Introduction
This essay explores the conceptual foundation and creative process behind my manifesto poster, We Are Not Risk Groups, which argues that public health should prioritise behaviour over identity in framing health crises. Drawing on the historical stigmatisation of queer communities during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and my personal experiences as a Chinese American during the COVID-19 pandemic, the poster challenges the harmful tendency to equate social identities with infection. This work connects directly to key themes from my studies in LGBT history, particularly the framing of HIV/AIDS as a “gay disease” and the resultant social and political consequences. Additionally, I reflect on the design choices inspired by activist movements like ACT UP, aiming to replicate their urgency and clarity through visual activism. The essay will first discuss the historical context of identity-based stigma in public health, then examine personal reflections on racialised blame during COVID-19, and finally analyse the design and intent behind the poster’s format and messaging. Through this analysis, I aim to demonstrate how public health narratives can perpetuate harm when tied to identity rather than behaviour, and how visual activism can offer a powerful critique of such narratives.
Historical Context: HIV/AIDS and the Stigmatisation of Queer Communities
The history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 1990s provides a stark example of how public health crises can become entwined with social identities, often to devastating effect. Early in the epidemic, HIV/AIDS was labelled as a “gay disease,” a term that reflected not only medical misunderstanding but also deep-seated societal prejudices against queer communities. This framing was evident in media portrayals and political rhetoric, which often depicted gay men as inherently dangerous or immoral (Weeks, 1991). Such stigmatisation had profound consequences, delaying effective public health responses and exacerbating the marginalisation of already vulnerable groups. As Watney (1987) argues, the moral panic surrounding AIDS was less about the virus itself and more about pre-existing biases that cast queer individuals as threats to societal norms. This historical case illustrates a critical failure in public health policy: by focusing on identity rather than specific risk behaviours, such as unprotected sex or needle sharing, authorities reinforced stigma rather than addressing the actual mechanisms of transmission.
Moreover, the social damage inflicted during this period was not merely a byproduct of ignorance but a reflection of political choices. Governments, particularly in the UK and US, were slow to act, often citing limited budgets or public disinterest while implicitly endorsing the view that AIDS was a self-inflicted condition tied to certain “lifestyles” (Berridge, 1996). This perspective ignored the structural inequalities—such as lack of access to healthcare or information—that placed certain groups at higher risk, instead blaming individuals based on their identities. Learning about this history in the course prompted me to consider how public health narratives can perpetuate harm long after medical understanding evolves. Even today, stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS persists, demonstrating that social attitudes often outlast policy changes (Parker and Aggleton, 2003). This enduring impact underpins my manifesto’s core message: identity is not infection.
Personal Reflection: Racialisation of COVID-19 and Asian Identity
As a Chinese American, my personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic further shaped the themes of my manifesto poster. From the pandemic’s outset, the virus was racialised in public discourse, with terms like “Chinese virus” gaining traction in some political and media circles. This rhetoric, often echoed by high-profile figures, fostered a climate of xenophobia and racism against Asian communities globally (Human Rights Watch, 2020). In the UK, reports documented a significant rise in hate crimes targeting people of Asian descent, driven by unfounded associations between ethnicity and disease (Home Office, 2021). For me, this experience was a poignant reminder of how quickly fear can translate into blame, with entire communities scapegoated for a health crisis beyond any individual’s control.
This personal connection to racialised stigma parallels the historical treatment of queer communities during the HIV/AIDS crisis. In both cases, public health narratives were co-opted to reinforce existing prejudices, transforming medical issues into tools of social exclusion. Reflecting on my own encounters with discrimination—whether through hostile looks or derogatory remarks—I began to see the broader implications of such framing. The harm caused by health crises is not solely medical; it is also profoundly social and political, often outlasting the crisis itself. This realisation is central to my manifesto’s repeated assertion that stigma can endure even when policies or scientific understanding improve. By drawing on both historical and personal contexts, I aimed to highlight the universal danger of linking identity with infection, advocating instead for a focus on behaviour as the basis for public health messaging.
