Difference between revisions of "Global LGBTQ HIV/AIDS Activists"

Latest revision as of 13:11, 23 March 2024

The HIV/AIDS crisis has been a primary issue for the LGBTQ community from the late twentieth century to today. While it is a challenging one on many fronts, it has been embraced by the LGBTQ community as an important and defining part of its history that led to further refinements and sophistication of its collective activism.

The momentum forward in LGBTQ activism would face a major stumbling block in the 1980s: the emergence of an unusual and hitherto unknown aggressive form of cancer detected particularly in the gay community. By September 1982, the CDC had adopted the name Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as a label for this cancerous disease for which the patients all appeared to have no likelihood of resistance. Given the exponential rate of increase in reports of the disease and deaths of patients, the CDC in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health and a few LGBTQ health organizations (including New York’s Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) founded by writer and activist Larry Kramer in June) began more active and funded programs to warn LGBTQ individuals about the dangers posed to the community.

The fear amongst health workers (and other organizations such as police, firefighters, and funeral homes) to admit and properly treat victims of the disease led LGBTQ community activists to establish stand-alone AIDS clinics and chronic disease treatment centres around the world. The first of such was in 1982 when the Bailey-Boushay House in Seattle, Washington opened. Other countries followed suit, such as Australia with St. Vincent’s (1983), England with London Lighthouse (1986), Canada with Casey House (1988), and Scotland with Waverly Care (1989).

By the end of 1985, there were 20,303 cases worldwide reported to the World Health Organization. This grew to 71,750 cases by the end of 1987. At this stage, AIDS had become identified as a ‘gay disease’ and homophobia escalated. Thus began a series of more publicly visible actions by the LGBTQ community around the disease.

The momentum for this increased activism by the LGBTQ community was driven, in part, by the death around the world by AIDS of many high profile artists, writers, entertainers, and others, such as that of actor Rock Hudson in 1985 (he bequested $250,000 to formally establish the American Foundation for Aids Research (AMFAR)). Indeed, Rock Hudson’s death marked the turning point in government funding for AIDS research. It also marked the point at which straight allies joined the movement, such as Princess Diana of Great Britain and actor Elizabeth Taylor.

At that point, the general public began to relate to AIDS patients on an emotional and personal level. Rather than narrowly identifying AIDS patients as LGBTQ, the public began to relate to the patient as a human being. Public awareness and concern for the disease skyrocketed around the world. Politicians moved the AIDS issue to the top of the agenda on health and wellness issues.

AIDS activist Cleve Jones in the United States began the high-profile AIDS Memorial Quilt in 1986 wherein each panel of a quilt would memorialize an individual lost to AIDS. Some New York activists (led again by Larry Kramer) in 1987 formed a new organization called ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) to employ more direct action tactics to press for concrete plans to attack the disease and counter the homophobia it was generating. Identically named, or similar, organizations were formed in Paris, London (including Terrence Higgins Trust (1982), Stonewall (1989), OutRage (1990)), and Berlin. The notion was to transition the community from its portrayal as disease ‘victims’ into activist ‘experts’.

The first International AIDS Conference was held in Montreal in 1989, being a mix of activists and scientific medical practitioners. Today, medical advances have changed the AIDS disease from a death-sentence to a chronic illness in the developed world.

The concerns have shifted to its impact on the less-developed world, notably Africa and Asia. Notable LGBTQ activist organizations have been formed in these regions to address the same issues faced by western countries in the early stages of the disease. For example, Shivananda Khan founded the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) in the early 1990s to bring together governments, the United Nations organization, and civil society to address the health and social development agenda for the Asia and Pacific region on the issue of HIV-AIDS.

We have identified many individuals from around the world, both historical and contemporary, who have played or continue to play important roles in HIV/AIDS activism. Simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.

Algeria

• Yahia Zaidi, Abu Nawas

Australia

• Peter Aggleton, academic, researcher
• Neal Blewett, activist
• Michael Costello, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV/AIDS Project
• Georgie Harman, Bobby Goldsmith Foundation
• Brett Hayhoe, PLWHA VIC (People Living with HIV/AIDS Victoria)
• Michael Kirby, UNAIDS
• Paul Tanner, activist
• Ji Wallace, activist

Belgium

• Stijn Deklerck, filmmaker

Botswana

• Caine Youngman, BONELA

Brazil

• Alexandre Boer, SOMOS
• Luiz Mott, Grupo Gay da Bahia
• Renato Russo, rock group Urban Legion

Cameroon

• Joel Nana, African Men for Sexual Health and Rights (AMSHeR)

