The opening of the Armorettes 40th Anniversary show. The Armorettes never intended to become the longest continually running drag troupe in the country, or even to be known as the comedy drag show that has raised more than $2.5 million for Atlanta HIV charities. They were formed in 1979 as a group of [...]
Richard King and Emil Matzner, 1982 My brother Richard smiles a lot. He has an easy laugh. But there was a time, years ago, when he held a poisonous drink in his hands and begged his dying lover not to swallow it. A time when Richard held the concoction they had prepared together [...]
The presenters of the HIV Survivor Monologues: Lillibeth Gonzales, Bryan Jones, Teresa Sullivan, Mark S. King, Rick Guasco, and Esther Ross. “What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?” -- Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Lion in Winter The 2018 United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), the HIV advocacy, education and networking behemoth produced [...]
Attendees at the "OUT WITH IT" pre-conference of AIDS2018 in Amsterdam. One of the great joys of my HIV/AIDS writing and video blogging over the years has been capturing the sights, sounds, and incredible people of the International AIDS Society’s (IAS) biannual conference. I’ve spent sleepless nights in hotel rooms everywhere from Vienna [...]
It’s no surprise to me that the two causes I am most passionate about, HIV and addiction -- the two issues that drive my activism -- are both things that my older brother, Richard “Dick” King, cared about first. He showed me the way. May 16th marked the third annual “National Honor Our LGBT Elders [...]
Jon, left, celebrates another victory. My friend Jon is a gracious winner, as well he should be. He has had a lot of practice. During the months we have been playing racquetball together, I have never won a game. Not one. I hate Jon so much. I like to play games I can [...]
The cast of Merce, the web series. Most people would walk away if the future seemed unclear and shut you out because they’re afraid. But I’m not. I’m right here. That’s what my love is for. My love will be your cure. -- “Your Cure,” an original song from season two of Merce [...]
Antron Reshaud Olukayode (photo: Rick Gore) This world lost a remarkable young man on November 12th, when Antron-Reshaud Olukayode, a 33-year-old HIV educator, writer, and performance artist from Atlanta died of AIDS. Antron lived with HIV for fifteen years. He died of AIDS. It is enormously important that we say that. His many [...]
Ben Platt and Eric McCormack in Will & Grace, The revived Will & Grace television comedy has some pithy things to say about aging as gay men and our need to create families where we find them. The producers of the show, which is already a hit with audiences and critics, seem to [...]
Takia (center) visits the Mr. Friendly booth at USCA with Dave Watt (left) and the PrEP Warrior (Erwin KiddFriendly Willhite). (WATCH: VIDEO BELOW) Hearing Takia tell me about her short journey with HIV – she tested HIV positive just a few months ago – was the easy part for me. She and I [...]
