39 million people currently live with HIV, and 40.4 million people have died since the HIV and AIDS epidemic began, according to The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. The San Diego AIDS Walk and Run commemorates those who have lost their lives to AIDS and continues to support those who are still living with the diseases, as there is no effective cure for either one.
Bishop’s Alliance of Queers and Non-Queers (BAQN, Upper School) and Everyone’s Group for Gender and Sexuality (EGGS, Middle School) participated in the AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Walk and Run San Diego for the sixth time on September 30, 2023.
San Diego’s LGBT+ Community Center hosts the AIDS Walk and Run annually. The event is San Diego’s largest AIDS and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) fundraising event. It is a way to honor those who have lost their lives to HIV and AIDS and raise money for those who are currently living with HIV and/or AIDS.
The event connects the community together. Ms. Lara Korneychuk, Performing Arts Teacher and Co-Sponsor of BAQN, reflected, “It’s important for LGBTQIA+ students at Bishop’s to have the opportunity to participate in queer cultural events and connect with a larger community where they can feel like they belong.”
For the event, members of BAQN and EGGS walked, ran, and raised $850 to support those who are living with HIV and/or AIDS, according to their Instagram.
Those who are affected by HIV and/or AIDS have been historically stigmatized. The Howard University Vernon E. Jordan Law Library recorded that, “the prevalence of the disease among gay men in the United States in the ‘80s and ‘90s resulted in a stigma against homosexuals and a general fear and misunderstanding regarding how AIDS was spread.” This was a grave misconception and tragically resulted in many deaths before HIV and AIDS were properly understood.
Part of recognizing and overturning the stigma against LGBTQIA+ identifying people in relation to HIV and AIDS is recognizing that HIV and AIDS can affect anybody. The disease can be transmitted by injecting drugs, or through any exchange of bodily fluids, according to the World Health Organization.
Dr. Leo Landrey, Co-Sponsor of BAQN and Latin Teacher, reflected that HIV and AIDS are “not something to be afraid of or to fear, and not a cause for stigma to ostracize other people and keep them at a distance.” By participating in this initiative, he said, “We want to continue to support the reduction in stigma that has occurred over time.”
Additionally, Bex Baldson (‘26), a member of BAQN, expressed that the event is “an opportunity for all of us to raise awareness, and to support organizations working to combat HIV and AIDS and its associated stigma.”
Battling this stigma is important, but understanding the presence of AIDS and HIV is as well. Dr. Landrey recognized this importance, “we do need to know it still exists and there is no cure for it. Participating in the walk helps us understand it’s something we can live with and that it is something we need to be aware of and it’s not gone.”
This is increasingly crucial when it comes to the younger generations. Because AIDS and HIV are not as present in our lives as it was in the past, “understanding of how the AIDS epidemic was weaponized against the queer community and understanding of the past oppression of queer people is really important so that similar things do not occur in the future,” Theo Cleary (‘24), a member of BAQN, noted.
Overall Bex said, “It’s an amazing thing to see all of the progress we’ve made, but it also highlights all of the progress we still have to make. AIDs can affect anyone, so it’s really beneficial for everyone to learn all they can about it.”
