From Fear to Solidarity: The Early Days of HIV
When Rent premiered in the early 1990s, the world was still grappling with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Drawn from the experiences of people in New York living with or lost to the virus, the musical reflected the fear, grief and urgency of a time when effective treatment was scarce and often difficult to endure.
Yet Rent is about more than illness and loss. It is about community. It celebrates solidarity, connection and chosen family, values that remain central to the HIV response today.
Transforming the HIV Story
In NSW and across Australia, progress since those early years has been remarkable. Decades of activism, research, public health leadership and community action led by LGBTQ+ people, sex workers and people who use drugs have transformed what it means to live with HIV.
Modern antiretroviral treatments now allow people with HIV to live long, healthy lives. Daily medication can reduce the virus to undetectable levels in the blood, and when it is undetectable it cannot be passed on. This principle, known as U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable), has reshaped both science and stigma.
Rates of new HIV diagnoses in NSW continue to decline, especially among gay and bisexual men, the group most affected. This success is the result of multiple strategies working together: PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), condoms, regular testing, early treatment, and community-driven education and support.
ACON’s Ongoing Commitment to Equity and Health
ACON has been part of this story since 1985. For four decades, the organisation has supported people living with HIV, delivered peer education, and developed campaigns grounded in lived experience. Its programs, from social support groups to targeted workshops, continue to provide people with knowledge, care and connection.
But challenges remain. Some communities, including overseas-born gay and bisexual men, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, trans people, and those diagnosed late, still face barriers to prevention, testing and treatment. Stigma, racism, a lack of culturally safe services and transphobia all contribute to inequity.
Since Rent first appeared on stage, there has also been significant progress in trans health and rights in NSW. Greater visibility and improved access to gender-affirming care are important steps forward, though gaps in healthcare and ongoing discrimination remain. ACON continues to advocate for equality, respect and inclusion in every part of the health system.
Ending HIV transmission in NSW is now a realistic goal, but it will only be achieved if the work is shared. That means regular testing, wider access to PrEP and treatment, better mental health support, and a commitment to eliminating stigma and discrimination.
Stay Connected and Informed
As audiences leave the theatre, they can reflect on how the spirit of Rent lives on in the community-led work that continues to shape a future built on dignity, justice and health for all. You can help keep that legacy alive by staying connected to ACON.
Sign up to ACON’s newsletter for the latest updates on HIV prevention, LGBTQ health, and community initiatives. Follow ACON on Facebook and Instagram to stay part of the conversation, and explore the ‘5 Things You Should Know’ for key takeaways from the ACON 40 Festival on community, equity, and health.
You can also learn more by visiting acon.org.au or endinghiv.org.au.
