Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

12-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.A.

Department

Women's and Gender Studies

Degree Program

Women's and Gender Studies, MA

Committee Chair

Story, Kaila

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Harbolt, Tami

Committee Member

Harbolt, Tami

Committee Member

Ashlock, Mary

Author's Keywords

homophobia; newspaper; reporting; medical racism; public health; HIV/AIDS

Abstract

This is thesis examines the way that printed news sources reported on AIDS during the height of the epidemic in Louisville, Kentucky. It compares between mainstream and grass-roots sources to work to identify shortcomings in reporting, and how reporting on a public health crisis can be improved upon in the future. It uses an intersectional framework to deconstruct why certain news sources reported on specific demographics of the population, across racialized and gendered lines. Chapter One analyzes the epidemic and then contextualizes the language that was used. Chapter Two focuses on mainstream local newspapers, while also defining demographics of AIDS patients. Chapter Three details the reporting of student newspapers, deconstructing the role of religious homophobia within AIDS reporting. Chapter Four focuses on a grass-roots queer newsletter and how it catered towards Louisville’s gay community. Chapter Five summarizes the shortcomings among sources and suggests ways to improve public health reporting.

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