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3.8l.1-.09zm6.41-19.6a9.78 9.78 0 01-6.91 2.3 8.92 8.92 0 01-6.3-2.9l-.2.1v14.6h3.8l9.7-14zm22.9 43.41l-8.8-6.91-2.71 2.7-1.3-1.29 3.1-3.21V39.4H671l-.2-.2 3.5-5.2h2.5v-6.7L687.41 16l.2.2V34h8l.2.2-3.5 5.2h-4.7v30.3l4.8 3.7 3.3-3.4 1.3 1.4z"></path></svg><span class="alic gray font-xxxxs font--body">Democracy Di Darkns</span></div></div><hear class="w-100" data-qa="ma-full"><div class="hi-for-prt"><div class="wpds-c-bHXelH wpds-c-kBYYkb wpds-c-bHXelH-fGHEql-maxWidth-fluid wpds-c-bHXelH-iiAiuHj-css"><nav class="wpds-c-hwIWrt wpds-c-hwIWrt-hIlwIL-alignment-left wpds-c-hwIWrt-eDNePg-cv flex overflow-hidn overflow-xscroll b bb mw-vw-100 grid-mobile-full-bleed" aria-label="Sectn" data-qa="sendary-nav" tabx="0"><div class="wpds-c-sertR"><a href=" data-qa="sendary-nav-primary-lk" class="wpds-c-bePrsO wpds-c-bePrsO-kTaxWV-font-meta wpds-c-bePrsO-hbKkTl-labelColor-black">Obuari</a><a class="wpds-c-bgVtfq wpds-c-jxcbnu wpds-c-bgVtfq-ecTIdS-variant-primary ml-md" href=" data-qa="sendary-lk">Search Death Notic<!-- --> </a><a class="wpds-c-bgVtfq wpds-c-jxcbnu wpds-c-bgVtfq-ecTIdS-variant-primary ml-md" href="" data-qa="sendary-lk">Place a ath notice<!-- --> </a><a class="wpds-c-bgVtfq wpds-c-jxcbnu wpds-c-bgVtfq-ecTIdS-variant-primary ml-md" href=" data-qa="sendary-lk">Requt a News Obuary<!-- --> </a></div></nav></div><div class="wpds-c-bHXelH wpds-c-kBYYkb wpds-c-bHXelH-erqBZw-maxWidth-md wpds-c-bHXelH-ihSmMVC-css"><nav class="wpds-c-hwIWrt wpds-c-hwIWrt-hIlwIL-alignment-left wpds-c-hwIWrt-eDNePg-cv flex overflow-hidn overflow-xscroll b bb mw-vw-100" aria-label="Sectn" data-qa="sendary-nav" tabx="0"><div class="wpds-c-sertR"><a href=" data-qa="sendary-nav-primary-lk" class="wpds-c-bePrsO wpds-c-bePrsO-kTaxWV-font-meta wpds-c-bePrsO-hbKkTl-labelColor-black">Obuari</a><a class="wpds-c-bgVtfq wpds-c-jxcbnu wpds-c-bgVtfq-ecTIdS-variant-primary ml-md" href=" data-qa="sendary-lk">Search Death Notic<!-- --> </a><a class="wpds-c-bgVtfq wpds-c-jxcbnu 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Stephen Pieters, who helped shift views on AIDS, di at 70</span></h1></div><h2 class="font--subhead font-light offblack mb-sm pb-xxs-ns subheadle" data-qa="subheadle" style="max-width:1000px">His 1985 terview, nducted by televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, was nsired a groundbreakg moment changg public perceptns on AIDS</h2><div class="flex prt-byle prt-mt-none"><div class="byle-wrapper flex-lumn flex"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ihSmMVC-css"><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css mb-xxs overriStyl" style="gap:0.5rem" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class="wpds-c-PJLV"><div class="flex ems-center" data-qa="thor-byle"><div class="mr-sm flex lh-0"><div class="wpds-c-iTcer"><img src=" alt="" class="wpds-c-dgBqAZ"/></div></div><span class="left"><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-ejzZdU-isLk-te">Brian Murphy</a></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ieEDlgV-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">July 11, 2023 at 5:59 p.m. EDT</span></div></div></div></hear></div><article class="grid-article mb-xxl-ns" data-qa="ma"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="450"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' xlk%3Ahref='data%3Aimage/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAGCAIAAACepSOSAAAACXBIWXMAAC4jAAAuIwF4pT92AAAAs0lEQVQI1wGoAFf/AImSoJSer5yjs52ktp2luJuluKOpuJefsoCNowB+kKaOm66grL+krsCnsMGrt8m1u8mzt8OVoLIAhJqzjZ2tnLLLnLHJp7fNmpyjqbPCqLrRjqO7AIeUn5ultaWtt56msaSnroZyY4mBgLq7wY6TmwCRfk2Pf1uzm2WulV+xmV6rmGyQfFm3nWSBcEIAfm46jX1FkH5Djn5AmodGo49MopBLlIRBfG8yj/dfjF5TUAAAAASUVORK5CYII='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E')" alt="" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="450" srcSet=" 400w, 540w, 691w, 767w, 916w, 1200w" siz="(max-width: 440px) 440px,(max-width: 600px) 691px,(max-width: 768px) 691px,(m-width: 769px) and (max-width: 1023px) 960px,(m-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1299px) 530px,(m-width: 1300px) and (max-width: 1439px) 691px,(m-width: 1440px) 916px,440px" dg="async"/></div><figptn class="ml-gutter mr-gutter mr-to-ns ml-to-ns font--subhead font-xxxs mt-xs left gray-dark">The Rev. Stephen Pieters and actrs Jsi Chasta, who won an Osr 2022 for her portrayal of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker the film “The Ey of Tammy Faye.” (Jam Frankl/Courty of the Rev. Steve Pieters Estate)</figptn></figure></div><div class="grid-body"><div