ae Cs a sf PATNR heey ry 3 cc7.0 f E ebay wa LANGUAGE, AND PVPS ey 577) Reno ma MAVey Se BSS [earsi a 4 i i On Writing AIDS: Iniroductis Suzanne Poirier ‘Tur av before my annoal sumer tip home to rural Nebraska, 1 ot tended astet fair the heart of Chicago's guy neihboeod. Same-sex and mixed-sex couples an groups ied along the sect, buying beer and brat from the bars and retavants et up alang the curbalde, brow ingamengbethe of erate and rinkes, watching the aes atthe ducking ‘hairandthe gy square-dance group that insted you fortweny-ve cet to "two-step wih aconbos.” Many booths were selling toms or collating ‘iney for various AIDS organizations and services in Chicago. I bought se ACTUP Tesh that thee into my sitase before heading oat om, the next morning ‘Ab drove across tho Miscou River into Nebroska tha afternoon, the local adioneys broadeastastory about a woman dignosed with AIDS, as ‘securrence sill uncommon eacugh in August 1991 t be newsworthy ix thar part ofthe world By the time eacod the url southwerer corner ‘ofthe state, local media eared no news ofthe epidemic atl. Nebraska hasnt heen untouched by AIDS, evn though the number of eases hasnt yet reached tree hundred. But however small the numbers may seem be= Side hove for New York, Califia, or Minos, they are stil significant Figues for affected families and rere ‘What suck me more, though, wes the solute silence surounding AIDS that continued tn exist nthe coazerative locale more than 8 d= ‘ade into the epidemic. Bat why should Ie suprised? Silence, T have ben remindedby nearly every etsy inthis collection sada, fen2. SUZANNE POIRIER reatening barero break, even inthe mot “liberated” settings. The ‘tide and open expressions of jy or desie that many gay men have x preaed since Stonewall are ill relatively ew freedoms. Silence i il ‘aeflly guaréed by gay men and lesbians in some communities, idly ‘naintained by heterosexaal men ad women in others. Phillip Bran Harper "Eloquence and Epitaph Black Nationlims and the Hote phic Impulse in Responses othe Denth of Max Robinson”) for extn ple, writing here abost the dem of African-American newscaster Max Robinson, argues that “a general silence [exists] regarding the effets of ‘he epidemic among the Afean-Armeresn population,” with ts “intr- section of discursive contents that donot allo forthe expression of Back tale homosexuality in any recognizable form.” Peter M. Bowen (“AIDS 101") wits that the notion of AIDS presents sucha “thea othe imag ination aswell as tothe bodes ofhissxdentsthateven ina composition ‘course whereall reading, wing and discussions centeron AIDS andthe epidemic, “eden abilities to ghetioie the eu of gey sox. -intow paricalcly unimaginable coror of the imagination demonstiates to ‘what extent thi epidomic «could lbs be simply to real fer words.” ‘And Sender L, Gila ("Plague in Germany, 19391989: Cultural Images ‘of Rac, Spare, und Disease” writes of istry and culture as silencer, Dense German's Nea post eros tromendous barter am open de ‘ours about AIDS. “The woeabulry of diference employed in 1989 ean- rot abandon the imagery of 1959," Gilman aay, ideaiffing a vocabulary that links sexual difeence with danger and disease and that seks to Blame identifably diferent groups as threats to national (., Aryan) health "The continued silence about ad resistance ta homoerotic are oft exacerbated by AIDS-—as isthe noed to beak that silence. Timothy F. Murphy (“Testimony”) nots the progross in swarness and circumstance that has moved gay Literature “beyond the coming-out sais « «-w ad- sess thoalsf cedinary human fe,” creating strate that explores “relationships ad familia.” With agi ron though this progress a bem achieved jue in time to have to dicts relationships and fies vein the new resltes of HIV-related ilinsees and death. Gay hese ‘most immeditlyeturstos confrontation witha public mythology ail ‘commited tothe bei that homosexuality = less ~ death. Thus this sill nevly slF-conscious (hough hardly new itrature foes an incre ible challenge. In this vein, Pula A. Teicher “AIDS Narratives on Tle- vision: Whose Stor?") debstes the costs of presenting uncomlotly conventional” characters without to much fanfare in «prime-time tle (On Wing AIDS: Inkoducton 3 ‘sion relationship” against sho gains achieved in “inanipltig tlie ‘ons} one comentional elements to enable formerly uneympatetic ‘viewers identify with Persons With AIDS (PWA. Many ofthe com torso this collection would say that taday’s wets about AIDS are faced more with new responsiiles than challenges. According to lokin Mt Gury (And Once T Hed Te All AIDS Nerasives and Memories of a American Dream”, "ts the linkings of sex = disease, homosetality disease, promiscuity = disese, and, rally, homesetslity — prom tity = disoase, that enchain people with AIDS and, by asoriation ry men," and he praises recent writing that abares images of pasty se wages instead a "more vital wat tal counters the vita mentality of many AIDS namatives” Writing AIDS