Aids is going to lose ! there is much controversy and misinformation 30 years after it was first discovered .Back in 1982, I didn’t know how to react when my friend David told me he had ‘the gay disease” . My heart sunk, and to make matters worse, i didn’t know if I could hug him,breath the same air,and neither did he for the first few years.When we found out more…..it meant a lot to kiss our brothers on the lips to show them we were not ignorant , afraid , and refused to treat them like lepers as our govt. did. David  always smiled in public and kept his stories upbeat ,but as a 18 year old , i didn’t know how to deal with death and am ashamed to say …I don’t know how he spent his last days. I don’t know if his family were supportive of this blue haired punk rocker who was teased in his neighborhood and called  ”punkrock” to which he would reply…”no! Planetrock” with a smile and beautiful crystal blue eyes. Then he dissapeared one day and his phone was disconnected. Then , more news about more friends ,and I could not keep up with hospital visits and funerals. I am ashamed I couldn’t be there for far too many. I performed at several benefits before there were even the words HIV virus  or AIDS disease and more than a decade before this disease was mentioned by a u.s. president. I remember a relative coming to visit nyc, who ignorantly refused to eat in a chelsea restaurant for fear of catching Aids. How ashamed I am of our country for the lack of information,awareness,providing hospice care, and affordable drugs to millions who need them now. it seems we hear less about it these days, although it’s been a predominantly heterosexual disease for 20 years in the states and most other countries. If it hadn’t of been for Act-up and the movers and shakers within the LGBT community and their relentless crusade to open the eyes of the world, demand education, affordable meds,clinics, health food awareness,hospices,physical fitness explosion ( with some help from Jane Fonda) …it might still be a tabboo secret. I doubt we would have Whole foods and Trader joes popping up everywhere .  This tight nit group of men and women spread the word that “Silence is deadly” in a profoundly organized and courageous movement educating millions . We’ve come a long way and have buried many but soon AIDS and HIV will be the ones to lose this battle.  -lady miss kier …www.ladykier.com

Syd,Brian,David,John S.,Bruce S.,W.Ninja,Baby G.,Scott,Duke B., Keith,Buddy and on and on …..may you all rest in peace . To the living :open your old address book for more tears.