A Doctor Writes New Prescription for Musical ‘Rent’

“Rent,” the rock musical about the struggles of a group of young East Villagers in New York City has captured awards and captivated America (“Another High-’Rent’ District,” Calendar Sept. 30.)

This wave of popularity makes it difficult for anyone to express that they found “Rent” more alarming than appealing. Yet, as a public health physician, I find it impossible to allow its AIDS message to pass without detailing my concern.

One would have to live in a vacuum or Antarctica not to realize the profound impact AIDS has had on the world. It is currently estimated that 8 million to 10 million adults are infected worldwide with as many as 50,000 new cases of AIDS reported annually in this country alone.

In the face of these alarming numbers one could wish for a hit musical that sends a message of caution. Not “Rent,” this show that takes a cavalier approach to the spread of this disease.

The story revolves around several couples, beginning with the romance of an HIV positive transvestite who immediately picks up and seduces another man, singing that he will “love and care” for him. What we don’t hear about is any hesitation or remorse about the fact that the transvestite, named Angel, could be passing a deadly disease.

Instead, we are told that Angel is a “kind and caring” man and that his new partner is one lucky guy to have this angel in his life. I cannot be the only one questioning how you can call someone who may be knowingly passing a fatal disease “kind and caring.”

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This theme of “sex for death” is also reflected in the heterosexual “romance” between an HIV-positive former drug user (we are told his girlfriend has already died of AIDS), and an HIV-positive teenage girl who still does drugs and sleeps with her drug dealer.

While one might say as long as they are both positive why not, it is made clear that they don’t know each others’ status since their big number is singing about, “Something I should really tell you” . . . but of course they don’t tell.

They just have sex, making me wonder if the creator of “Rent” wanted to be remembered for a new spin on the classic love triangle: Boy, girl, AIDS. He certainly didn’t want to be remembered for asking hard questions about doing what is morally right.

Was it really necessary to create a show with so little conscience? Some may argue that the show simply tells it like it is, but I disagree. “Reality” isn’t surrounded by throbbing music, great sets, energy reverberating in the air and AIDS patients looking buff and sexy.

In this kind of setting, knowingly spreading AIDS appears as just another glorious and rebellious stage of the young trying to find their own identity in a world full of materialistic evils which is probably why this show has hit a chord with America’s youth.

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While I sympathize with a younger generation wanting to believe they are “Bohemians” searching for a “purer world,” I don’t see how this “purer world” fits with their attitude of: It’s no big deal to spread a fatal disease.

I expect that some may deplore my concerns with “Rent” as being an overreaction to what is just a musical, a free expression of art that doesn’t have to answer to social responsibility.

My answer to those is to try and imagine what it was like for me to arrive at work to find HIV positive lab slips waiting to be disclosed and know that I was the one that had to hand out death sentences.

As a caring and compassionate person I could not divorce myself from this pain and that is why today I have another job.

Still, I will never forget being on the front line of a terrible epidemic, and if “Rent’s” casual attitude to the spread of AIDS causes even one young life to think that its OK to have “sex for death,” perhaps “Rent” would be better taking a final curtain call.

Alice Glasser is a public health physician, formerly the medical director of a Los Angeles county drug rehabilitation clinic. She is currently affiliated with UCLA.