class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-PJLV-hSmMVC-isLuf2-false"><div class="wpds-c-jUMcim wpds-c-jUMcim-ibVGacg-css hi-for-prt mb-sm"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ieDMgMI-css flex ems-center" nfig="[object Object]" data-qa="article-actns"><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div class="wpds-c-jmMNTu"><div role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Listen" data-ttid="listen-button" class="PJLV PJLV-ieXqgLD-css"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-kKAfCG wpds-c-bPOGbC"><path fill="currentColor" d="M12.29 3.88A6.13 6.13 0 0 1 14 8.24V11a3 3 0 0 1-3 3h-1V8h1a3 3 0 0 1 2 .78v-.54A5.118 5.118 0 0 0 8 3a5.12 5.12 0 0 0-5 5.24v.54A3 3 0 0 1 5 8h1v6H5a3 3 0 0 1-3-3 2.09 2.09 0 0 1 0-.5V8.24A6.13 6.13 0 0 1 8 2a6.13 6.13 0 0 1 4.29 1.88Z"></path></svg></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-uwUI">Listen</span><div class="wpds-c-jxWEMP">7 m</div></div></div></div><div class="wpds-c-mfMEg"><div class="wpds-c-kSOqLF wpds-c-hnjNCH wpds-c-kSOqLF-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-kSOqLF-biynoz-nsy-pact wpds-c-kSOqLF-hZSyid-isOutle-te wpds-c-kSOqLF-ejCoEP-in-left wpds-c-kSOqLF-futx-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-eNNUQD-cv wpds-c-hnjNCH-jGqLyO-cv"><div id="gift-share" data-ttid="gift-share" class="PJLV PJLV-ieGzigK-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-dTGBTO-placement-ActnBar foc-highlight"><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fBqPWp-idCxsxc-css " aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></button></div><span aria-hidn="te" class="wpds-c-fBEbFG">Share</span></div></div></div></div></div><div class="teaser-ntent grid-center"><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Deep to the AIDS crisis <b> </b>October<b> </b>1985, a proment Los Angel mister named Stephen Pieters traveled to a televisn stud for a satelle-lk terview<b> </b>that his iends begged him to avoid.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">On the other end was the Pentestal televangelist <a href=" target=_blank>Tammy Faye Bakker</a>, of the Charlotte-based PTL Televisn Network. Then at her peak, wh more than 13 ln viewers, she and her broadster hband, Jim, held great sway wh<b> </b>nservative Christian followers whose beliefs were seen as sharply at odds wh the gay muny and AIDS patients such as Rev. Pieters.</p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="db dn-ns mr-neg-gutter ml-neg-gutter mb-md hi-for-prt" data-qa="subscribe-promo"><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div><a class="pt-sm pb-sm flex ems-center bold font-xxxs font-xxs-ns jtify-center" href=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="lor:#166dfc;borr:none"><svg class="ntent-box" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns=" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>Wp</tle><path d="M11.055 8.728l-1.018-1.019-.782.782v6.292l1.782 1.564.018-.019v-7.6zm-4.11.236L5.674 7.71l-.836.855v6.237l1.545 1.327.564-.636V8.964zm2.656 9.074l-2.528-2.182-1.927 2.182-2.619-2.255v-3.564h-.509c-.454 0-.672.273-.745.636H1.09a2.89 2.89 0 0 1-.091-.69c0-.473.2-1.71 1.527-1.71V7.691c0-1.073-.709-1.127-.709-2.054 0-1.037.982-2 2.782-2.637l.164.145c-.6.291-1.09.655-1.09 1.437 0 1.2 1.163.89 1.163 2.782v.727l2.127-2.236 2.237 2.2 2.109-2.2 2.036 2v6.728l-3.745 3.455zm11.108-9.625l-1.073-.982-.964 1.018v6.6c.855.11 1.491.4 2.019.964l.018-.018V8.413zm-2.382.418l-.528.545v10.237l.528.492V8.83zm1.49 9.055c-.308-.382-.69-.709-1.145-.836v3.782l-.036.018-1-.927-2.11 1.945-.036-.018V16.96c-.636.145-1.327.545-1.854 1.2l-.146-.091c.127-1.4.818-2.436 2-2.837v-3.545h-.382c-.527 0-.89.363-.963.763h-.219c-.054-.145-.127-.381-.127-.836 0-.891.6-1.564 1.582-1.564h.11V8.085l-.655-.582-.51.51-.254-.237 2.018-2.073 1.71 1.564V9.05l.527-.564v-2.09h.345v1.727l2.273-2.419L23 7.576v7.91l-3.182 2.4z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg><span class="mr-xs ml-xs gray-darkt flex ems-center">Get the full experience.<span class="ml-xs subs-theme blue">Choose your plan</span></span><svg class="ntent-box" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" xmlns=" style="fill:#166dfc" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img"><tle>ArrowRight</tle><path d="M7.664 1.25l6 6a1 1 0 010 1.414l-6 6L6.25 13.25 10.499 9H2V7h8.585L6.25 2.664 7.664 1.25z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></a><div data-orientatn="horizontal" role="separator" class="wpds-c-dbVHzF wpds-c-dbVHzF-hDkAcj-variant-flt"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It would wreck my reputatn as a liberal gay activist preacher,” Rev. Pieters, who died July 8 at 70,<b> </b>relled beg told. But the 25-mute segment beme a watershed public perceptns about AIDS. Rev. Pieters also emerged as an eloquent and natnally renowned spokman for those facg AIDS, which at the time was nsired not only a likely ath sentence but also put patients at high risk for experiencg shame and huiatn.