Elton John (b. March 25, 1940) and Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, Atlanta AIDS Walk, Atlanta, Georgi
Elton John (b. March 25, 1940) and Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, Atlanta AIDS Walk, Atlanta, Georgia, September 8, 1991. Photo by Dwight Ross Jr., @ajcnews. Sir Elton John, born Reginald Dwight, turns seventy today. John did near irreparable harm to his astonishing career when, in October 1976, he came out as bisexual during a Rolling Stone interview, proclaiming that “there’s nothing wrong with going to bed with somebody of your own sex.” After a comeback in the early 1980s, and a failed marriage to someone of the opposite sex, John came out as gay in 1988. Even before that, however, Elton John was one of the first superstars to dedicate substantial resources to the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In 1986, all profits from “That’s What Friends Are For,” his collaboration with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder, went to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. In April 1990, John sang at the funeral of Ryan White, a teenager who died from HIV/AIDS-related illness and who came to represent the disease for many Americans outside of the LGBT community. And, following the death of his friend Freddie Mercury, John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation, dedicated to funding programs for prevention of HIV/AIDS, elimination of discrimination of those living with HIV/AIDS, and for providing services to those living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The foundation has raised over $300 million to date. “I thank the Lord there are people out there like you.” – Elton John & Bernie Taupin, “Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters”#lgbthistory #lgbtherstory #lgbttheirstory #gay #bi #lesbian #trans #poz #pride #eltonjohn #happybday #gayancestors (at Piedmont Park) -- source link
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