is an examinetion of how those equations ate being {ected rewrite ns healing way in today wrtng abut the epidemic in the literary presses, obituary columns, an even lesan compos ‘ions. These autre areneary unanimous inter esetion that AIDS has iemediably changed the wa that gy Iterature can be ether writen or ‘ad, whatever the reader awrite felings about the epidemic ort thomeerotic. Their opinions about how gay trature shouldbe wen read, however, vary widels Joseph Cad for example has charctereed AIDS literatures “immersive” ocounterimmersive”hovgh some wit ing contsins elements of both, looking a the direct and explicit mays through which writes present AIDS and the experiences of PWAs, Using sal Monette’ poetic and autobigraphial works ata model, he paises immersive writing fr its “willingness dey the dominant cue dicey snd flly nd its ftfulness tothe emotional and acid anguish of people affected by AIDS, especially tothe catastrophic texture of gay men’ expe Fence under the doable denial directed at them daring th tsi” and he iii writers of the eounterimmerivestle, among them Andrew Ha lesan, because he fels tat their work “exempts ance fom too close a conta’ with the horrors of AIDS and makes po compelling de ‘mands onthe denying reader." Along these same lines, Etily Apter (Fantom Images: Heevé Guibert abd the Wilting of sein Fonte”) ee Pins that Hervé Guiber, despite heavy extism rom hie ends, wrote about Michael FoucaltS death from "sida" (he French sronyan for AIDS) in Lam qui ne ms pos sae awe because “Guibert claim tht (o violate the secret fn his words an ‘arouse crime) was his inentble fate” By contrast, James W. Jones (Refusing the Names The Abswnce of AIDS in Recent American Gay Male Fiction” argues that becase "he4 SUZANNE POIRIER ‘sine AUDS evokes certain images that cieutscribe the ability to tan scend the limits they impose,” he word tell can make it impossible to ‘sommanieate the human tragedy of AIDS toa denying, uncomerabies se hostile audience. Refusing to ame the syndrome na aly allows ares “0 paticularize ae universal” gay lore and joy aswell ax sullen snd aie, but disallons any eredence to “eforts to marginale gop Jones offers Andrew Holleran and Robert Fer as modes af thie desrnce ‘snd concludes, "Not by ignoring its presence but by eefsig the dein, ions American culture has Toded into AIDS these ition ls radelly alter te portal of gays in American fetion generally” Lae Elina (The Mirorandthe Tks AIDS, Sbjoctivity snd the Rhetoric of et. ‘sm by contest, ges us o be cautions o all dualistic, oppositional {efintons, esegois, or judgnems of AIDS literature, sing mich ae belng as creating divisions rather than unity or even clarity “The pnt bo wntes, “iso focus onthe lege and inpleations of some of te tenia ‘through which an 'AIDS activist identity» «is beng formed formed, be sure bth for and by, but also, I hin, insignificant maye atthe expense of ay men.” ‘Whatever their positions, never, these writers maintain that she sttngth ofthe iterate they champion len italy ell pp tristence respect, and foe, an szertion tat isa centoal theme otic essoyin Writing IDS. Using Dante's ljemna ase prottype, lates Miley (Dante on Fite Island: Reinvening Heaven in the ATDS Elegy" de seoibes an AIDS “elegy” that is “a kindof poetic therapy He nee har in roatng “a even tha vibrates inthe tem, tha ses hopin te ide of deepening pai, fa writer mast do ore than adress te ching ‘ed ofthe body he a she should alsa “emparaise the mind? Dane pat it with the fantastic pospot of transcendence.” And Riched Del arora“ Aporalyptic Utterance in Edmund Whites ‘An Orale™) eae 'o focus his analysis of Edmund White's sort sry “An Oracle” on lac, «tees Derid’s“alrmatie project of deconsnition,” the oar vos ‘nlitertur, atone capable of “opening upon the prosiiltes cf perce, al and social emewal.” Similarly, even thoush Michael, Shory (The Language of Warn AIDS Discourse” heiaes, as does Gama, to ice AIDS stv nd poiical commentators fr “omploying angie SM. deenly rooted in the politcal eltare,” be til ide it hard w iago “at alicmative possibilities [re] unimaginable” and wishes Joe now words end metaphors that do nt ret so much bame fort AIDS eo demic onto wall men and women, ‘The contibutors fer in thir entimations ofthe stares nesd forthe On Wing AIDS: iorosucton 5 conception ad pie f AIDS, bathe ge an rented fo tga wating abst AIDS ein nl commana the hs wong a king ew ome, sch an Calpe daca “nore an "countecnerne™ shes ant Ape depeen he chat fn taken by Gets wing cae heme fa eae ps sted a a Le prose oso wis cong aa ‘hoses he imines his mn ec oa mm oe cao lsc in the flowig page). Ape ests ponnraphy oa ‘thine wtp that th way pts asset “ponte nage ear: French wctng abot ayiis Gaus ore ‘ite contetons with Gonsanitratar i his ampere sod conten spies onerer ents tht Gey ee AIDS bose ee Zing? De Seach rte ora ber ad “avaghey Sues alle in tsatempin erates pion hay Carman ‘ha wo accep” PWAre ane tha Zing ce eae a, rica iets, Other