--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mid-'80s in New York was fantastic. I…" description: "\"Mid-'80s in New York was fantastic. I remember my first Gay Pride parade in the city. Where I grew up was very sheltered, so when I got to the city, th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/francisco-costa-12706_aids_mid-80s-in-new-york-was-fantastic-i-reme_1876334.png" --- # Mid-'80s in New York was fantastic. I remember my first… ![“Mid-'80s in New York was fantastic. I remember my first Gay Pride parade in the city. Where I grew up was very sheltered, so when I got to the city, there was this freedom and so much happening. At the same time, there was this pressure of AIDS and everything else. New York is so different today.” quote by Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/francisco-costa-12706_aids_mid-80s-in-new-york-was-fantastic-i-reme_1876334.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/francisco-costa-12706_aids_mid-80s-in-new-york-was-fantastic-i-reme_1876334.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/francisco-costa-12706_aids_mid-80s-in-new-york-was-fantastic-i-reme_1876334.png) > “Mid-'80s in New York was fantastic. I remember my first Gay Pride parade in the city. Where I grew up was very sheltered, so when I got to the city, there was this freedom and so much happening. At the same time, there was this pressure of AIDS and everything else. New York is so different today.” [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The 1980s NYC offered vibrant freedom and challenges, especially with the AIDS crisis. **In simple terms:** NYC was vibrant yet fraught with AIDS pressure. Key Takeaway Balance freedom with awareness of health crises. Themes freedom urban life health crisis Mood nostalgic somber Type historical personal When to use this quote - pride parades - community organizing - health advocacy Key Concepts LGBTQ+ history urban sociology Questions to Reflect On - How did the AIDS crisis shape NYC culture? - What lessons apply to today’s social movements? A Different Perspective The era's excitement was shadowed by disease and stigma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aids/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-today-247384/) [Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Gay pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay-pride/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Pride Parade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride-parade-774597/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-gay-2621745/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [It's time we all accepted the Gay Pride Parade isn't much gayer than any other parade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-time-we-all-accepted-the-gay-pride-parade-isn-t-much-gayer-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm impressed you found something even gayer than the Gay Pride Parade to do this weekend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-impressed-you-found-something-even-gayer-than-the-gay-pride/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I remember telling my mom, 'Mom, I'm gay, but I'm not going to march in a parade or anything.' That's what I was telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/i-remember-telling-my-mom-mom-i-m-gay-but-i-m-not-going-to-march-in-a/) [Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/) > [Marching in the Gay Pride Parade is less exciting now that my parents support my sexual orientation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/marching-in-the-gay-pride-parade-is-less-exciting-now-that-my-parents/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mom will never march in a gay pride parade with a big sign. She is very private. She lives in Chattanooga. She tries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jordan/my-mom-will-never-march-in-a-gay-pride-parade-with-a-big-sign-she-is/) [Leslie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jordan/) > [Sorry the Gay Pride Parade has become more about serious issues and less about giant inflatable penises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-the-gay-pride-parade-has-become-more-about-serious-issues-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we bump into each other at the Gay Pride Parade, remember to look surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-bump-into-each-other-at-the-gay-pride-parade-remember-to-look/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I oppose the Gay Pride Parade because it reminds me all the hot guys I want to sleep with are gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-oppose-the-gay-pride-parade-because-it-reminds-me-all-the-hot-guys/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Now they got two little nice statues in Chariot Park to remember the gay movement. How many people have died for these two little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-p-johnson/now-they-got-two-little-nice-statues-in-chariot-park-to-remember-the/) [Marsha P. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-p-johnson/) > [God says, 'One woman, one man,' and everyone says, 'Oh, that's old hat, that's that old Bible stuff,'" he said. "But I'm thinking, well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/god-says-one-woman-one-man-and-everyone-says-oh-that-s-old-hat-that-s/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [I am not welcome in the New York City Pride Parade whatsoever. I am not welcomed, that has been made very clear to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santos/i-am-not-welcome-in-the-new-york-city-pride-parade-whatsoever-i-am/) [George Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santos/) > [“I see you on YouTube at a pride parade during the trial, I’m going to skin you both alive and use you as rugs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-gray/i-see-you-on-youtube-at-a-pride-parade-during-the-trial-i-m-going-to/) [J.R. Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-gray/) > [If you've been to a pride parade, you know it's a celebration of acceptance and inclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/if-you-ve-been-to-a-pride-parade-you-know-it-s-a-celebration-of/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [I have no problem with the Pride parade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-ford/i-have-no-problem-with-the-pride-parade/) [Doug Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-ford/) > [Pride, to me, is a celebration of the past because we have come such a long way from the very first Pride parade marking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-velour/pride-to-me-is-a-celebration-of-the-past-because-we-have-come-such-a/) [Sasha Velour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-velour/) ## More by Francisco Costa > [I like cold. I really like to go to cold towns. I love gray. I love winter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-like-cold-i-really-like-to-go-to-cold-towns-i-love-gray-i-love/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [I didn't even have a portfolio, but I went to Tom Ford the next morning. He said, "I'd love you to come in with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-didn-t-even-have-a-portfolio-but-i-went-to-tom-ford-the-next/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [My love of fashion stemmed from my mother's passion for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/my-love-of-fashion-stemmed-from-my-mother-s-passion-for-it/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [I drape a lot. I cut. I have to touch. For me, it's almost impossible to start without that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-drape-a-lot-i-cut-i-have-to-touch-for-me-it-s-almost-impossible-to/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [I came to New York in 1986. My father didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't know how I found it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-came-to-new-york-in-1986-my-father-didn-t-think-it-was-a-good-idea/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [Right after high school, I moved to Rio and took classes to become a technician for a manufacturing factory where you had to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/right-after-high-school-i-moved-to-rio-and-took-classes-to-become-a/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [All the Tauruses I know have this connection to the earth and the environment. We are very curious people, very loyal, very aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/all-the-tauruses-i-know-have-this-connection-to-the-earth-and-the/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [I don't listen to music when designing. We create in silence. I go through a torturous process because everything has to be precise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-don-t-listen-to-music-when-designing-we-create-in-silence-i-go/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [My mom. She was quite a character. Open-minded. It was a very small town, and she started her own business, manufacturing children's wear. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/my-mom-she-was-quite-a-character-open-minded-it-was-a-very-small-town/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [When people ask me what it is about Brazil and my work, it's not something that I can say literally. It's unidentifiable. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/when-people-ask-me-what-it-is-about-brazil-and-my-work-it-s-not/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [My mom, she was unbelievable. She ran the whole town. She was like the mayor. There would be 15 people eating at our lunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/my-mom-she-was-unbelievable-she-ran-the-whole-town-she-was-like-the/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [When I say art influences me, which it does, it's not at all in a literal form. You go and see exhibitions or collections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/when-i-say-art-influences-me-which-it-does-it-s-not-at-all-in-a/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [Each season I strive to design a forward-thinking and effortless collection with a very clean minimalist aesthetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/each-season-i-strive-to-design-a-forward-thinking-and-effortless/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [It's so hard to actually find that niche for yourself. It's like when Nicolas Ghesquiére found Balenciaga. I hate to sound esoteric, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/it-s-so-hard-to-actually-find-that-niche-for-yourself-it-s-like-when/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [My mother was very fashion-oriented, and she started a little children's wear business that became large in this little town. She used to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/my-mother-was-very-fashion-oriented-and-she-started-a-little-children/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) [Explore all 53 Francisco Costa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) ## More Aids quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I'm part of a team that raises millions of dollars and raises awareness of HIV and AIDS all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/i-m-part-of-a-team-that-raises-millions-of-dollars-and-raises/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [If you take all the food aid, America is by far the most generous country. If you take the direct aid, we're very generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-take-all-the-food-aid-america-is-by-far-the-most-generous/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I donated blood today. That's what I call getting an AIDS test.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-donated-blood-today-that-s-what-i-call-getting-an-aids-test/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The European talks of progress because by the aid of a few scientific discoveries he has established a society which has mistaken comfort for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/the-european-talks-of-progress-because-by-the-aid-of-a-few-scientific/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Women's Aid is a fantastic charity which has my full support. I am proud to call myself a Real Man, a man who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-fox/women-s-aid-is-a-fantastic-charity-which-has-my-full-support-i-am/) [Neil Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-fox/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [At the time when this famous historical battle was fought in Kosovo, the people were looking at the stars, expecting aid from them. 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