From Greg Louganis to Keith Haring, there
have been thousands of impressive gay men who have lived with HIV. With
National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day just around the corner (held
annually on September 27), HIV Plus magazine’s September/October 2014 cover story, the publication’s largest cover
story ever, takes a look at 20 amazing gay men living openly and proudly
as HIV-positive individuals.
“While
there are many men who could have been on the list, these 20
individuals have shined bright as activists, entertainers, and
educators. They have contributed in the fight against HIV, as well as
the stigma surrounding it,” notes Diane Anderson-Minshall, editor in
chief of HIV Plus.
The “20 Amazing HIV-Positive Gay Men” include:
- Andy Bell –
Anyone who grew up in the 1980s and ‘90s knows the music of Erasure,
the chart-topping, award-winning two-man New Wave mega-band started by
Vince Clarke and Andy Bell nearly 30 years ago. In all they’ve sold 25
million albums and achieved more than 40 synth-fueled hit singles. And
through it all, musician Andy Bell has remained a powerful sex symbol
who happens to be HIV-positive.
- Sam Page –
With his classic surfer looks and a positive focus, lifestyle expert
Sam Page might look just like any other Southern California fitness
buff. But with a celebrity clientele that includes Florence Welch of
Florence and the Machine and a Zen-learner-meets-gay-Dr. Oz philosophy,
Page is anything but a typical Hollywood trainer. He’s been helping
other HIV-positive guys, including members of Being Alive and Life Group
LA.
- Douglas M. Brooks –
It was with much fanfare that President Obama appointed Douglas M.
Brooks, one of the nation’s foremost HIV and AIDS policy authorities, as
the director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy earlier
this year. He did so due to the impressive resume of Brooks, whose
experience, according to Obama, makes him “uniquely suited to the task
of helping to achieve the goal of an AIDS-free generation, which is
within our reach.”
- Cyon Flare –
Coming out as gay to your mom at 13 is tough for many kids, but not for
Cyon Flare. The 43-year-old performer says, “She knew, probably because
I was walking around in cha-cha heels by the time I was 5 years old. In
my family it was not labeled as a masculine or feminine thing…my mama
didn’t play that!” Now, the guy behind the Billboard hit “Everybody
Everybody” is back in the studio recording a new song called “Friendly
Love,” dedicated to an anti-stigma campaign that’s dear to his heart,
called Mr. Friendly.
- Ongina –
Ongina was one of the first reality TV stars to come out as
HIV-positive. The man behind the adorable drag persona disclosed his
diagnosis on season 1 of RuPaul’s Drag Race in a heart-wrenching
speech following a challenge victory. Since then he’s used his
popularity to make a difference in the world of prevention and testing,
and has a Web series called HIV + Me, in which he talks with people living with HIV about their experiences with the disease.
- Chris Richey –
Chris Richey’s journey with HIV has taken him to some unexpected places
– including the White House. Richey responded to the news of his status
first with shame, then with action, founding the Stigma Project the
following year with friend Scott McPherson. The Stigma Project is
dedicated to using social media campaigns in hopes of creating a world
that is “HIV neutral” – where there is no stigma attached to the virus –
and educating people on HIV prevention, to the point that someday the
world will be free of HIV and AIDS.