wit se oher wana eas ees ‘the dian the egy ar oven th vas aeg on auseel ee Selene ashe pra paguany of AIBS~for hace nae tutional tempore behind rch an forte adios cl oe But des prsonal meas af expen, Ard sl or wees ay ‘heaporpriteneseot mal forms sochactcranncereae, ‘comey the menings of AIDS: Pa clr and as ML Cha ap ‘ster tenon televise end cnema repent AIDS oe ing ow these popula, conserve men th nan pte sl Bre othe conertns a they re wcete eae spay oe Pre using tagh nell ha sass the awareness that nt oly is AIDS wating ray sting cons See es ‘ayo what nts hth saris batting ae tha vahingir also «plo! For ecanples ae sane nears clas is parison of phils in Comany ae lat 1980 sod Abe a Geamany in the ne 1980 hte fal atest ta Coron ge plage ay nao sr set een tan ns lute oxndais econ heath and arte sen 199, eles ‘sv ie faint nro erica deemse to nanpe Qetlratonal quale asia tan lle” and th sgeance ‘Schaifeencsmighthaw on tal mematnl cnmusicner ee AIDS. Ptr Bowen exer sina satin aut tela ular hi when be ae tt fc te sae sams Solas,“ mos contig ad cota leans o AIDS ane5 SUZANNE POIRIER already beon so throughly leerned that they confound whatever fe an [AIDS class might present,” bute ends his essay wih the account of ‘woman whose snele hal recently died of AIDS writing about the value of the class forher Her commen helped Bowen himoef “aly under] the worth of tis course," he concludes, satomont that justified for him the seeming ineffecalness ofthe course. With such 8 staemeat, though, Bowen reveals his belie hat scholars noed to aft the lives and thinking of the poople they adres in thee work: Silay, Michaat ‘Shery explain he iappointment with the recurring uae of war imagery bby AIDS acviste i teas of the power of culture wher hexaysthat “even the novel erent had to be translated into language with imaginative signpost the familie,” but goes on, as mentioned above, teal fora earch for new metaphor “Along thee sume lines, ne Edelman analyse the ings and pre dices tha would, within the gay community, fault men who do nat adopt * poliealy comet” forms of atvsi. He proposes instead a ne, poste modem opportunity "to challenge, as Andreas Huyssen suggests pst ‘dermis must, "he ideology of the sujet... by developing aleens- ve and diferent mation of subjectivity” tha, in, will generate “an sets that ood uot deine itself against the naeissim and passivity that igure the place of guy male sexuality inthe Westem cultural magina- tin." Finally, even mare forthright thee arguments ate John Cam, who tes prescription or gay AIDSIiteratreof the 1900s when he ape that “There i a need for more depictions of low and rit” ad cll tend for works of“produotve anger that wil be produced by today's “younger reneration of gay men whe know only the Age of AIDS, the wae": Joseph (Cay who delinestes what “all AIDS Literate must Least minitnaly do to be worthy ofthe same"; and Philp Harpe, who writes expose the “numerous and complex cultural facto [thal] conspire o prevent such cathe fos electively galvanizing AIDS eticiem in Aiesn-Ametican “communities,” an exercise naceanary asa frst step “we hope o tem the ‘ravages of AIDS in the African-American community.” ‘Anal observation worth making about te essays collected here deals ith privilge andthe community af AIDS, The vst majoriy ofthe itera ture and other media diacansed here is abou tho effect of AIDS on gay ‘men, more prticalarlyon gy, white men. What end how can people with- tut HIV infections contbute to these discussions —and tothe healing fprocesthat mot of tise writers uy mus take lace? How can other com ‘munities of men and women affect by the epidemic broaden or cone On Whiting AIDS: Inrodveton 7 tribute tthe dscsson and healing guy the ues ad emment tors presented here? saad ‘Cont this oleton ave mentions veveral groups of people who have Bon idestied as Other by oth heaves nthe guy Se tunity, some of them even members of tht comma uy So Aeros, “ometi” ay, me, fees stage dents Members fay of tes groupe sr fing that aces abd ta ing thee presence fl. Mar Rig le Tongs Unsedelcster sy Alcan Arericans Roeat cel by lebin wes Sra Shame St Jane Re inodae gay charters with AIDS, eal repay aed ‘ction rom thee lesbian characte Physica Pot Rat has writen ‘erclabouta yung woman physician who ets anna with ADS, Bet ‘many noe olin and secenrire may sl she aga AIDS ar more an sion tan ten ay amt se hat ‘oton a eal some ofthese people ay thinks a supp ported by the bibliography that concludes this collection. — - Is ery teal senses ll wn day i ATDS wring in hat at conscvily coos at repr tothe eee whether destin toltencnt or ewson. Macaw thisinvlement by an increasing den ty of writs ass the posto ty eer aed concer ht furaged or frscen by several the conto ti cleo, Richard Detlanora nace the iit bat persistent ereecs to end Betty in Edmund Whites “An Orste” at eommenty "ty sence implies the nee for further mooie! aay mony of he pa ntncesiy ae oleae lan fray mentale elo” Ad Ses ile, oking a AIDS soe