1983 - Lambda Legal files the first HIV discrimination lawsuit; it’s for Joseph A. Sonnabend, a New York City doctor evicted from his office for treating patients with AIDS.

1985 - Ryan White is refused entry to his middle school. He soon begins a major public campaign against AIDS stigma and discrimination.

1990 - Congress enacts the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), formally prohibiting discrimination based on any disability, including HIV/AIDS.

1993 - Philadelphia, starring Tom Hanks, is the first major Hollywood film to discuss AIDS and HIV discrimination.

1996 - Congress enacts the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which ensures people the legal right to privacy and confidentiality regarding their medical conditions.

1998 - In Abbot v. Bragden, the U.S. Supreme Court set the precedent that people with HIV/AIDS, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, are considered disabled and therefore covered under the ADA.

2010 - The White House releases the first National HIV/AIDS Strategy. As a result, the U.S. Department of Justice puts all HIV discrimination cases—more than 50 so far—on the fast-track as part of the policy.

2014 - Rollout of the Affordable Care Act means people with HIV can no longer be denied health care for having a pre-existing condition.

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