Hi Friends!

December 1st is World AIDS Day, so in honor of all the people we have lost to HIV/AIDs, we decided this week we would talk about the movie Rent! We discussed the way this movie represented the AIDs crisis in the late 80s and early 90s, as well as it's depictions of queerness in general. We talked about the portrayal of loss and grief, as well as the choice to end this movie on a hopeful message. We also discussed the way the historical context made the movie even more emotionally resonant.

Please also be warned that due to the content of this movie, we have some very serious discussions about the impact of HIV/AIDs on the queer community, including the homophobia that led to delays in care and unnecessary deaths from the disease. There are also minor discussions about drug use. Additionally, while we understand the differe ...