oie te bok of Dan’ fc fem, compares Dan's esi abit to del “te homophobic pan “sm ofhis own day by dingo age lssed en other elton cf the same ex ve” withthe any eon sn nthe movie Lan ‘ine Companion, which ers "he notion vrs sevens worn togetber ova common gal feo iegaion” Pale Tecer at tines a wig accep the intone of prtntine elvison be cause sheblicvesthatteevisoss lr ny rye tel etry TATDS el intead the try of newer eles contig “aru, cation, dealy patho seledeaetion.” Ena Sper sees tn aie’ le proraecompaion! ayo patient and pyscan AIDS forces tew relationship: "ne enn, bth se argue that spe teach inthe tin of mdi distance eae wt tke ct tha dcr nd pater ae ately pat ofthe of cck oes8 SUZANNE POIRIER lives" An finaly, ay colleague'Tim Murphy writes about estimoni tolined ones dead AIDS, writen by gy lakers and fends, parents, an triven The need beat witness i common ove for them, and Tim sg- [Rats tha this common need and common expression ca the seeds ot ‘ited gre understanding, ed ation: “he gif ofthe epidemic and the incentive to memorilize are no mere biological flexes hey are an tuerion agin the leveling fleet of death that persons ar nt replace= fle, that death does not nally presence.” hing AIDS offers tel as fuer ostony tat he personal tag- cedies of ANDS must ot be allomed to destioy o defeat lve nyo hope ‘Thecepidemicia ot over. Much work remains tobe dane—in medicine. i> plies fmout dal lives, ein our pietoand public diveourse. As pst Urahte work, Wang AIDS offers erica enlysis that challenges vs 10 sist sy characteriations or understandings ofthe epidemic and to ‘Tok opthor old whatever new comaniies fear, expression, and ‘etion ae required i i The Mirror and the Tank: “AIDS,” Subjectivity, and the Rhetoric of Activism Lee Edelman Analysis, while necessary, may alsa be an indefensible hur, Leo Berson 1 Writing “AIDS” all writing demands esubjeet—but insofar as it engagos an economy of reference and insofar sit posts a subectpositon—itmight heuseful, in aver to explore some aspects af tho relations butwoen wating and “AIDS,” to considee the possibility thar “AIDS* tel cannot une problematical function ae the sujet of oar writing, because “AIDS” bx ‘Meologcallycovericed a «form of writing self sa inscription of Aiference whose “subject” in alway the subject of ideology. "AIDS," in ‘he mt place and onthe moat eral level, lanke x caerent medial ref rent, ean a signifier in serch of he determinate condition or eon- “ivonsit would signify A diagnostic term describing the statin which the Immune sjstem-—compromised tzough HIV infection~can no Langer ‘rad off coainoicill desinated opportunistic diseases, “AIDS” oon- ‘tues so unstable signifier oven i tho aro of medical discourse that ‘on June 9, 1991, the Boston Globe parte: cise the Centr for Disease Contos Piatt they ae cae dering changing th way ther define AIDS, amore hat cul doable te ‘umber of Amerteane oily cane a uring fom the diese Beshuse AIDS causes a general devastation fhe maine se, is mand nt one sympom, buy densa netons, cance and ther ondane. The propa change which eres a the upton fae10 LEE EDELMAN Conference Sat ed TertrilEpeiologi, would braden the cf ‘Gallatin f AIDS to cocompaasthooands of HIV ftd people ‘ole ne he codons cade inte Mpg: geenanent eie, ‘To this acknowledgment that even a “L4.page definition” cannot secure the ferential adequacy of AIDS" we musta the more widespread con ‘ation, largely promulgated by journalist and politicians, of “AIDS” and LIV seropostivity—a conflation that retail ientos the effect withthe medical indestor af he putative cause nef uch elect Tce could, paradoically, enforce the coherence of AIDS" by aches ing its totliztin and ts idelogieal competion. And if the imipreision ‘vith which cular! “authors” thereby encourage the public o view AIDS" servos the purposes af those ott on wring “AIDS” ass inear narrative progressing ineluctaly fom determinate begining 0 a pee Aetermined end, that fact makes itll the les kay that “AIDS” “ise” ‘ould he our subjeet, since the signifier both connotes and denominates 2 dense and contactor array of medical dagoost, socal experiences, projet fantasies, and “pital” aged. “AIDS.” then, ress our attempts to inserbe it asa manageable sub- Jeet af wring™~exeeeding and elading the medal, sorielogesl, politic ‘alo teary discourses that variously attempt enfront or engage it— tothe extent that as historical phenomenon inthe socalled Wester dex rmocracis it ha itself taken shape (hasbeen given shape) a that which ‘wes or artoulata another subject altogether abject whose content x suggested but aat exhausted by veforene to “male homosexuality.” The ‘iscusve ald of "AIDS" thus unfolds aba landscape of displacements, land given thote displacements and the alipperiners af the subject ever) ‘tempt to resist ideological enforcement in ne place caries wal ithe rea of resorng the sedsafideologcal uereion in another. T take his threat seriou, of to suggest that we canno® afford not to take