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| Elizabeth Taylor 1932 - 2011 |
A lot will be written in the coming days about the life of actress, humanitarian and philanthropist Elizabeth Taylor, who died in Los Angeles this morning at age 79.
Aside from her stunning beauty, I will remember her tireless work for AIDs research as co-founder of AmFAR (American Foundation for AIDs Research) and founder of ETAF (Elizabeth Taylor AIDs Foundation) both of which have raised well over an estimated $300 million.
From the start of the epidemic, she was an outspoken advocate for AIDs/HIV sufferers in an atmosphere of fear and loathing for it's victims. I remember well back in the late 80's, the difficulty my aunt had finding a funeral parlor to take my cousin's body- an AIDs victim- in New York City, no less. AIDs was a dirty word back then.
But Taylor spoke out early and spoke out loud. Raised awareness, educated the public. And raised a helluva lot of money.
She was also a fine actress.
Among her memorable performances, I loved her in the movies Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and the cheesy BUtterfield 8 (1960), both which earned her Best Actress Academy Awards.
Did you know she was Jewish? I found this interesting piece about her conversion to Judaism in a blog called Hollywood Judaism. With this excerpt of a quarrel she had with spouse Richard Burton:
“You’re not Jewish at all,” he told Elizabeth in one of their very public fights, “If there’s any Jew in this family, it’s me!”
“I am Jewish,” she answered, “and you can fuck off!”
Ha! You told him! What a gal.
Bold. Brave. Beautiful. Kind.
R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor.
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Elizabeth Taylor began her work as a spokesperson and fundraiser in the struggle against AIDS in the early 1980s. A mysterious virus had appeared in the community, a fatal illness of unknown origin that sent shockwaves of fear across the nation. Great stigma accompanied this fear, and Miss Taylor's determined outspokenness was indeed controversial.
Miss Taylor’s work began with fundraising for an AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) dinner, the first major AIDS benefit ever held. This support marked the debut of her public commitment to raising funds and awareness for AIDS.
In 1985, Miss Taylor joined with Dr. Mathilde Krim and a small group of physicians and scientists to form the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). As amfAR’s Founding National Chairman, she used her celebrity to take the issue of HIV/AIDS to the mainstream media.
Miss Taylor became a potent force in mobilizing the entertainment, arts and fashion communities to step up their initiatives in connection with AIDS, traveling extensively to speak at conferences, concert venues and benefit events around the globe. She testified before Congress to ensure Senate support for the Ryan White CARE Act, spoke before the National Press Club, and addressed the General Assembly at the United Nations on World AIDS Day.
In October 1991, Miss Taylor established The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). With a focus on direct services for people living with AIDS, ETAF provides funding to AIDS service organizations throughout the world to assist those living with HIV and AIDS.
Since its inception, the Foundation has raised funds for HIV/AIDS service organizations throughout the world, providing critically needed support services and prevention education.
Bless you, Ms. Taylor.
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