryan White, 1993

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Title

AIDS Awareness card: Ryan White, 1993

Description

Ryan White was born in Kokomo, IN, in 1971, with the genetic blood disease hemophilia.  In 1985, he was diagnosed with AIDS after being infected through treatment with contaminated blood products.  When his condition became known, he was ostracized: he was taunted at school and then expelled, and a bullet was fired into his family’s home.  Fleeing Kokomo, the family moved to nearby Cicero, IN, where they were welcomed and Ryan attended school for the rest of his short life.  Ryan became a vocal and visible symbol of AIDS.  The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act of 1990 was named for him.  He died of AIDS in 1990.

Source

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Collection