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The terview, however, almost didn’t happen. When he was approached by producers for the show “Tammy’s Hoe Party,” Rev. Pieters offered to e to the Charlotte stud. Bakker’s team sent plane tickets, but then lled to ncel.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rev. Pieters often spoke to the media Los Angel at outdoor venu to migate worri of close ntact at a time when many people had qutns about how HIV was spread. Wh the Bakker terview, he believed that the crew did not want him the buildg. An agreement was ma for the satelle lk. He saw the show as a chance to discs AIDS and spirualy before an dience he would normally never enunter.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">To his surprise — braced for the possibily she would “pounce” on him over his sexualy — Bakker showed empathy om the begng. She asked about Rev. Pieters’s path to g out, and he talked about his relig fah. She raised the public’s dread and misunrstandgs of AIDS.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Did some people even fear “to breathe the same air you breathe?” she asked.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Y, Tammy, that happens. I was asked not to e the bathroom somebody’s hoe,” he said. “I remember gog to a party once where every time I fished my soft drk the host took the glass to the kchen … and steam cleaned .”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Near the end of the terview, Bakker looked to the mera. “How sad that we as Christians, who are to be the salt of the earth and are supposed to be able to love everyone, are aaid so badly of an AIDS patient that we will not go up and put our arms around them and tell them that we re,” she said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The stud dience appld. It brought praise but also fierce nunciatns om the relig right. (The terview was 18 months before Prcs Diana ma world headl 1987 for visg AIDS patients.)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Your urage dog this terview is brgg me to life,” Rev. Pieters said at the end of the terview. “It’s givg me life.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Bakker, one act of outreach, shattered the belief that all evangelils were enemi of gays and lbians and began her transformatn as one of the few proment figur om Bible Belt TV seekg nnectns to the LGBTQ+ muny.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“It really rocked the nservative Christian muny and kd of rocked the gay and lbian muny as well,” said Rev. Pieters.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The terview and s cultural fallout were troduced to a new generatn 2021 wh the film, “The Ey of Tammy Faye,” starrg Jsi Chasta an <a href=" target=_blank>Osr-wng</a> performance as Bakker and Randy Havens as Rev. Pieters. In October 2022, the <a href=" target=_blank>mil </a>“Tammy Faye” opened London wh songs posed by Elton John, and wh the Bakker-Pieters terview as one of the pivotal scen.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I’ve had any number of people e up to me through the years and say that my terview wh Tammy Faye saved their liv or helped them to realize they uld be gay and Christian,” Rev. Pieters <a href=" target=_blank>told</a> the Guardian 2021, “and turned them around and ma them realize they had to e out.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rev. Pieters’s own health stggl beme sourc of hope and medil study. He was “patient No. 1” 1985 for an anti-viral dg,<a href=" target="_blank"> suram</a>, to treat HIV, the vis that AIDS, or Acquired Immunoficiency Syndrome. Suram was abandoned for treatment bee of high toxicy. But Rev. Pieters’s 39-week trial offered sights to <a href=" target="_blank">antiretrovis therapy</a>, which beme the standard treatment for HIV.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Doctors gave Rev. Pieters a grim prognosis 1984 when he veloped Kaposi’s sara, sk lns often lked to HIV fectn, and stage-four lymphoma. “I wouldn’t see 1985,” he relled as one doctor’s predictn. The Kaposi’s and lymphoma went to remissn durg the suram trial, but his overall health still fluctuated wildly over the s.