Design and Intent: Visual Activism in the Manifesto Poster
The decision to create a manifesto poster, rather than a traditional essay or poem, was deliberate, inspired by the visual activism of groups like ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power). Formed in the late 1980s, ACT UP used bold, urgent imagery to demand attention when institutions ignored the AIDS crisis (Crimp and Rolston, 1990). Their posters often featured stark colour schemes, large text, and direct slogans to communicate complex messages quickly and accessibly. My design for We Are Not Risk Groups mirrors this approach, employing a simple colour palette and short, declarative phrases to evoke a sense of immediacy. Phrases like “You called our blood dirty” serve as accusations of historical harm, while “In our world” shifts toward a vision of justice, reflecting a narrative arc from past wrongs to future possibilities.
Furthermore, the use of repetition, such as “No more,” was intentional, drawing on the rhetorical strategies of manifestos to build collective momentum. This technique mirrors the rhythm and directness often found in protest chants or activist slogans, fostering a sense of shared purpose (Shepard and Hayduk, 2002). I also designed the poster to resemble public health messaging formats, such as government-issued warnings or campaign posters, to critique the very mediums that historically reinforced stigma. For instance, during the HIV/AIDS crisis, public health posters often used fear-based imagery that further marginalised affected groups rather than educating about risk behaviours (Berridge, 1996). By subverting this format, my poster challenges viewers to reconsider the narratives embedded in such messaging, aligning with ACT UP’s ethos of reclaiming visual spaces for advocacy.
The structure of the poster, moving from accusation to vision, also reflects a broader goal of reimagining public health discourse. While acknowledging past harms, it ultimately calls for a future where identity is decoupled from infection—a vision grounded in both historical lessons and personal experience. Admittedly, the simplicity of the design limits the depth of analysis possible in a longer written format. However, this constraint is also its strength, as visual activism prioritises accessibility and emotional impact over exhaustive detail, a choice particularly relevant when addressing urgent social issues (Crimp and Rolston, 1990).
Conclusion
In conclusion, my manifesto poster, We Are Not Risk Groups, synthesises historical lessons from the HIV/AIDS epidemic with personal reflections on the racialisation of COVID-19 to argue that public health must focus on behaviour rather than identity. The historical stigmatisation of queer communities as “risk groups” reveals how identity-based narratives can delay effective responses and perpetuate social harm, a pattern echoed in the xenophobia faced by Asian communities during the recent pandemic. Inspired by ACT UP’s visual activism, the poster’s design employs bold text, repetition, and a public health messaging aesthetic to critique harmful narratives and envision a more equitable future. While limited in analytical depth compared to traditional academic formats, the poster’s strength lies in its urgency and accessibility, aligning with the activist ethos of prioritising impact over complexity. Ultimately, this work underscores the enduring social and political dimensions of health crises, advocating for a public health discourse that resists stigma and prioritises justice. The broader implication is clear: challenging identity-based blame is not merely a historical lesson but a pressing necessity for addressing contemporary and future health challenges.
References
- Berridge, V. (1996) AIDS in the UK: The Making of Policy, 1981-1994. Oxford University Press.
- Crimp, D. and Rolston, A. (1990) AIDS Demo Graphics. Bay Press.
- Home Office (2021) Hate Crime, England and Wales, 2020 to 2021. UK Government.
- Human Rights Watch (2020) Covid-19 Fueling Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia Worldwide. Human Rights Watch.
- Parker, R. and Aggleton, P. (2003) HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination: A conceptual framework and implications for action. Social Science & Medicine, 57(1), pp. 13-24.
- Shepard, B. and Hayduk, R. (2002) From ACT UP to the WTO: Urban Protest and Community Building in the Era of Globalization. Verso.
- Watney, S. (1987) Policing Desire: Pornography, AIDS and the Media. Methuen.
- Weeks, J. (1991) Against Nature: Essays on History, Sexuality and Identity. Rivers Oram Press.
