Celebrity AIDS Activism

Celebrities have played a large role in the history and development of HIV/AIDS activism and agenda setting, and still do to this day, as evidenced by this impressive list of celebrities who support AIDS organizations. During the 1980s and 1990s, celebrity activism around the issue took two distinct routes – supporting policy and research that would help combat the pandemic, and working to destigmatize and dispel the myths surrounding the virus. Bethina Abrahams notes that during the 1980s, celebrities:

did much to break down the stigma by not only supporting AIDS causes, but more importantly by dispelling the ignorance of the public. One important figure in this regard was Princess Diana of whom Bill Clinton said, “In 1987, when so many still believed that AIDS could be contracted through casual contact, Princess Diana sat on the sickbed of a man with AIDS and held his hand. She showed the world that people with AIDS deserve no isolation, but compassion and kindness. It helped change the world's opinion, and gave hope to people with AIDS.” Through public figures showing the error of commonly held beliefs, they not only contributed to the improved treatment of AIDS sufferers, but they also brought AIDS, a topic shrouded in taboo, into the public discourse.

The public announcements of celebrities like Rock Hudson in 1985 and Magic Johnson in 1991, helped to “give AIDS a face” (according to actress Morgan Fairchild). In the early 1990s, AIDS activism among celebrities not personally infected with the virus began to step up when Jeremy Irons donned a red ribbon at the 1991 Tony awards, a trend the continues at red carpet events to this day. The entertainment industry made a bold step towards destigmatizing AIDS with the production of Philadelphia in 1993, in which Tom Hanks plays a gay lawyer fired when his illness is discovered.

Celebrity activism surrounding AIDS, however, goes beyond personal revelation, symbolic gestures, and film production. Many celebrities have started their own AIDS foundations, including the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation -– which has purportedly donated over $8 million to support, prevention, and education organizations around the world -- the Elton John AIDS Foundation -- which provides similar grants and claims over $150 million in support of AIDS organizations. Bono has been particularly active on this issue, not only starting his own foundation – the Debt, AIDS, Trade Africa organization -- but also being instrumental in the organization of the star-studded Nelson Mandela AIDS Benefit in 2003 He has also been active in the ONE Campaign (www.one.org) to “Make Poverty History,” whose mission is large part has been dedicated to the AIDS pandemic.

Celebrities not involved in their own personal foundations become active on the AIDS issue in several other ways. Most simply donate to AIDS organizations, as evidenced by the Aids Project Los Angeles, which reports that over 80% of its funding comes from celebrities from the entertainment industry, often through “star-studded fundraisers.”

Others get involved in consumer activism. Mac cosmetics has introduced a line of lipsticks called Viva Glam that have been endorsed by celebrities such as Fergie and Mary J. Blige, the profits from which a portion go to non-profits supporting people living with AIDS. This is similar to the Product (RED) campaign launched in 2006 in part by Bono, the proceeds from which go to the UN Global Fund to fight AIDS.

Celebrities have also lent their names and faces to awareness-raising campaigns such as the I Am African campaign led by Keep a Child Alive. This campaign is composed of a series of headshots of famous actors and musicians decked out in “traditional” African garb and face paint, subtitled with “I am African.” According to the campaign website, the logic is that since we can all trace our heritage back to Africa – yes, even famous people – we should help to fight the AIDS pandemic that’s ravaging the continent.

Celebrities have been much criticized for their role in agenda setting and awareness-raising. Critics such as Deiter and Kumar argue that celebrities often hurt the issue by oversimplifying its causes and solutions and drawing attention away from more careful analysts. Daniel Drezner argues that activism often simply becomes just another part of a celebrity’s “brand,” and that it is used primarily as a way to increase his or her own publicity and income. Indeed, some of these critiques resonate with celebrity AIDS activism. Elton John does find room on his foundation website to advertise his recent tour, as well as his new ice cream flavor with Ben & Jerry’s, since some proceeds from ticket and ice cream sales go towards his foundation (thinking of where the remainder goes gives weight to Drezner’s argument). The causes and solutions to AIDS are often oversimplified in celebrity campaigns, reducing activism to the purchase of a lipstick or a donation of $1 per day, with very little discussion of structural issues that make the provision of health services so difficult regardless of the amount of money that is available. However, it is clear that celebrities have played a major role in the history of AIDS activism, and have at the very least helped immensely in educating the public, destigmatizing the illness, and reframing it as an issue of poverty and health care.