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">By the late 1980s, Rev. Pieters had stabilized enough to rume rol cludg field director for the AIDS mistry at the Universal Fellowship of Metropolan Communy Church the Los Angel area. He joed the <a href=" target=_blank>Gay Men’s Chos </a>of Los Angel the bass sectn, performg New York, Mosw and other plac until recent years.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In 1990, he appeared as himself the<a href=" target=_blank> play</a> “AIDS US/II” Los Angel. Three years later, Rev. Pieters was a gut at the first AIDS <a href=" target=_blank>Prayer Breakfast</a> at the Whe Hoe, hosted by Print Bill Clton.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“I have been amazed at how those 25 mut I spent wh Tammy Faye have reverberated … more than almost anythg else I’ve done,” Rev. Pieters once said.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="POPVEV52AVE2RAY6E7RVSRL4G4"><div>Never met Tammy Faye</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Albert<b> </b>Stephen Pieters was born Lawrence, Mass., on Aug. 2, 1952, and raised nearby Andover, where his father was chairman of the mathematics partment at <a href=" target=_blank>Phillips Amy</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rev. Pieters graduated om Phillips and received a bachelor’s gree speech at Northwtern Universy 1974. Two years later, he joed the Good Shepherd Parish Metropolan Communy Church Chigo and began a reer mistry.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">He received a master’s divy gree 1979 om McCormick Theologil Semary Chigo. He then beme pastor of the Metropolan Communy Church of Hartford, Conn., and began programs for the gay muny. (He received a master’s gree clil psychology om Antch Universy 2003.)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In April 1982, Rev. Pieters began experiencg the symptoms of what is now known as HIV. He rigned om his posn Hartford and moved to Los Angel.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">A few months after the Bakker terview, Rev. Pieters was aga severely ill. “I went bld, and I wasted away to nothg,” he <a href=" target=_blank>relled</a> on the BBC podst “Thgs Fell Apart.” He said he listened to a song on Bakker’s 1985 <a href=" target=_blank>album</a> “Tammy” lled “Don’t Give Up (On the Brk of a Miracle).”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Later that year, he was the featured speaker at the first AIDS Project Los Angel benef. His wrgs clu two <a href=" target=_blank>memoirs</a>, “I’m Still Dancg” (1991) and “Love is Greater Than AIDS: A Memoir of Survival, Healg, and Hope,” schled to be published next year.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Survivors clu a brother, said a fay spokman, Harlan Boll, who announced the ath. Rev. Pieters died at a hospal Los Angel om an fectn.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rev. Pieters never met Tammy Faye Bakker person. (Jim Bakker was <a href=" target=_blank>nvicted </a> 1989 of crim related to illegally steerg donatns to pay for the uple’s lavish liftyle; they divorced while he was prison.)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Rev. Pieters did, however, bee iends wh the Bakkers’s son, Jay. He once scribed to Rev. Pieters how his mother took part a Pri para, where she broke to a Christian song.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><b>“</b>She had them all sgg along,” Rev. Pieters said, “and I would have loved to have seen that.”</p></div><div class="wpds-c-ipATMk wpds-c-ipATMk-hCiGAB-removeMobileStyl-te"><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css overriStyl"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg><div class="PJLV wpds-c-kwcHlj">Share</div></div></button></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css"><div></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css"><div></div></div><sectn class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css dn-ns hi-for-prt" data-ttid="mostRead" subscriptns-sectn="ntent"><div data-ttid="lazy-most-read-parent" class=""><div style="m-height:800px"></div></div></sectn><div class="PJLV PJLV-ickXkbz-css"><div data-qa="newsletter" class="hi-for-prt relative"><div class="dib w-100"><div><div class="flex jtify-center align self-center center transn-all duratn-400 ease--out" data-qa="sc-newsletter-signup" aria-label=""><svg aria-labelledby="react-aria-1-aria" role="img" viewBox="0 0 100 80"><tle id="react-aria-1-aria">Loadg...

