I didn't learn as much as I expected; this book reads more like a personal memoir rather than a rigorous overview of how different marginalizations interact with sickness and viruses. I think a lot of the information presented is kind of... obvious? Though it's nice to have it all laid out with anecdotes and (some) supporting evidence. 

Actually my favorite part of the book were the pages dedicated to talking about prominent figures in the fight against HIV and its stigma. Some passages were incredibly moving, while some personal reflection felt out-of-place or failed to bolster Thrasher's argument. For this reason I feel like I could get a better experience out of something that focuses on HIV and ACT UP rather than something that tries to address the issue so broadly.

I also appreciated how Thrasher unabashedly incriminated the entirety of the US government; not just conservatives or anti-maskers. In doing so, he sometimes veers off-topic but I think overall paints a picture of just how deep the systemic issues go. 

Although the book is sad, there is an overall hopeful message and Thrasher attempts to find light in the immense amount of darkness caused by viruses such as HIV and COVID-19. I do think his main goal was to change the reader's perspective on viruses and the types of people we are taught to associate with them, and I think he succeeded in that goal.