Hiv and Aids in Forest Gump

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HIV/AIDS The effects of HIV and AIDS are deadly, and one of the most dangerous diseases in the world. Throughout the story line of Forrest Gump, HIV and AIDS aren’t directly said but they are heavily implied as Jenny, Forrest’s childhood friend and crush, goes through the hippie era and used various drugs and becomes very sick and dies young. Throughout the story line the director flashed between what was happening in Forrest’s and Jenny’s life. During these scenes it shows Jenny hanging out with her hippie friends and doing numerous amounts of drugs and even at some points it shows Jenny using dirty needles, which are most commonly associated with the contraction of HIV and AIDS. These scenes accurately line up with the events that occurred at home while soldiers were away fighting the war in Vietnam. The details shown in the movie from the drugs, to the sex, to the care free life style, and everything in between that took place were very accurate during this period of time. Some of the major players of the HIV and AIDS epidemic were groups such as the hippies and children of the baby boom, the birth explosion after soldiers returned after WW2, which spread the diseases around. These groups of people’s views on drug use, sexuality, exploration of altered mental states, and lack of responsibilities all contributed to the spread of these diseases. While using drugs with dirty needles, some people contracted these diseases and spread them through use of dirty needles with other people and unprotected sex. Most of the major events that took place in the 60’s such as anti-war rallies, the Human Be-In event that took place in San Francisco, The Summer of Love event that took place in San Francisco, and many others just like it contributed to the boom of HIV and AIDS. These events were part of a much larger movement deemed the “hippie” era. These rallies were

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