gay choir aids

There is no performg group town that has been more affected by the AIDS crisis than the Gay Men's Chos of Los Angel.

Contents:

DO A POIGNANT PHOTO OF GAY MEN'S CHOIR SHOW DEVASTATG IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS?

Sce 1981, more than 300 members of the San Francis Gay Men's Chos have died of HIV/AIDS. * gay choir aids *

ContextThe photograph shows 115 members of the San Francis Gay Men's Chos wh their backs turned to the mera, reprentg the former members of the choir who have died of HIV/AIDS, wh seven foundg members of the choir facg the mera. In September 2021, a poignant photograph clud a popular Redd post appeared to illtrate the vastatg impact of the HIV/AIDS epimic on the gay muny, pecially the 1980s.

SOBERG BLACK-AND-WHE IMAGE OF A GAY MEN’S CHOIR REMDS OF LOSS OF LIFE DURG AIDS EPIMIC

A powerful image of a San Francis men’s classil choir shows how the 1980s epimic vastated the gay muny." name="scriptn * gay choir aids *

That photograph is thentic, and is a heart-breakg illtratn of the ath and stctn that the HIV/AIDS epimic has levied upon the gay muny over the years, pecially the 1980s. Sce then, the number of former members of the San Francis Gay Men's Chos (SFGMC) who have died om HIV/AIDS-related illns has outstripped the number of current performers — an even more poignant reflectn of the vastatg impact of the epimic on the choir self, and the gay muny more broadly.

The San Francis Gay Men's Chos, May 1993 Demonstratg the impact of AIDS to the members of the chos (Photo by Eric Le/San Francis Chronicle via Getty Imag). “Gay Men’s Chos Carri on / A Quarter-Century after the Start of the Epimic, the Group Has Suffered the Deaths of 257 Members.

A rurfaced photo on social media shows the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos, the world’s first openly gay choir and one of the world’s largt male chos, and s harrowg history wh the AIDS the now-viral portra, the majory of the men are drsed black, some sgers whe reprent the remag livg members of the origal choir, while those black reprent those lost to Stan Hill, the choir’s nductor om 1989 to 2000, lls the epimic era “the world of tim”, and says he spent every Wednday and Sunday visg sick members hospal. A powerful ptn above the photo of the San Francis Gay Men’s Chos on Facebook, reads: “Remember this when people say the gay muny survived the epimic.

