New book explores Ryan White’s impact as the ‘innocent’ face of HIV/AIDS

INDIANAPOLIS — The story of Ryan White loomed over much of Paul Renfro’s childhood.

“I learned about HIV and AIDS through the story of Ryan White,” Renfro said. "Obviously, I was told a very simplistic, sort of morality tale about Ryan White. There are certain elements of that story that are true, but also it's a far more complex story."

The story of Ryan White captivated the world.

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“This was a huge media story,” Renfro said. “Journalists descended upon Kokomo and Russiaville from across the country and really around the world. Everybody was was here covering this story and a lot of these themes concerning innocence, acceptability and normality.”

Themes Renfro explores in his latest book, "The Life and Death of Ryan White AIDS and Inequality in America.”

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“Ryan White became the face of AIDS, and he became the innocent face of AIDS,” Renfro said. “There's this idea that he contracted this through no fault of his own, and the implication is that others were somehow to blame for contracting HIV.”

Until White’s diagnosis, HIV/AIDS was most often associated with stigmatized communities like gay men and intravenous drug users.

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“Only with the emergence of HIV and AIDS in communities that were less stigmatized did it become this kind of national or global concern,” Renfro said.

Renfro hopes readers gain a better understanding of the implications of Ryan White’s story.

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“I’d love for people to think more deeply about how the concept of innocence is used and operationalized and how it serves to indict certain communities,” Renfro said. “I'd love for people to think more deeply about the fact that, yes, we've made these tremendous strides. But HIV and AIDS, even in the United States, are tremendous problems, and the epidemic is not over.”

“The Life and Death of Ryan White AIDS and Inequality in America” is available for preorder now and will be available October 22.