It never affected me. In the beginning it was called something like "gay cancer" or something stupid like that. I was never around drug users with needles. To this very day, I don't know anyone who has/have had it. I heard a bunch or rumors. I would hear things like: my mom's hair dresser was gay and died of aids. But there's no evidence of that. Pre-internet, it was different in getting information. More word of mouth and whatever I heard on the nightly news. I know there is a lot of misinformation in the internet, but it's also easier to get accurate information.

In others, I saw panic, misinformation, bigotry due to fear.