Elizabeth Taylor is remembered for her vocal support for AIDS research
Actor Elizabeth Taylor was one of the greatest film stars of the 20th century, with a career that spanned decades, but the LGBTIQA+ community also remembers her for her tireless efforts in building awareness about HIV and raising essential funds for research and support.
Taylor became involved in HIV/AIDS activism in the early 1980s, when AIDS was still a relatively unknown disease. She used her celebrity status and public platform to raise awareness and advocate for those affected.
In 1985, she helped establish the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), which remains one of the largest non-profit organizations dedicated to ending the AIDS epidemic.
A passionate advocate for people living with HIV, she frequently spoke out against the stigma and discrimination they faced. She also used her financial resources to support HIV/AIDS research and to provide care for those living with the disease.
In 1991, she established the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which has since raised millions of dollars for AIDS research and care.
One of Taylor’s most significant contributions to AIDS activism was her fearless determination to confront politicians and government officials about their lack of action on the epidemic.
In 1986, she testified before the U.S. Congress about the need for increased funding for AIDS research and care. Her testimony helped secure millions of dollars in federal funding for AIDS research and prevention.
Taylor is credited with persuading U.S. President Ronald Reagan to mention HIV/AIDS in a speech for the first time. He did so in 1987, after having never previously acknowledged the health crisis that began at the start of his presidency in 1981.
Taylor also publicly criticised Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton for not doing enough to tackle the AIDS crisis during their presidencies.
In addition to her advocacy work, Taylor used her acting career to raise awareness about AIDS. She starred in the 1985 film The Littlest Victims, which chronicled the impact of HIV/AIDS on children. She also appeared in a number of public service announcements and documentaries about the disease, including the Emmy Award–winning HBO film Project AIDS.
Taylor passed away on this day in 2011, aged 79.
Kellie-Jay Keen was doused with tomato juice in New Zealand
In 2023 self-described women’s rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen was doused in tomato juice at her Auckland event.
Keen’s tour of New Zealand came to a grinding halt when her appearance was overrun with protesters.
The British speaker who voices anti-transgender views had just completed a seven-city tour of Australia which had generated significant media coverage and controversy. At each of her appearances she had been significantly outnumbered by protesters. At her Melbourne event a group of masked neo-Nazi protesters stood adjacent to the event and made salutes.
Online Keen uses the moniker Posie Parker and makes YouTube videos documenting her opposition to people who are transgender, arguing against people having access to women only spaces, medical treatments and other rights.
At her Auckland appearance only a handful of supporters turned up, but there was an estimated crowd of 2,000 protesters, nearby counter protesters from a religious group held a rally, and a few people with neo-Nazi symbols and masks also appeared. Tensions quickly rose and Parker was forced to flee from the event without speaking.
As Keen arrived at the Rotunda in Albert Park she was doused with a litre of tomato juice, and soon afterwards she was drowned out by protesters who broke through barricades and surrounded the British provocateur. Before her open mic speaking event could be held Keen’s security took her through the crowd and police removed her from the area.
Hours later Keen cancelled the remainder of her New Zealand tour and jetted out of the country.
Eliana Rubashkyn, the protester who threw the juice over Keen, also hit another woman standing nearby. She was found guilty but discharged without punishment.
OIP Staff, this post was written with the assistance of AI technology.
