Final answer:
Initially, AIDS was indeed referred to as the 'gay plague' or 'gay cancer' because it was first reported among gay men, which contributed to significant stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQ community. The association between the disease and homosexuality persisted even after the causative agent, HIV, was identified and understood to be transmissible beyond the gay community.
Step-by-step explanation:
The initial reports of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the early 1980s primarily involved young gay men, particularly in urban centers like San Francisco and New York. This led to the disease initially being known as "gay-related immune deficiency" (GRID) or disparagingly referred to as "gay cancer" and "gay plague." Early public health responses were minimal, and misinformation about the disease's transmission and effects was rampant, leading to widespread stigma and discrimination against the LGBTQ community during this period. Groups of doctors, activists, and the gay community had to contend with not just a health crisis, but also the societal challenges of homophobia and a slow government response.
In 1985, the identification of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the causative agent of AIDS, and the understanding that it could be spread by sex and not just confined to the gay community, shifted public perception and led to more inclusive efforts in addressing the epidemic. However, the initial association between HIV and homosexuality continued to influence American views for much of the decade.