this eat seriouly, doesnot meat that we should respond tothe task of writing [AIDS” by writing tof fiom the osteo that we ought odonesiat the Intolerable Tosex that "AIDS" must always denote by framing “AIDS” vei the sect that sends scerin sor of lnowingness, ae «rennin ble insance ofa now familiar postmodern problematiowas if “AIDS ‘ould be defined ae merely, in Pala Treichler words, an “epidemio of ‘ienification”" os nothing bu, ina phase T mpelf uted eleewhere, a “pla of discourse." ‘And yet es Jetfey Weeks acknowledges by sing en essay “Post- Modern AIDS” intellectual efforts to tieoize the epidemic, is eon- i ee EE TE The Minorond the Tonk 17 structions, and its representations, frequently invoke, towed dering ends and with varying degocs af inight and engagement, some notion of the postmodern? Robars MoGrth, for insane, cbscrves: “HIV which is simuaerum of DNA—is the fst human twin [sc pon haps the fist postmodern disesse."> Don Haramay takes sar Foci A Maen for Cages "AIDS wth he foes “simulation” (charters f what she cll the postmodem “informatios of domination” as opposod tate frees of “representation” (chara ticofthe word ode of industrial captain) Remarking upon tetas lation to respond o “AIDS” wih lel assertions that would real at figure fora historic shit in the cultural paradign of "neating,” Robert ick considers the claim that “AIDS ithe diseaeo the Well, the destucion ofthe immune sytom i a allegory ofthe brake down of basi tructures now experienced by eurcountry andthe West." ‘And Simon Watney slim tht th “challenge of AIDS reedation exe tmplifies the insight of Erneta Lael and Chantal Moufe thet what boingexploded inthe postmodern prid,e thee andthe realty ielt oF unique space of constitution ofthe poiiea."* Peshaps the importance of postmodernism 3: the framework win hich these and other ntllectals have atempted oconeeptualie ott respond "AIDS" ea he ston most interestingly in AIDS Demo Grp, 4 olume in which Douglas Cvinp and Adam Ralston identify the pros run, pois, and principles eharateviai of “AIDS atv art De- ‘ering the work produced by such collectives as Gan Fury. te Silene = Death Project, and varios commas rom within ACT UP, Crimp and Ralston find not only “techiques af postnodemiet appropriation” (18) and "sophisticated postmodern tl (19), bt alan sav of the rad ‘eas with whic, Before Becoming intutionsized tell, “parte ‘inst art advanced apaiteal eique of ar inatutions” (19). One essen tal aspect ofthis critique that "AIDS setvst artists” are credited with perpetuating ie chalenge to the ideology whereby moderaiam and the ‘museum or literary canon as cultural eetablishment that both rote and enshrined i) alfred aa arder of mesning that could be shaped, transormed, und revolutionized bythe genie of the vidual est. AS (simp and Ralston chserve Questions identi auhashipand sudice—and he meysinwhickall, thre are contrac tnogh presen —hane been cl post ‘moras theory, and erm. The gins of sald pe ion tn which de ait geste clon to oii ection by ap12. LEE EDELMAN opting leay-xisting images and objec, been oath he Fitna ta ino etn, hat aur very ss are socially and Notoriety determined though proeriting naps, discourses and “Tne artts lating thei lace within the ADS sets marement tater tthe Conentnal tld have ad ease tke these oes very seioay (28) Allwho ar interested in wing and AIDS" interested, hatin ow thove two tes inerogate, eet, and displace ane another i the coarse through which "AIDS" is constructed—have reason to take 2e- oly tis eeuerent conjunction of AIDS and pntmoderin, to read tae gesturing toward a cultural logic centrally at sake in the eoilict Iping waged over "AIDS” and “reposentation.” inthis context itis ot insignificant, after ally that what Fredc Jameton diceuses as crucial component of posumadersism—ane that ‘eam, ashe secs ihe o “explain why slanscal modernism se thing of the past and why potnerntam should ave taken is place"—ean ale ilyminate the iatereccion of postmoderim and "AIDS": “This new tomponett,” Jason argues, “s what is generally called death of the tubjct™ Now ola that me ean hearin the dlscouse on “AIDS re= ‘esberatons ofthis postmodern “death of the aubjet” ist approach the {vajouneible demarcation between, onthe one hand, producing read- {ng ofthe allegories thrgh which the politcal unconscious ais it- sellin the cil imagination and, on the oer band, simply producing ‘och potentially dangerosellegoriee oarselve. Yet ncofar as “the desth “fue oubjot™ enters poplar discourse most rely through the various ‘hallenges pase tothe Heniation of ubjetvity os uch withthe par Fielar subject postion aesciated with straight, white, middle-class tren, "AIDS," which poplar mythology continues to construe as Largely rempting sight, white, mide-clase men fem its ravages, could not {alt iafleet and fob inflected by the wielsitudes of “the subject” in funtempery Wester eltue, “AIDS.” then, can be gues risis invand hence es an pportnityfor—the social shaping or articulation