American teenager Ryan White, who died from AIDS in 1990, is the namesake for U.S. federal legislation that addresses the unmet health needs of persons infected with HIV/AIDS. He is the poster boy for HIV/AIDS.
This is a categorized, alphabetical list of people who are known to have been infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the pathogen that causes AIDS, including those who have died. AIDS is a pandemic.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, 84.2 million [64.0–113.0 million] people have been infected with the HIV virus and about 40.1 million [33.6–48.6 million] people have died of HIV.
Globally, 38.4 million [33.9–43.8 million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2021. An estimated 0.7% [0.6-0.8%] of adults aged 15–49 years worldwide are living with HIV, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions.
The WHO African Region remains most severely affected, with nearly 1 in every 25 adults (3.4%) living with HIV and accounting for more than two-thirds of the people living with HIV worldwide.
HIV is spread primarily by unprotected sex (including anal and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, hypodermic needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. Because of lack of public acceptance, people infected with HIV are frequently subjected to stigma and discrimination. Publicity campaigns around the world have aimed to counter HIV-related prejudices and misconceptions and to replace them with an accurate understanding that helps to prevent new infections. These efforts have been aided by various celebrities – including American basketball star Magic Johnson and South African judge Edwin Cameron – who have publicly announced that they are HIV-positive.
Acting (film and television)
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Adams | (1947–1991) | British actor who appeared in King's Royal. | |
| Charlie Barnett | (1954–1996) | American actor and comedian who starred in the television series Miami Vice as Nugart Neville "Noogie" Lamont and 1983's D.C. Cab | |
| Christopher Bernau | (1940–1989) | American actor who starred in the television series Dark Shadows. | |
| Amanda Blake | (1929–1989) | American actress best remembered for her role as Kitty Russell in the television series Gunsmoke. | |
| Jim J. Bullock | (born 1955) | American actor who starred in the sitcom Too Close for Comfort, Ned's Declassified and the voice of Queer Duck. | |
| Stephan W. Burns | (1954–1990) | American actor who starred in the film Herbie Goes Bananas and the television mini-series The Thorn Birds. | |
| Merritt Butrick | (1959–1989) | American actor best remembered for playing Captain Kirk's son in the films Star Trek II and III. | |
| Ian Charleson | (1949–1990) | British actor whose best-known role was the part of athlete Eric Liddell in the film Chariots of Fire. | |
| Yoni Chen | (1953–1995) | Israeli actor who performed the role of Batz on the puppet show Parpar Nechmad and dubbed the voices of characters on animated shows and films into the Hebrew language, most notably Looney Tunes. | |
| Keith Christopher | (1957–1998) | American actor and singer who was best known for roles of HIV positive characters in NBC soap opera Another World and CBS daytime drama The Guiding Light. | |
| Brad Davis | (1949–1991) | American actor, played the part of Billy Hayes in the film Midnight Express. | |
| Robert Drivas | (1938–1986) | American film, television and stage actor. | |
| Denholm Elliott | (1922–1992) | British actor; won three BAFTA awards as best supporting actor for Trading Places, A Private Function and Defence of the Realm, as well as an Academy Award nomination for A Room with a View. | |
| Richard Frank | (1953–1995) | American television and motion picture actor best known as Father Vogler in the film Amadeus. | |
| Leonard Frey | (1938–1988) | American Broadway and film actor, earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof. | |
| Tom Fuccello | (1936–1993) | American actor, known for his role as Dave Culver in the television series Dallas. | |
| Jason Gould | (born 1966) | American Broadway and film actor | |
| Kevin Peter Hall | (1955–1991) | American actor, played in Predator and Harry and the Hendersons. | |
| Antony Hamilton | (1952–1995) | Australian actor, model and dancer, starred in Cover Up and the television revival of Mission: Impossible (1988 TV series). | |
| Christian Haren | (1935–1996) | American actor and model best known for portraying the Marlboro Man in print advertisements. | |
| Rock Hudson | (1925–1985) | American actor, first major American celebrity to publicly disclose HIV status. | |
| Michael Jeter | (1952–2003) | American film and theatre actor, won a Tony Award in 1990 for the musical Grand Hotel. | |
| Larry Kert | (1930–1991) | American film and theatre actor | |
| Hans Kesting | (born 1960) | Dutch film, theatre and TV actor. | |
| Rémi Laurent | (1957–1989) | French actor, played Laurent Baldi in the French-Italian movie La Cage aux Folles. | |
| Irving Allen Lee | (1948–1992) | American soap opera and musical actor | |
| Tom McBride | (1952–1995) | American actor and model; best known for his role in Friday the 13th Part 2 and for his modeling stint as the Marlboro Man | |
| John Megna | (1952–1995) | American former child actor, To Kill a Mockingbird. | |
| Steve Moore | (1954–2014) | American comedian whose 1997 HBO special Drop Dead Gorgeous (A Tragi-Comedy): The Power of HIV-Positive Thinking focused on finding the humor in life with HIV. | |
| Cookie Mueller | (1949–1989) | American actor and writer who featured in many of filmmaker John Waters' early films. | |
| Timothy Patrick Murphy | (1959–1988) | American actor, played the role of Mickey Trotter in the television series Dallas | |
