UUFSMA: AIDS: The Disease That Changed the World.”

UU Service: AIDS: The Disease That Changed the World.”

Rev. Tom Rosiello

Sunday, Dec. 8, 10:30 a.m.

Hotel La Aldea

by Jon Sievert

At this Sunday’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship service, the Rev. Tom Rosiello examines the enormous impact the disease of AIDS has had on the world, particularly the LGBTQ community, since first diagnosed in 1981. Rev. Rosiello will share his experience as a gay man just coming out as the crisis struck and examine the equality, worth, and dignity of every LGBTQ person.

Many mark the beginning of the LGBTQ movement towards equality with the 1969 revolt at The Stonewall Inn in New York City. From that point forward, the gay equality and gay pride movements began to take shape and spread to cities across the US. But most of America’s LGBTQ folks remained closeted.

Attitudes started to change in the 1970s, and LGBTQ folks began to move a bit out of the shadows and find self-acceptance and community. Then something horrifying began to happen. Young gay men started getting sick and dying for no apparent reason. The illness had no name and no real treatment. As the world began to see the correlation between this disease and the population of gay men affected by it, right wing religious conservatives claimed it to be a punishment from God, and political leaders ignored the illness that seemed to only affect an outcast community.

Since that first diagnosis, thirty-eight years have passed and millions of men, woman, and children have died. Entire communities have been devastated. Research and treatment have been challenged by homophobia, racism, and negative attitudes towards other classes of victims. There have been great medical strides made in prevention and treatment, but the infection is still spreading. AIDS has challenged our love and caused many to abandon hope. But it also brought the issue of LGBTQ rights to center stage, which are again being threatened.

Rev. Rosiello will share the journey of AIDS, beginning with its devastating effect on gay men in the 1980’s and moving to its impact on other communities today. We will look at how it has changed the LGBTQ community, remember those we lost to the disease, and celebrate the lives of those living well with the disease. Together we will affirm hope for the future.

For more information about the UUFSMA, including our Sunday morning Children’s Religious Education program, Social Action outreach, weekly discussion groups, social activities, and Care Team, join us any Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at the Hotel La Aldea or check out our website at uufsma.org.

Our fellowship was born in 1987 when a small group of expatriate religious liberals came together to meet as Unitarian Universalists in San Miguel de Allende. The fellowship has been active and thriving ever since. Every UU church has it’s own flavor, and we are no exception. We are a combination of expats and visitors, each actively engaged and contributing to this wonderful Mexican community we love. Because there is a coming, going, and returning aspect, our spiritual community is extremely fluid.  There is a magic in San Miguel which draws us in and binds us together—both as members of the church and of the larger community. Our programming is led by visiting ministers, community leaders, and church members, so the variety is lively. We have opportunities to meet as UU’s each week at discussion groups, breakfasts, luncheons, and in various other ways. Depending on the season, attendance fluctuates between 40 and 140. Our primary focus is on funding social action within the surrounding community. We love good music, good discussion, good food, and having visitors. We invite you to join us any Sunday morning.

Members regularly post updates and information on this site. We also post meeting minutes and announcements there.

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https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/UUFSMA/info

Click on “membership”and follow the directions.

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