of tubjectivities because, in part, the historical contest within which "AIDS" inthe Wen achieved ite “dewtiy" alowed ito be presented syndrome distinctively engaging identity as issue. Ln fat, whatever he tdecction from hich we approach the subject of AIDS.” we are brought Upagains ou awn cnstttion ae subject of and in ideology and the fact thot we a force to recogni that he polities of “AIDS” asa subject of scouse is imepaable from the paites of “the subject” itseli— The Mirorandihe Tank 13 inseparable, thats, fom the eslogeslconsction and the curl Fnntamaticn of ancy? ven within hve marine communites in which a great deel of ertieal energy hts heen expend to analyte ail epresentatans of AIDS,” ch a that entry hasbeen dete own presen of the “prope cnattutin ofthe dacurivesubet Ina hgh what ‘Simon Watney bes ald an AIDS activi calurl practice ara AIDS stvit wthte Sich ree, re arcs nan port! sy “Representing AIDS,"is predicted pons cull plies hn sok sito the complex processes that pruee sees, and ld them in place (190) Addeesing hinsel tothe question of ptpapy ins ‘oy that Dears eens asst apace of arse mode, Watney bs that an AIDS atv ett st outer hes represents tol patices tha depend upon aftr hunansptos tara. tantaypathiee (179, In ight of his aay aeration, ttmay be wort amide the exo o which even the "AIDS activi esthete inee pollate soubjest ne agony cominaes tb ound up petemataly th he pat of uch a human, in htt aber coun to bo ugh thin the falsely naturalized oppositions hate se oor no oon of ex an eer evaiy—eash of lich send ner ‘ain tothe conception of ject. My purpose af coume mrt dale the indpeneble ek, inl ing Watney cw, proced fom within this sti eth, rao, Tanto elabrate ve ofthe encountered in wring Al inorder tw hold open opin for he inten of naatien nd the inept of sje, nays tat ile fom thw he gore co unylldingly ba he dominant dco on “AIDS” and sh of the enter counterure tat deine asa.” nthe pe ss Ido matted sagpe, athe st ft previous este ay ‘py any symmetry betwen heel eit fhe ovement Iipulin, and even is deplyent, of “AIDS” ade easing re Seance by “AIDS acti” w the rari for that maipolation has taken Instead, Iwano examine save wayt in which the repping ‘res that we expsionce “AIDS” pradee m oppouitionl pole ie use that has the potent ini necessary sople mennt bh the {MBcialy sanctioned representations of the epidemte nod their intended Sonsttution of “onal or ely” aubjertviy, otras and r= positon crt spt ofthe slice strates that nor an pr hive toe niu representation td eppenvewbjcivais fhe ft place4 LEE EDELMAN WL Genesis and Genocide On Sune, 199, asus began mento he ten enivers- Dot Anns lepers wht mm considered AIDS,” an Shirl in New Hamptie' Manche Union Leader al ilies Shit lhe genes! arte ht edn een the Wesem eal naginatn tht tne, men ease, fe the post cerpiniened” napenes tothe epider “Horner inter {ours the genesis ery sng es of AIDS in hat every are {recableeer diet or inde the pee, However he {Toc is unnnitel,th seal perso nt al intcous By chess thfundamentl pit ofonn™ Tempting ight ‘Temmosechastaementanthgnran ce bles cat ek oing {lca oven tempt tht tresses ms the at ii enfin sural as prodeed in fora onder "AIDS ‘Whee cabled tote soualieng deme tht f° AIDS ping” em “igh rape” to te “geval poplin” Cals, or mora into he mains senate enerngs a hose Shey non dtning out ht aay nape timp a thee) a the piece cinocet itn the insepaii— Inder thw tin that nt ny slows aay res tke Geen peli sesne intial sen) oases ‘tween men bespeake om mpessie i the amin f° ATDS" at we ignme atone ik = ‘Whatever the scientific or epidemiological “truth” about “AIDS” and 1 eanmssons te logic win whi AIDS has on mit ig Ai in te We Cals ft, ae Leo Berbers is promostie {an the ecu + rae" the “tdectve and ila age Port nao high nanan th ial exty of fing wut” 12, Bean ange thecal ay fg mena aso etguy tno parila ea prio Somtine dsebed steep anal itera," mote commonly ‘wn ting eke™-mal ht ths efition ilo men be ocrbed ithe feta “popes inhi by terol wm Tora nano pat hills be nse con bo ude a SEu." then, snc emote a wling ses the ety esduipined cluster, nadine bony chon who pe {hem te “wine” or pncane-ed Hence sascalne™—vle the tcvepunve iarian hat orannes "ot earl perpen on cal ber The MirorandtheTank 15 Inaphras thats the pemistence nol meoly ose but also fans lite tio ety Bear ingon the Athan eli nll era compa es sess psiviy ad ce ator dete nevis conelsten = be pened ie abite por (21) Dai Halperin, unrserig ‘hi poi, relates ito “hella por fond Garagh tec thie jet a cad in engin emer ate inclssiclAter (102) sa" prompte ate calle tage ofthe ‘hizenba meena ue, ena itsplenues ad [erp nth raperenatidote erie hiensoa cent Jveogrvnt ditinstns institu master slae fev anfee, Sts sans: eubizive ci pase inerive vs ecpve etme "sprite, item v,nn-titn,tan woman’ (102-3), Wis this conceptual parntgm, which rea ur endsing erage ‘lin nest be dpa onthe “uperriasde” omaseion ‘elfascetion the sborinate postin oemnieecepiiyrte “iia” pen