Hi Friends!

December 1st is World AIDS Day, so in honor of all the people we have lost to HIV/AIDs, we decided this week we would talk about the movie Rent! We discussed the way this movie represented the AIDs crisis in the late 80s and early 90s, as well as it's depictions of queerness in general. We talked about the portrayal of loss and grief, as well as the choice to end this movie on a hopeful message. We also discussed the way the historical context made the movie even more emotionally resonant.

Please also be warned that due to the content of this movie, we have some very serious discussions about the impact of HIV/AIDs on the queer community, including the homophobia that led to delays in care and unnecessary deaths from the disease. There are also minor discussions about drug use. Additionally, while we understand the difference between HIV & AIDS, there are a few times that we use the two terms interchangeably, similar to the way the two are used interchangeably in the movie.

If you love Rent, or if you have another favorite musical that you'd like us to discuss, let us know! We'd love to hear from you! You can tag or dm us on Twitter or Bluesky at @TotallyNormalAT, or you can email us at [email protected]!