Canada

• Suhail Abu al-Sameed, activist
• Barry Adam, academic
• Frank Angelo, co-founder of MAC AIDS Fund
• Rick Bebout, AIDS Committee of Toronto
• Raymond Blain, politician and activist
• Bernard Rene Courte, activist
• Gordon Dunbar, activist
• Bill Flanagan, President, University of Alberta
• Richard Fung, artist
• Christian Hui, Canadian Positive People Network (CPPN)
• Carlos Idibouo, activist
• Ed Jackson, AIDS Committee of Toronto
• Peter Jepson-Young, Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation
• Murray Jose, People With AIDS Foundation
• El-Farouk Khaki, Muslim AIDS Project
• Bruno Laprade, COCQ AIDS
• Rene Lavoie, activist
• Roger LeClerc, Canadian AIDS Society
• Stephen Lewis, activist
• Gilles Marchildon, Action Positive VIH/SIDA
• Tim McCaskell, AIDS ACTION NOW
• Craig McClure, World Health Organization
• Svend Robinson, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
• Ron Rosenes, AIDS Committee of Toronto, AIDS Action Now!, Canadian Treatment Action Council
• Robert Tomas, People With AIDS Foundation
• Frank Toscan, co-founder of MAC AIDS Fund
• Catherine White Holman, activist
• Douglas Wilson, activist

Chile

• Raul Martinez Quiroz, Acciongay

China

• Zhou Dan, lawyer
• Geng Le, activist
• Didier Zheng, Chi Heng Foundation

Brazil

• Herbert Daniel, activist

El Salvador

• William Hernandez, Asociación Entre Amigos (Between Friends Association)

France

• Daniel Defert, AIDES
• Serge Dumont, Special Representative for UNAIDS, the joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS
• Didier Lestrade, activist
• Donald Potard, LINK
• Jean-Luc Romero, Right To Die With Dignity
• Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, activist

Germany

• Rosa Von Praunheim, activist

Great Britain

• Michael Brady, Terrence Higgins Trust
• Jonathan Cooper, Human Dignity Trust
• Derek Frost, AIDSARK
• Daniel Gerring, activist
• Ray Gosling, activist
• Matthew Hodson, GMFA (formerly Gay Men Fighting AIDS)
• Elton John, activist and philanthropist
• Bernard Lynch, activist
• Andrew Nicolls, Building Futures
• Jeremy Norman, Crusaid and AIDSARK
• Nick Partridge, Terrence Higgins Trust
• Dr Pepe, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital
• Iain Renwick, Crusaid
• Mark Santos, Positive East
• Peter Tatchell, UK AIDS Vigil Organisation (UKAVO)
• Simon Watney, activist

Greece

• Demetre Costas Daskalakis, Mount Sinai Hospital NYC

Guyana

• Joel Simpson, Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Carribean and Guyana

India

• Ashok Row Kavi, journalist
• Shivananda Khan, Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (ACOM), NAZ Foundation
• Bindumadhav Khire, Samapathik Trust
• Shabnam Mausi, activist
• Shaleen Rakesh, India HIV/AIDS Alliance, and Gates Foundation
• Roy Wadia, Heroes Project

Italy

• Franco Grillini, ARCIGay

Ivory Coast

• Carlos Idibouo, activist

Jamaica

• Robert Carr, International Council of AIDS Service Organisations (ICASO)

Laos

• Anan Bouapha, activist

Kenya

• David Kuria Mbote, activist

Mexico

• Ricardo Baruch, Youth Coordinator for the International AIDS Conference
• Enoe Uranga, United Nations Program on AIDS

Moldavia

• Alexei Marcicov, Precis Project

New Zealand

• Bill Logan, New Zealand AIDS Foundation
• Michael Parmenter, activist

Nigeria

• Bisi Alimi, Independent Project for Equal Rights-Nigeria
• Michael Ighodaro, activist
• Ifeanyi Orazulike, activist

Norway

• Turid Eikvam

Puerto Rico

• Moises Agosto
• Jorge Merced, activist

Russia

• Anton Krasovsky, The Foundation in support of people who live with HIV/AIDS Center.
• Valery Solaseav, Nunciare et Recreare, and Lasky

South Africa

• Zackie Achmat
• Edwin Cameron, law and Charter of Rights on HIV/Aids
• Simon Tseko Nkoli, activist
• John Pegge, activist

Spain

• Alberto Cardin

St. Lucia

• Kenita Placide, United Strong

Surinam

• Kenneth Van Emden, Surinam Men United

Trinidad & Tobago

• David Dk Soomarie, Community Action Resource (CARe).