tothe exten that itis and nt mercy av fe, wat ld be led he “eat te maja Farge on ‘Rinkable snidene of emer and pci, hem by whch awe suns throne" ct we atta {a subject, lacks the feedr operon, Fre ig legely teal invert ipo prone, at eg 3 fatal dito between any aod pau Hess Cialyonhetdeolgclelimtaton jective atopy a demand ancaatin athe moments whe, 8 inthe er tha “AIDS aint eject ost Consider agin. fr example thle yoy seas bythe ‘wal inthe Manchester Unton Laser: “Homose nercaent ress of every singe cae of AIDS. = The smal yeeros Sal nercoue by apdome eth dort point fog Nota risingly, this rabid fundamentalism of the fundament produces it frnclogyaf°AIDS" i thats enema cast by Gens te et that connate our et constant an Tegel doce fstate(asthe 8. Supreme Cou allt flay angouncdna der Sonia Bauer Hort ncn te subpect-ornton eltel n teeta bythe ile nate bere, the eda mya be “ener of "AIDS" gente twa te Sermon oth cj plein at of nal intrcurse—eich athe amophodic ma {ny af the West to cnr the ape of gy men nessa “passive” or ecptv”poiton—t te neative sentra of the te16 LEE EDELMAN on thatusedto be pskagd a “ration sione"Inkivrson of {Margi Milne speultonan tern AIDS, they le fouscet ie a plese gives tho “AIDS ov guano death Sica, the rca of wate need oe inna acto deena cit than, ik he Gof Genesis th pe ‘ening an af ereston xii, even ft iin fe ans ho thence to anneal ecto Fo ith ean athe universe true in Cones proves mde fab hogar ‘Teale agenyatering tel ero resin ad spol ma tere natives te on AIDS the atenen me ‘Sha viwe thoughon at oleae al ex prayers tht pact congene of al prees inteton and rete wt, rede inate “rs intial condi fo mach int a nde ie sujet: inthe cds ow it has crete” athe ogi of in ‘Morn then, teat by niche ej eoutes the aston thts is ebjcty ets coyote er ealaton fis ‘omic ge inthe bjt deat 7 Moreawer, just as the “passivity” identified with gay male anal inter cans ent aright ne deh of he nda ‘hjoc a ars psveaepivarence moter a lemale Shlecc and tan othe cagoydcpsing wt of ony that ale Tomarsutycmpteesere eth anda p igi for {esi death he sje fr heaped teers ot ‘tates outward fom hss ht Gens, aera, nao Show tall Soonies” As Eve only Seg ioral re sind ut Fmt eat their Sand Gora scenario f= ec desvehae bad wpged thgh by no means sexo, aon in Wester cuturete esa f both oni domi == [Oe ihe fow mens agreement anton mer Mars, Naz, ad eel ‘apts slg that tee poi elon, thoogh ever pte ‘Sel defined, afiniy between nnn desi andre itera oot tint merbooiy, alld oeadnor” 1 whichoot nis no "ie but whole anon are subject “Ths at the present hisoialnament in which “kicking butt isthe for tmulo.of chote for asserting te value of ettonomy al pgressive indo inability in Amerie, isnot merely by way of pun that gay male sexual ‘vie, construed a anlling the subjest inthe pleasurable ocepiviy of the an, gets fantasmaticallyrevriten a fatal atrseton tothe end. Yet TheMinorend the Tonk 17 sour societal fascination with he “but,” however pobie ts expeeeion, smskes clear, the violence af the assertion that “but” must be “hieked= betrays a recognition ofits demand on ou tention, as if wha eel to be kicked were not an abjac of som but aa Tvleed the at of ‘snloitie apocalypse condensed in the Manchester Union Leader ie torial invests the anus wth the gravitational traction that, astronomical speaking, iis proper to dearbe ava "lack hole,” implying that if'a suan's anis~or metonyically, his “bat”—~is allowed tenet en altace tie foree on any man at all every mar wil eventually ellapse beloe(f not inte) the "el" sdetroying ove ofthe "vias that and isnot meray ‘he product of, arcesson, which becomes addiction, tothe anus esi Team to suggest, then, thatthe currency ahiened by the senarog af “genocide and omnicie” inthe public discourse that oetes the wrigin of “AIDS” in gay male anal sex” responds, by displacement, to what Michelangelo Sigerle, prophetcally one hopes, has deseribed a “The [Last Gasp ofthe White Malo Hetoroexaal."® I tet, inter word, tothe ansietyof decline and inspending dicen that mae, in this eae, not merely fin de sidle or milenial malaise, but, more profoundly, the sdeply-roted recognition ofthe imminent end of anempite the dense of ‘he imperial subject secure in hs cently to, hisidentSeation with ie= ior and civilization. Given that, a Craig wens hand, “the represen tational ystems ofthe West adit only one vision that othe cost tie male subject—ar, rather, they posit the subject of representation as sbsolutely centered, unitary. masculine,” postmoderian in ts popular ‘ers ean seem to sgl the fll the Wet inaear a would effet the death of the subject by. as Owens put, "apeing] the reassuring tae Diy ofthat mastering position." Paved wth this prospect of being toppled onthe pedestal on whic he has placedhinsel, the deolgical subjects while male biernenial li ‘from “AIDS” adiscouree of ess y which he ean air is privileged Sanding-for the perfrmatie effet of theee representations othe apec= alyptic end ofthe subject sto