by Mark S. King | Jul 7, 2015 | Book Review, Family and Friends, Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease, News
“We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?” — Marianne Williamson The first time I met Amy Ferris, several years ago, she cupped my jawline in her hands and gave me a kiss full on the lips....
by Mark S. King | Apr 15, 2015 | Gay Life, Living with HIV/AIDS, Meth and Recovery, My Fabulous Disease, News
ACT UP has always intimidated me. In the 1980’s, while working at LA Shanti to provide emotional support to those dying of AIDS, I doubted my activist cred while watching the dramatic, inspiring actions of ACT UP. Everyone has a role to play, of course, but I so...
by Mark S. King | Mar 20, 2015 | Family and Friends, Gay Life, Living with HIV/AIDS, My Fabulous Disease
It wasn’t easy keeping my composure when I interviewed for my first job for an AIDS agency in 1987. Sitting across from me was Daniel P. Warner, the founder of the first AIDS organization in Los Angeles, LA Shanti. Daniel was achingly beautiful. He had brown eyes as...
by Mark S. King | Feb 17, 2015 | Family and Friends, Gay Life, My Fabulous Disease, Prevention and Policy
My fear of all things anal began when I was an early teen. My older brother David took great delight in bursting into our bathroom to startle me, especially if I was on the john. And, since I was a pubescent redhead, his sudden visits included a lot of laughing and...
by Mark S. King | Jan 28, 2015 | Book Review, Family and Friends, Gay Life, Living with HIV/AIDS, Meth and Recovery, My Fabulous Disease, Prevention and Policy
Before my interview with activist Sean Strub, author of Body Counts: A Memoir of Politics, Sex, AIDS, and Survival, let me share a revealing story. It was late 2011 and my life was in shambles. The breakup of a long term relationship had sent me into a spiral,...