The Trump administration have announced they will not mark World AIDS Day this year. Commemorated on 1 December every year since 1988, World AIDS Day is dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, prevention and treatment, and is also a moment to mourn those whose lives have been lost to the illnesses. First reported by journalist, academic and activist Emily Bass – whose work focuses on pandemics – via her Substack, Bass shared a screenshot of an email directed to State Department employees detailing that they should not in any way mark World AIDS Day. In the email, employees are told to “refrain from publicly promoting World AIDS Day through any communication channels, including social media, media engagements, speeches or other public-facing messaging” and “USG funds should not be used for any World AIDS Day events or commemorative activities”. The move is part of the government’s wider policy to “to refrain from messaging on any commemorative days, including World AIDS Day”,...