Photo credit: Paul Masterson
The Rufus King Drum Line with Jane Lynch
As LGBT History Month draws to a close it’s necessary to reflect on exactly what our history is truly about. Obviously, history is a complex notion and includes any number of perspectives. But whether political, social, recreational or otherwise, they all intersect, becoming intertwined to produce the narrative that is our community’s history.
I was reminded of this at this year’s AIDS Walk Wisconsin, the event’s 28th anniversary. The first was in 1990. Predicated by the HIV virus’ seismic appearance in San Francisco a decade earlier, the Walk was one of many fundraising events created to support the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, a specialized comprehensive health service organization that evolved from the BestD Clinic’s Milwaukee AIDS Project. Since its inception, the Walk has raised more than $12.5 million. The event has always had a celebrity honorary chairperson. The first were co-chairs Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist and his wife, Susan Mudd. This year, it was actress and activist Jane Lynch. Her remarks mentioned a historical fact that may have been forgotten over the decades since the initial response to the AIDS epidemic. Namely, the role played by lesbians. Until the onset of HIV, gays and lesbians, although sharing a certain commonality of identity, rarely interacted. Both groups socialized within their own circles with some political paths crossing as the need arose. But, as Lynch pointed out, as AIDS ravaged the gay male population, women rallied to the care of victims. It’s something we should never forget. In fact, our now universal LGBTQ initialism came about in part, if not in great part, due to the health crisis that united the community’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elements. The result was a solid political bloc that not only advanced rights for all, but also helped implement a national response to HIV/AIDS.
The Walk also reminded me of the volunteers who have always made this event and others like it successful. Thousands have participated since 1990. Many are veterans from those first horrific years. One, Bim Florek, began as entertainment organizer for the eight rest stops along the Walk’s route which, at the time, was a full 10 kilometers from Summerfest via Lincoln Memorial Drive to Lake Park above and back again. Each stop had its own stage and crew to accommodate a band with sound equipment and individual generators for power. Florek also recalls selecting music for special moments on the main stage. In 1997, for honorary chair, Olympian Greg Louganis’ entry, Florek naturally played the Olympic Fanfare. Over the years, the route has been shortened. There are no more bands, but Florek remains as main stage manager.
My first AIDS Walk was at the height of the epidemic in 1996 when Bette Midler was honorary chair. I recall her standing on the Mason Street Bridge over Lincoln Memorial Drive waving to the thousands of walkers (according to Nick Giebel, the current ARCW acting director of special events, there were 10,545 to be precise) who passed underneath.
In the face of all those deaths, the Walk represented hope in those most dire of times. Today, the face of AIDS has become largely invisible. There are fewer walkers and the Walk competes with many others for innumerable causes. Still, this year, it raised more than $400,000 and continues to make history.
To learn more about AIDS Walk Wisconsin, call 800-348-9255 or visit aidswalkwis.org, or to learn more about the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, call 800-359-9272 or visit arcw.org.
