About the book
In the 1980s, as HIV/AIDS ravaged queer communities and communities of color in the United States and beyond, a straight white teenager named Ryan White emerged as the face of the epidemic. Diagnosed with hemophilia at birth, Ryan contracted HIV through contaminated blood products. In 1985, he became a household name after he was barred from attending his Indiana middle school. As Ryan appeared on nightly news broadcasts and graced the covers of popular magazines, he was embraced by music icons and well-known athletes, achieving a curious kind of stardom. Analyzing his struggle and celebrity, Paul M. Renfro’s powerful biography grapples with the contested meanings of Ryan’s life, death, and afterlives.
As Renfro argues, Ryan’s fight to attend school forced the American public to reckon with prevailing misconceptions about the AIDS epidemic. Yet his story also reinforced the hierarchies at the heart of the AIDS crisis. Because the “innocent” Ryan had contracted HIV “through no fault of his own,” as many put it, his story was sometimes used to blame presumably “guilty” populations for spreading the virus. Reexamining Ryan’s story through this lens, Renfro reveals how the consequences of this stigma continue to pervade policy and cultural understandings of HIV/AIDS today.
Editions of The Life and Death of Ryan White
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469680842
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469680859
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469680866
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469680880
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469680897
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469680873
Read an Excerpt
In the 1980s, as HIV/AIDS ravaged queer communities and communities of color in the United States and beyond, a straight white teenager named Ryan White emerged as the face of the epidemic. Diagnosed with hemophilia at birth, Ryan contracted HIV through contaminated blood products. In 1985, he became a household name after he was barred from attending his Indiana middle school. As Ryan appeared on nightly news broadcasts and graced the covers of popular magazines, he was embraced by music icons and well-known athletes, achieving a curious kind of stardom. Analyzing his struggle and celebrity, Paul M. Renfro’s powerful biography grapples with the contested meanings of Ryan’s life, death, and afterlives.
As Renfro argues, Ryan’s fight to attend school forced the American public to reckon with prevailing misconceptions about the AIDS epidemic. Yet his story also reinforced the hierarchies at the heart of the AIDS crisis. Because the “innocent” Ryan had contracted HIV “through no fault of his own,” as many put it, his story was sometimes used to blame presumably “guilty” populations for spreading the virus. Reexamining Ryan’s story through this lens, Renfro reveals how the consequences of this stigma continue to pervade policy and cultural understandings of HIV/AIDS today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Life and Death of Ryan White about?
In the 1980s, as HIV/AIDS ravaged queer communities and communities of color in the United States and beyond, a straight white teenager named Ryan White emerged as the face of the epidemic. Diagnosed with hemophilia at birth, Ryan contracted HIV through contaminated blood products. In 1985, he became a household name after he was barred from attending his Indiana middle school. As Ryan appeared on nightly news broadcasts and graced the covers of popular magazines, he was embraced by music icons and well-known athletes, achieving a curious kind of stardom. Analyzing his struggle and celebrity, Paul M. Renfro’s powerful biography grapples with the contested meanings of Ryan’s life, death, and afterlives.
As Renfro argues, Ryan’s fight to attend school forced the American public to reckon with prevailing misconceptions about the AIDS epidemic. Yet his story also reinforced the hierarchies at the heart of the AIDS crisis. Because the “innocent” Ryan had contracted HIV “through no fault of his own,” as many put it, his story was sometimes used to blame presumably “guilty” populations for spreading the virus. Reexamining Ryan’s story through this lens, Renfro reveals how the consequences of this stigma continue to pervade policy and cultural understandings of HIV/AIDS today.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Life and Death of Ryan White?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Biography: general > Biography: science, technology and medicine
Where can I read a sample of The Life and Death of Ryan White?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469680842
How long is The Life and Death of Ryan White and how many pages does it have?
The Life and Death of Ryan White has 216 page(s)
Is The Life and Death of Ryan White part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Gender and American Culture
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Life and Death of Ryan White?
Paul M. Renfro
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Life and Death of Ryan White is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469680842) and paperback(ISBN 9781469680859) and ebook(ISBN 9781469680866) and ebook(ISBN 9781469680880) and ebook(ISBN 9781469680897) and pdf(ISBN 9781469680873)
Where can I buy The Life and Death of Ryan White online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy The Life and Death of Ryan White from below
Where can I buy The Life and Death of Ryan White?