Editor's Letter: Latinx Community — We Still Need to Talk About HIV
Dear Plus reader,As a Latina born and raised in East L.A. (yes, just like the movie), I am very proud to present Plus magazine’s annual Latinx issue — in both English and Español.
HIV has disproportionately affected our community since the epidemic’s beginnings in the early 1980s. Back then, as a young child, I remember seeing news stories pop up here and there about the “new gay cancer,” or GRID (Gay-Related Immune Deficiency), as it was first called.
I recall my mother expressing anguish over Rock Hudson’s death due HIV-related complications. He apparently was her childhood crush.Still, HIV and AIDS felt distant from me and didn’t strike me as anything I personally needed to worry about as a 10-year-old girl.
But I was wrong. About three years later, my siblings and I were dealt a devasting blow. We lost our most beloved tío (uncle) to the virus, which at that time still had no viable treatment options.The most heartbreaking part was the fact that he refused to let anyone see him at the end.
