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Rhetorical Analysis Of Mary Fisher's 'A Whisper Of AIDS'

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In 1992, Mary Fisher spoke to the Republican party about HIV/AIDS. During this time, there was little to no government funding for the research and treatment of HIV/AIDS. People who had the disease were criticized and cast out from society. A veil of hatred was around the disease due to the thought that the virus was punishment to homosexuals, because the community saw the most damage. Mary Fisher aimed to stop these stereotypes and bring educated awareness to the issue. Fisher uses powerful diction and word choice to bring the secretive disease into the light. Through her speech, “A Whisper of AIDS”, Fisher uses fear inducing logistics and powerful emotional images to sway her audience. She showed the world that the HIV virus does not strictly target homosexual men. People of all backgrounds are effected. Her speech brought about funding and increased …show more content…

Fisher uses evidence from history to further support her claim: “The lesson from history teaches this: If you believe you are safe, you are at risk.” By stating an idea from the past, she can show the audience that her claim is relevant and accurate in the present tense. The reference to history shows her audience that the idea actually occurred. She also uses the fact that she lives with HIV: “I am a female and contracted this disease in marriage”(Fisher). By saying this, she proves that she has an inside look on what it feels like to live with disease. She seems credible because she has a glimpse into the disease through personal experience. Fisher also uses the presence of political leaders to backup her claim: “No less compassionate than that of the president and Mrs. Bush.” Here, Fisher demonstrates the powerful support that she receives. By saying that the president shares the same views, more people will be compelled to listen, because of the major leader who also believes in the

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