The release of Russell T. Davies’ AIDS-themed drama It’s a Sin in the United Kingdom has prompted a review of government actions to address the epidemic at the time it swept the world. Enduring renewed criticism: former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who, her colleagues now claim, didn’t want to educate the public about the link between AIDS and sexual behavior.
The BBC now reports that Lord Fowler, who served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Services from 1981-1987–the height of the AIDS epidemic–says that Thatcher didn’t want to concern herself with the disease, and had severe reservations when it came to warning the public. Thatcher had objected to a packet mailed to British households warning about how HIV could be contracted through sex.
Related: Margaret Thatcher Dead At 87
“Her concern was – it’s always seemed to me a bit odd – that we were teaching people,” Lord Fowler said, “telling people things about which they didn’t know – the implication being that, once they knew it, then they would go out and experiment. Well, as this was exactly the opposite of our message, it did seem to me curious.”
Fowler also said that Thatcher initially used her clout as Prime Minister to block public discussion of the virus, and its association with the gay population. Fowler and his cohorts eventually went around Thatcher, opting to educate the public anyway. He also resisted calls to focus the nation’s anti-AIDS campaign on a “moral” stance that encouraged LGBTQ people to change their sexual orientations.
“You could always say we should have started earlier,” Lord Fowler remarked, “but I think we started at more or less the right time, because it was about the time when public concern was growing. We got it at that time and then we hammered it home.”
In the same interview, Fowler also referred to It’s a Sin as “extraordinarily moving.”
Both Margret Thatcher and the government of the United Kingdom continue to endure criticism for its handling of the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. The government took no broad action on the disease until 1987 when it launched its “AIDS: Don’t Die of Ignorance” campaign aimed at educating the public about the risks of the virus. That same year, Diana, Princess of Wales caused something of a royal scandal by opening an AIDS ward at a British hospital, and shaking the hand of a patient infected with HIV while not wearing gloves.
nitejonboy
May she burn in hell. I lost so much respect for Meryl Streep seeing her play Thatcher and act like she actually had respect for that fuking tyrant. She was a female Ronald Reagan if not worse. I hope she’s getting what she had coming to her. She should be forced to stoke the fires of hell like the miners she put out of business.
kevininbuffalo
You said everything I wanted to say. She was an evil bitch.
dougie
Couldn’t have been said better.
cuteguy
It just shows how remarkable Princess Diana was and how much compassion she truly had. Margaret Thatcher was a biggot and a homophobe and only has a legacy bc of her gender.
Kangol2
A legacy because of gender and because she slashed and burned the British government. She iconic for right-wing market-fixated fanatics, but if you look at her record when it comes to its effect on the vast majority of Britons, it’s anything but admirable. The same is true of Ronald Reagan for the vast majority of Americans during his tenure.
Fahd
You mean Margaret Thatcher was even more of a backwards, political version of the church lady than some people thought? Not surprised. Well, thank goodness the Brits now have Johnson (sarcasm).
Musk
Diana, Princess of Wales caused something of a royal scandal by opening an AIDS ward at a British hospital, and shaking the hand of a patient infected with HIV while not wearing gloves.
No gloves? How gauche!
LumpyPillows
Another powerful woman I want to cheer on, but can’t. Her policies were misguided conservatism at best, and dangerous at the worst.
Jake123
I saw Joy Behar say Thatcher was an example of girl power. I was like you really don’t have a clue. Thatcher was the antithesis of girl power.
iltman
One more reason to loathe the women, the harm she did during her reign did untold damage to the lives of millions of people.
Jim
She like Reagan. She would have loved Trump
Cam
She was tight with Reagan, no surprise she was happy to watch LGBTQ people die.
The big sky
Many of us used to think we would never have someone as bad as Thatcher and her cronies. It was a time of greed and inequality. Sadly we were wrong. The vile “sharn” bags we have now are even worse. Some have brought about the death of thousands, the vulnerable have been victimized, and multi million pound contracts been handed out to their family and friends who quite often produce covid related goods that can not be used as they are shoddy rip offs. Hopefully Scotland, that has not voted a conservative government for over 70 years, can break away from the Westminster and be an independent country that takes care of all it people. Boris may seem like a glove puppet Trump but he’s a real danger to millions.