To combat Aids we must fight even harder for LGBT rights

The LGBT community will never forget that the force which enabled Aids to become a global catastrophe was not immunological; it was fear and apathy.

- By ELTON JOHN DAVID FURNISH

At a time when homosexuality almost universally brought stigma and shame, it was convenient for governments and society to blame the victims and walk away. Even as HIV spread beyond the LGBT community - to heterosexual men, women and children - and as fear gripped the rest of the world, many leaders doubled down. The message was clear: HIV infection and the horrors that came with it were a punishment.

The LGBT community and its public health allies fought back, securing clinical trials of landmark treatments, funding for lifesaving services and, ultimately, the chance to live a full and healthy life. It is a legacy of solidarity and science that saves millions of lives each year around the world, including countless babies; however, its future is fragile and susceptible to resurgence. In the continued push to end Aids, there is serious concern that LGBT people and other marginalised groups will be left behind.