THE BTERSWEET SONG OF THE GAY MEN’S CHOS : AIDS HAS TAKEN S TOLL ON THE GROUP AND, IRONILLY, GIVEN NEW LIFE

* gay choir aids *

There is no performg group town that has been more affected by the AIDS crisis than the Gay Men’s Chos of Los one here to gui you, now you’re on your ownOn a recent Sunday the 120-member chos stood on a makhift stage a Wt Hollywood dis, sgg Stephen Sondheim’s “No One Is Alone. “Origally, we jt wanted to have an anizatn where gay men uld meet outsi a bar suatn and be an atmosphere of mutual support, ” he said.

A -founr of a gay chos Chigo, Carlson took over as nductor of the lol group and steered toward a more profsnal sound. But when the associatn found out jt what kd of group had won, tried to whdraw the by the Amerin Civil Liberti Unn, the Gay Men’s Chos brought su agast the associatn and the associatn gave , extendg the Bailey, chairman of the mic partment at Pomona College and formerly head of the Instute of Sacred Mic at Yale Universy, was the dience, hearg the chos for the first time.

BLACKS, GAYS AND THE CHURCH: A COMPLEX RELATNSHIP

Wh humor, urage and hard-earned wisdom, the activist and Gay Men's Chos stalwart remas a lear and spiratnal figure for LGBTQ+ muni. * gay choir aids *

You sg at memorial servic and you see what this chos means to the gay muny at a time when we are beg heavily asslted om a variety of viewpots.

“I uldn’t work anymore and so I was jt stg around the apartment, takg my pills and gettg prsed, ” he said, takg a seat on the pat outsi the rehearsal brother persuad him to try out for the gay chos.

A gay men's choir member has shared his experience of losg close iends to AIDs the 1980s, as his chos releas a track payg tribute to them. | ITV News Wal * gay choir aids *

”It was a time when gay, bisexual and transgenr people were often monized, and HIV/AIDS was shroud fear and silence. But through his work wh the AIDS Project Los Angel — and wh a boost om a legendary live terview wh televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker — Pieters beme a natnal spokperson and a rallyg figure for AIDS awarens and gay polil last year, Pieters and other gay men have been phg back agast the stigmas associated wh a new illns, mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.

”Pieters allud to those paful parallels while acceptg the Humanarian Voice Award through the Gay Men’s Chos of Los Angel Augt. “He’s been honored by so many different groups, but this was different bee he was beg honored by his iends and the people who’ve been there for him for years, ” said Alison Arngrim, who met Pieters the mid-1980s while her hband, Robert Pl Schoonover, volunteered for AIDS Project Los Angel, after wnsg the late ‘70s were a great time to be gay, Pieters Milk had bee the first openly gay man to be elected to public office California.

He uldn’t figure out how they uld he met a group of gay pastors om Chigo’s Metropolan Communy Church, a nomatn found the late 1960s exprsly to mister to LGBTQ+ Christians, the natn’s primarily LGBTQ+ Christian nomatn, and found his home.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY CHOIR AIDS