Ukraine

• Zo­ryan Kis, Fulcrum

United States

• Ted Allen
• John-Manuel Andriote, journalist
• Walter Armstrong, POZ magazine
• Carl Bean, activist
• Brian Bond, activist
• Gregg Bordowitz, academic and documentary filmmaker
• Malcolm Boyd
• Bill Brochtrup, activist
• Randy Burns, Indian AIDS Project
• Patti Capouch
• Carmen Carrera, activist
• Michael Cavnaugh, HIV Experience Resources Organization
• Sam Champion
• Brad Crelia, Spokane AIDS Network
• Anne-Christine d’Adesky, journalist, documentary filmmaker and activist
• Tyler Curry, HIV Equal Online
• John D'Amico, Los Angeles County HIV Health Services Commission
• Dennis DeLeon, Latino Commission on AIDS
• Siddharth Dube, Yale University's Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS
• Justus Eisfeld, consultant and activist for the transgender community on HIV/AIDS
• David Feinberg, ACT UP
• Yvette Flunder, San Francisco Inter-religious Coalition on AIDS
• Larry Forester, Being Alive
• Twiggy Pucci Garcon, FACES NY
• Darlene Garner, Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry
• John Giorno, AIDS Treatment Project
• Neil Giuliano, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
• Griffin Gold
• Mike Gotlieb
• Jeff Graham, Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief (CAEAR) Coalition
• Jim Graham, politician
• Gina Guidi, activist
• Perry Halkitis, Dean of the Public School of Health, Rutgers University
• Mark Harrington, research scientist
• Thomas Healy, Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
• Marjorie Hill, Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Jody Huckaby, AIDS Action
• Rebecca Isaacs, AIDS Action
• Jack Jackson, Presidents Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
• Susan Jester, AIDS Walk San Diego
• Robb Johnson, Fenway Health
• Cleve Jones, San Francisco AIDS Foundation
• Abilly S. Jones-Hennin, AIDS education activist
• Tom Kalin, Gran Fury
• Paul Kelterborn, AIDS Memorial Park Coalition
• Larry Kramer, Gay Men's Health Crisis
• Wilfred Labiosa, MassEquality
• Richard Lafortune, National Native American AIDS Prevention Centre
• Nathan Lane, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
• Aaron Laxton, activist
• Kelsey Louie, CEO of Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC)
• Nancy Mahon, Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS
• Jeanne Marrazzo, Director of National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases
• Al McAffrey, politician
• Jamie McGonnigal, Founding Artistic Producer - World AIDS Day concerts
• Scott McPherson, Stigma Project
• Gregorio Millett, amFAR
• Toni Newman, Black AIDS Institute
• Patrick O'Connell, creator of the red ribbon
• Albert Ogle, religious activist
• John Preston, AIDS Project of Southern Maine
• Jirair Ratevosian, acting chief of staff to the United States Global AIDS Coordinator (2022-2023)
• Mary Jane Rathbun, activist
• Matt Redman, AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA)
• Floyd Rumohr, Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education
• RuPaul, entertainer
• Benjamin Schwimmer, D.E.M.A.N.D
• Carl Sciortino, Massachusetts' AIDS Action Committee
• Brad Sears, HIV/AIDS Legal Services Alliance of Los Angeles (HALSA) and HIV Legal Checkup Project
• Adrian Shanker, member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS since 2021
• Jeff Sheehy, activist
• Charlita Shelton, The Shanti Group
• Ron Simmons, Us Helping Us
• Mike Smith, AIDS Emergency Fund
• Peter Staley
• Terry Stone, Northwest AIDS Foundation
• Sean Strub, POZ magazine
• Sylvester
• Christopher Tepper
• Tom Tunney, City of Chicago Alderman
• Carmen Vazquez, New York State AIDS Institute
• Andy Velez, ACT UP
• Michael Weinstein
• Reggie Williams
• Pedro Zamora, actor

Venezuela

• Feliciano Reyna, Acción Solidaria

Zambia

• Paul Kasonkomona, activist

See Also

• LGBTQ Cancer Research and Support
• Transgender Activists
• Intersex Activists
• Bisexual Activists
• Early European LGBTQ Activists
• Feminist Activists Who Identify as Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender
• Animal Rights Activism and the LGBTQ Community
• Stonewall Icons
• Peace Activists Who Identify as LGBTQ
• Climate Change and Weather Experts from the LGBTQ Community
• Marriage Equality Advocates in the LGBTQ Community
• Race Activists in the LGBTQ Community
• Prominent Members of ACT UP
• Cannabis Legalization and the LGBTQ Community

Further Reading/Research

• https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/how-the-advent-of-aids-advanced-gay-rights/article20083869/
• https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michel-sidib/the-aids-response-owes-a-_b_1690157.html
• https://www.hivplusmag.com/treatment/2018/5/30/aids-activism-has-had-positive-effects

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