1982

May 11 – In an article titled “New Homosexual Disorder Worries Health Officials,” the New York Times first publishes the phrase Gay-Related Immune Deficiency, or GRID, contributing to the widespread misconception that AIDS only affects gay men.

September 24 – The CDC uses the term “AIDS” for the first time. It defines Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome as “A disease at least moderately predictive of a defect in cell-mediated immunity, occurring in a person with no known cause for diminished resistance to that disease.”

1983

January 1 – Ward 86, the world’s first dedicated outpatient clinic for people with AIDS, opens at San Francisco General Hospital. The clinic develops the San Francisco Model of Care, a holistic approach that focuses not only on medical care but also on making patients comfortable, providing them with resources they need to deal with the many challenges of living with AIDS, and allowing patients facing severe social stigma to live, and in many cases die, with dignity. This compassionate model is adopted by medical professionals around the world and sets the standard for excellence in treating HIV-AIDS patients.

January 7 – The CDC reports the first cases of AIDS in women.

March 4 – The CDC publishes an article saying that AIDS is most prevalent “among gay men with multiple sexual partners, people who inject drugs, Haitians, and people with hemophilia.” It suggests that sexual contact and exposure to blood and blood products are the most likely vectors for the disease.

May 20 – Dr. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and her colleagues at France’s Pasteur Institute report their discovery of a retrovirus believed to be the cause of AIDS. She and a colleague eventually receive the Nobel Prize for their work.

May 25 – The New York Times publishes its first front-page article on AIDS.

June 12 – At the National AIDS Forum in Denver, 11 gay men with AIDS take over the stage. They issue a statement laying out what becomes known as the Denver Principles, asserting the rights of people with AIDS to be protected from discrimination, to have their voices heard by organizations making decisions about AIDS research and treatment, and to respect and dignity. They also demand that the phrase “AIDS victims” be replaced by “people with AIDS.”

September 9 – The CDC rules out the possibility of transmission by casual contact, air, water, food, or environmental services, but misconceptions about the ways AIDS can be spread lingers for years.

November 22 – The World Health Organization convenes its first meeting on AIDS and begins formal surveillance of the illness.