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C15.0966667,4.66666667 4.66666667,15.12 4.66666667,28 C4.66666667,40.88 15.0966667,51.3333333 27.9766667,51.3333333 C40.88,51.3333333 51.3333333,40.88 51.3333333,28 C51.3333333,15.12 40.88,4.66666667 27.9766667,4.66666667 Z M28,46.6666667 C17.6866667,46.6666667 9.33333333,38.3133333 9.33333333,28 C9.33333333,17.6866667 17.6866667,9.33333333 28,9.33333333 C38.3133333,9.33333333 46.6666667,17.6866667 46.6666667,28 C46.6666667,38.3133333 38.3133333,46.6666667 28,46.6666667 Z M29.1666667,16.3333333 L25.6666667,16.3333333 L25.6666667,30.3333333 L37.9166667,37.6833333 L39.6666667,34.8133333 L29.1666667,28.5833333 L29.1666667,16.3333333 Z" /> </g> </g></svg></i><time class="iCsJz _0Z4Oc" dateTime="2021-08-25T17:12:44Z" data-ttid="date-time">Wednday 25 Augt 2021 at 6:12pm</time></div></li></ul></div></hear><div class="_074l4 cp_grid__em" data-ttid="article-body"><div class="_8xmX9 f85xC A8Lwr" data-ttid="embed-brightve"><div data-ttid="player-overlay"><picture data-ttid="poster-image" class="cp_picture dUTNY"><source type="image/avif" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 1280px)"/><source type="image/avif" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 1024px)"/><source type="image/avif" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 768px)"/><source type="image/avif" srcSet="><source type="image/webp" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 1280px)"/><source type="image/webp" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 1024px)"/><source type="image/webp" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 768px)"/><source type="image/webp" srcSet="><source type="image/eg" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 1280px)"/><source type="image/eg" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 1024px)"/><source type="image/eg" srcSet=" media="(m-width: 768px)"/><source type="image/eg" srcSet="><img class="cp_picture__img" src="></picture><button class="_5ZKtN"><i class="cp_in cp_in__play-news-short-form EhtER lXUL6 cp_in--ctom-size" aria-hidn="false"><svg width="15" height="20" viewBox="0 0 15 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-label="Play Brightve vio" role="img"><tle>Play Brightve vio</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M0.542124 0.110987C0.875033 -0.0604726 1.27584 -0.031568 1.5807 0.185886L14.5807 9.45861C14.8479 9.6492 15.0046 9.95875 14.9999 10.2869C14.9952 10.6151 14.8299 10.9201 14.5574 11.103L1.55738 19.8303C1.2507 20.0361 0.85551 20.0562 0.529562 19.8824C0.203615 19.7087 0 19.3694 0 19V1C0 0.625535 0.209216 0.282447 0.542124 0.110987Z" fill="whe"/></svg></i></button></div><vio-js data-acunt="2821697655001" data-player="B1J9ApOVZ" data-embed="flt" ntrols="" data-vio-id="6269470460001" data-playlist-id="" data-applitn-id="" class="_4h-ua"></vio-js></div><ul class="xhBdb" data-ttid="list"><li class="t9HgO" data-ttid="list-em"><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX"><strong class="_1ATDh">Vio report by ITV Wal News reporter Mike Griffhs</strong></p></li></ul><hr/><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">A gay men's choir member has shared his experience of losg close iends durg the AIDS epimic the 1980s.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">Sger Nigel Lewis, 63, om Bridgend, relled how many of those diagnosed endured prejudice, discrimatn and even rejectn by their fai and iends.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">It as the South Wal Gay Men's Chos releas a new track payg tribute to all those Wal who died of the vis.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">Globally, around 35 ln people have died om AIDS sce the 1980s.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">The song drew spiratn om the 'Red Ribbon' AIDS Memorial Tree Gorsedd Park, Cooper's Field, Cardiff.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">Nigel remembers the tree beg planted 1994 by Cardiff man Mike Phillips and his iend Mart Nowaczek.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"Mike is now his fifti havg lived wh HIV for many years, but Mart died, aged jt 27, not long after the young saplg was planted," he said. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"It is now a fully mature tree. The ia was always that would be a place where people uld e and remember lost loved on and on World AIDS Day red ribbons are tied to the tree their honour."</p><ul class="xhBdb" data-ttid="list"><li class="t9HgO" data-ttid="list-em"><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX"><a class="qNUzV q7LZa" data-ttid="next-lk-anchor" href="/news/2021-02-02/how-have-attus-changed-towards-the-lgbt-muny-sce-the-1980s-aids-crisis"><span class="n6NlI">How have attus changed towards the LGBT+ muny sce the 1980s AIDS crisis?