This is the story of Gaetan Dugas, often known as Patient Zero of the AIDS crisis. It is told by friends and associates, activists and artists, and various doctors and researchers of the mysterious gay cancer. It turns out that Gaetan is likely not "the monster who brought AIDS to America", and that "zero" was a mistaken identifier that led to the idea he started it all. Gaetan was part of the cultural resistance to the no-sex suggestion from doctors, given that only a decade had passed since homosexuality had been removed from the list of medical disorders. Ironically, while Gaetan was disbelieving of sexual transmission, he was a great help to the researchers. Also, while playing only a small part in the book And The Band Played On, that scandalous part was what finally brought the book, and AIDS, into public consciousness.
So this is an effective revision of the story of a man who was scapegoated for AIDS.
So this is an effective revision of the story of a man who was scapegoated for AIDS.