The Meaning of a Ribbon
This blog is not about me. It's about my passion for AIDS awareness. That's why the AIDS ribbon appears as my avatar, not my headshot.
I'd like to chat a bit about the symbolic meaning of ribbons today.
In the past few years there has been an explosion of ribbon displays. It seems there is a ribbon for every cause. I do not know the origin of the general ribbon idea itself, as the yellow ribbon has been a symbol of support for U.S. troops at war for decades.
I do know, however, how the AIDS ribbon came about.
The ribbon was conceived in 1991 by a painter named Frank Moore and was quickly adopted by the Visual AIDS Artists Caucus, an organization made up of artists and art professionals.
But it was the entertainment industry that fueled the fire of activism and got the word out about AIDS awareness. The entertainment industry was hit hard at the beginning of the epidemic and lost many talented people to the disease, and the ribbon first started popping up on lapels of actors at the Emmy and Tony awards.
I think we all remember or know of Ryan White, a young boy who acquired HIV (and eventually died of AIDS) after a blood transfusion in the 1980s. He was ostracized by his community but embraced by the entertainment industry, which publicly supported him. Elton John sang at his memorial service.
Much has changed in 27 years in terms of medications and treatments for HIV/AIDS. AIDS is no longer a death sentence.
But do we still wear ribbons? I know I do. I work with HIV/AIDS patients daily, support local AIDS charities, and continue to educate and provide outreach in the community.
I don't want the ribbon to be just a "symbolic" concern. I want it to be a symbol of actively working towards a cure and a symbol of what it means to support those who are affected by the disease and to fight against stigma and prejudice.