</span></a></p></li></ul><figure class="A8Lwr m-O"><div class="cp_placeholr"></div><figptn class="Ya3u6 SilLI" data-ttid="ptned-picture-ptn">The ernment produced awarens mpaigns to try and bat the spread of the vis.<span class="mjYl8"> Cred: <!-- -->PA Imag</span></figptn></figure><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">Nigel ti a ribbon for his own lost iends, cludg neighbour Graham Fleetwood, who Nigel only disvered had been diagnosed wh AIDS when he saw him at the lol hospal.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"I had gone there to get tted, which I still do regularly to this day," he explaed.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"I saw Graham stg the wag room. I asked how he was and he said 'not good Nige, I've got AIDS'. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"It was such a terrible shock. I had no ia. He said no one knew and he ma me promise not to tell anyone. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"I uld see the sense of lonels and isolatn was agonisg and that was addn to the vis self.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"He only lived across the street and I'd had no ia what he mt have been gog through. He was such a lovely, quiet, unassumg man. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"When was his 50th birthday I took him a ke. I told him if ever he need anythg to ll me any time, don't hate, but not long after he was gone."</p><ul class="xhBdb" data-ttid="list"><li class="t9HgO" data-ttid="list-em"><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX"><a class="qNUzV q7LZa" data-ttid="next-lk-anchor" href="/news/wal/2021-01-25/-led-to-more-aths-s-a-s-wrer-ssell-t-davi-par-silence-of-aids-crisis-wh-vid"><span class="n6NlI">It's A S wrer Rsell T Davi par 'silence' of AIDS crisis wh Covid</span></a></p></li></ul><figure class="A8Lwr m-O"><div class="cp_placeholr"></div><figptn class="Ya3u6 SilLI" data-ttid="ptned-picture-ptn">The 'Red Ribbon' AIDS Memorial Tree was planted 1994 Gorsedd Park.<span class="mjYl8"> Cred: <!-- -->South Wal Gay Men's Chos</span></figptn></figure><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">'This Tree, This Man' is one of 10 songs on a new chary album, wh refuge Cardiff, re home rints Angley, school pupils Gwynedd and re leavers Swansea also takg part.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">Jordan Price Williams, one of five micians volved the project supported by Live Mic Now Wal, said lockdown brought extra challeng.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">He said: "In one way echoed some of the anxieti and fears that were ever prent durg the height if the AIDS crisis. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"But of urse there were stark differenc too. The termatn of the whole world to throw everythg possible at fightg COVID-19 was not there wh AIDS. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"In many quarters seems there was almost an attempt to bsh the vis off as a 'gay disease' which didn't really affect the wir muny."</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">Jordan nfsed that until workg on the project he had not fully appreciated what prev generatns had endured.</p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"As a younger man livg a more tolerant era we enjoy legal rights and eedoms which were simply not there the seventi and eighti. </p><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX">"It is only through talkg to some olr members of the chos that I have gaed a greater unrstandg of how much they suffered and the isolatn the men felt."</p><ul class="xhBdb" data-ttid="list"><li class="t9HgO" data-ttid="list-em"><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX"><a class="qNUzV q7LZa" data-ttid="next-lk-anchor" href="/news/wal/2021-02-08/s-a-s-the-welsh-woman-who-spired-the-h-aids-drama"><span class="n6NlI">It's A S: The Welsh woman who spired the h AIDS drama</span></a></p></li></ul><p class="A8Lwr BVYCX"></p></div><footer data-ttid="article-footer"><div class="cQTzz C04KI" data-ttid="tag-list"><ul class="fHh0w"><li class="Jp5fE"><div class="aqX0o"></div><div data-ttid="tag" class="_6DWPQ xp9pO"><a class="HPL4j" data-ttid="tag-lk" href="/news/wal"><span data-ttid="tag-text">Wal</span></a></div></li><li class="Jp5fE"><div class="aqX0o"></div><div data-ttid="tag" class="_6DWPQ xp9pO"><a class="HPL4j" data-ttid="tag-lk" href="/news/topic/aids"><span data-ttid="tag-text">Aids</span></a></div></li><li class="Jp5fE"><div class="aqX0o"></div><div data-ttid="tag" class="_6DWPQ xp9pO"><a class="HPL4j" data-ttid="tag-lk" href="/news/topic/choir"><span data-ttid="tag-text">Choir</span></a></div></li></ul></div></footer></ma><div class="aREli"><span class="_803Oh M2cyI"></span><div class="p73fc"><div class="AFGSz M2cyI"><span class="_3N564 M2cyI"></span><div class="nKJfd"><span class="vJbUG M2cyI"></span><span class="vJbUG 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