define the subject corcively as he who repudiates his end. Subtended by the always excite fantasy of threat o issubjet's genes theariginary mythlinking "AIDS" tothe“editve” passvty of the anos in intercourse is mobilized largely ta ean, end "hereby to shore against hiseuing, thewhite male heterosexual at uniquely sutonomousin his mora gene, and thar a uniquely ccupying the pos iow ofthe subject who, like Adam sn Niton's Protestant reworking of ‘Genesis, sin himself scent stand because alo fest fal18 LEE EDELMAN TIL Naxei-seism “This fantasy ofthe fl or death ofthe (white, mal, hetoromexu) subject can, ofcourse, mean iferontthingsindifferendseursivecontets. Reale ina gayinflected paychosnalytic ramewore, Thae argued fallingstwoy fromthe niays endangered “integrity of maleness ay elturally constructed, apd thus a falling back {ntotha drended bat sedorsive, maternally dented precedpal ec fom this, onthe one hand, heterecsusl masculinity i imagined to have merged and agains which, sean abuolute alte, it eda, onthe eer Jun to define tal." Drawing upon Lacn's bypethess af the minor sageasboth precipitate and prolepisafthesubjeet'se-constiution, this rgomentsceksto afl the loge behind the dvisiverepresentatonf gay ‘enasnarisstially fixated and oriented towardthomothee. Ids by ‘considering the mizror stage and the castration cess in elation to one “nother ashe two determining moments inthe formation af the heteoeex tal ale nubjot that defensively generate dhe myth ofthat subjects uni- Jirectiona developeeat (ot en say fom entation witha ‘lomination by-—maernal power, precizely becanse each ofthe mo- ‘ments efits sc unidsctonaityt the degro tha it subject shaping force depenlsupon tscapactytoclicitreemertteely their frum which {hesubjectthereattervil he aaidtohaveemerged. Th factthatthe subject ‘emerges, hmever not fom that history (kere the “carp morcelé" or of identification with the mother who already has been “eastrated”) but rather from the narrative tht enables hin ws posit his eaerzence from that, history means tht he experenceufsuch history sever properly speak- ings the subject's property, and therefore that the subject ean never a subject, experience iat al. To the conteary, fom the perspective ofthe ‘onstitatedsubjet the possibilty ofexpesencingwhatitean retostively lisposttz ast “history” ean only fgure thepraspec ofthe subjects dis- telition. The enitica moments ofthe morte ad the assumption othe aration comptes, then, elect the identity ofthe self as (male) subject, ‘rough the ientfontian of subjectivity with autonomous controle self ‘mastery the achievement of whichis linked, ineachease,tanasserionof tistance—and difference from he other, who had bee, wot then, an Inmagioary miro for what abe sid to have been the subject-o-be only fer tis "rain sao. ‘Ke Gallop in a compelling analysis of thie prosen ax played out in ‘Lcan's say on the miro stage, appropriately compart tothe mythol- ony of Genesis 3 The Misor ond he Tank 19 ‘The mir sage tosh gear ment doomed gly, & pad a Teint 'ecaiel poet hey na the eae or! much a Ada and Eve ae expelled fms Praise tthe word ar zeman an won ae already rete td ft eater the hun end nil expel fm Fen othe cls though ald orn, das nt bec elf al the wr cage Bath ‘atesare:vepan bith tease: ve brn natty th ced te lint istry When Ade and Eve eat fo the te of ued they ‘ciate master Bt wha they ata pain ahold ecprion of thernakednes,Thisrovemble the movement y which tens being ‘ote by antcipaton lized mse by then setsiely fo ‘einen is nadequueythisnakedoea' Lava ha wt ents version the tragedy of Adam apd Ee ‘Because the apocalyptic naratives of AIDS" wnfld in allusve relation to ‘Genesis (as do sch arguments against homeceraity asthe plttulinaon allguion that “God created Adam and Eve, not Alan aot Steve") the psychic takes inthe death ofthe ite, mae, heterosexual abject an thus inthe defensively mabixed ene) that shapes the mstinogy of “AIDS,” canbe located ot only n Lacan's peychoenalytic reinterpret: tion ofthe Fall, bt ala in suck canonical rewriings of Genesis a the Paradise Last toward which Callop nods inthe passe cited above, For Millen characterizes Adam ae aoe and aia! worl eget pared mate subjct, by faring the moment in Book 8 that might be interpreted 18 Adan’s mor stage ipa meroring latin othe dsetption in Book 44 of Eve's fascination wth the image of herein lake “Athos Nazezns, in the Orda naative form nich Milton daw in this later scene, pays for his specular Gaation by ~éying a i's prime," Eve eseapes such eat through the external mediation the Aivine wee, third term uhowe ing intervetion bth ys dawn an ithe Le ‘What thr th ee i Creature thyelh Wihthee it came sd re: nt fellow Ad Tsing te hero saw stae ‘hy coming a hoy sft ina, hoe ‘Whowe image thaw at,hi tho shat ony Insepeaiy thie tim aa bse Males ike dsl, and then eld Maberethuwan Rave et-75) Responding to this vice, Ee comes vpon Adan a, judging im “las Ihr / Less winning sft, less aia mild, / Than tht sath wary ie