| David Oliver | (1962–1991) | American actor, played in Another World and A Year in the Life | |
| Ilka Tanya Payán | (1943–1996) | Dominican born American actress, attorney and activist. She was one of the first Latino celebrities to publicly disclose her status. | |
| Mark Patton | (born 1958) | American actor best known for portraying Jesse Walsh in A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. | |
| Anthony Perkins | (1932–1992) | American actor best known for his role as Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho. | |
| Danny Pintauro | (born 1976) | American actor best known for his role as Jonathan in the 1980s sitcom Who's the Boss? | |
| Werner Pochath | (1939–1993) | Austrian actor | |
| Billy Porter | (born 1969) | American actor | |
| Keith Prentice | (1940–1992) | American theatre and soap opera actor | |
| Kurt Raab | (1941–1988) | German actor known for his work with cult film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder. | |
| Dack Rambo | (1941–1994) | American actor who played Jack Ewing in the television series Dallas | |
| Gene Anthony Ray | (1962–2003) | American actor and dancer; best known for his portrayal of the street smart dancer Leroy in the 1980 motion picture Fame and the television spin-off. | |
| Robert Reed | (1932–1992) | American actor; played the role of Mike Brady on The Brady Bunch. | |
| Tony Richardson | (1928–1991) | British film director; received two Academy Awards (Best Director and Best Picture) for Tom Jones (1963). | |
| Larry Riley | (1952–1992) | American actor; played the role of Frank Williams in the soap opera Knots Landing | |
| Larry Roberts | (1926–1992) | American actor, voice of The Tramp in Disney's Lady and the Tramp | |
| Howard Rollins | (1950–1996) | American actor, nominated for the 1981 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film Ragtime | |
| Sean Sasser | (1968–2013) | American MTV actor, AIDS activist, and pastry chef. | |
| Franklyn Seales | (1952–1990) | St. Vincent-born American actor (sitcom Silver Spoons) | |
| Tommy Sexton | (1955–1993) | Canadian actor and comedian | |
| Ray Sharkey | (1952–1993) | American actor; won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his performance in The Idolmaker. | |
| Charlie Sheen | (born 1965) | American actor. Played in Wall Street and the TV series Spin City. | |
| Paul Shenar | (1936–1989) | American film and theatre actor; played in the film Scarface. | |
| Hugo Soto | (1953–1994) | Argentine film and theatre actor | |
| Dennis Cleveland Stewart | (1947–1994) | American film and television actor and professional dancer; best known for his role as Leo in the 1977 film Grease | |
| Stephen Stucker | (1947–1986) | American actor and comedian; best known for the Airplane! films. | |
| Taína | (born 1975) | Puerto Rican television personality | |
| Steve Tracy | (1952–1986) | American actor, best known for his role on Little House on the Prairie. | |
| Tom Villard | (1953–1994) | American actor. Played Jay Bostwick in the TV series We Got It Made. |
AIDS activists
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zackie Achmat | (born 1962) | South African AIDS activist; founder and chairman of the Treatment Action Campaign. | |
| Rebekka Armstrong | (born 1967) | American former Playboy Playmate and HIV/AIDS educator. | |
| Richard Berkowitz | (born 1955) | American activist and author | |
| Miguel Braschi | (1956–1991) | Puerto Rican/American activist. Litigant for landmark gay rights case Braschi v. Stahl | |
| Marvelyn Brown | (born 1984) | American activist and author | |
| Gideon Byamugisha | (born 1959) | First openly HIV positive religious leader in Africa; founder of ANERELA and winner of the 2009 Niwano Peace Prize. | |
| Michael Callen | (1955–1993) | American AIDS activist, author and singer–songwriter. In 1983 he testified before the President's Commission on AIDS and before both houses of the United States Congress. With Joseph Sonnabend, he was co-founder of PWA Health Group and Community Research Initiative (now ACRIA) | |
| Bobbi Campbell | (1952–1984) | American AIDS activist and one of the first people to publicly acknowledge his HIV infection. | |
| Paddy Chew | (1960–1999) | Singaporean AIDS activist. He was the first person in Singapore to publicise his HIV-positive status. | |
| Dolzura Cortez | (19??–1992) | Filipina AIDS activist. She was the first person in the Philippines to publicise her HIV-positive status. | |
| Spencer Cox | (1968–2012) | American AIDS activist, helped facilitate development of protease inhibitors | |
| Tyler Curry | (born 1983) | American HIV activist, columnist | |
| Joey DiPaolo | (born 1979) | American AIDS activist who won a court case to remain at his school. He co-founded the Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation. | |
| Robert Frascino | (1952–2011) | American HIV specialist physician, immunologist, and HIV/AIDS advocate; co-founder of the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation. | |
| Stephen Gendin | (1966–2000) | American AIDS activist involved in ACT UP and other groups; columnist for POZ Magazine. | |
| Alison Gertz | (1966–1992) | American AIDS activist. She was voted Woman of the Year by Esquire magazine. | |
| Elizabeth Glaser | (1947–1994) | American AIDS activist for pediatric causes, and wife of actor Paul Michael Glaser. She co-founded the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. | |
| Gregg Gonsalves | (born 1964 or 1965) | American AIDS activist, worked with ACT UP in the 1980s and 1990s, now codirector of the Global Health Justice Partnership at Yale. | |
| Thomas Hannan | (1950–1991) | American AIDS activist and, with Joseph Sonnabend and Michael Callen, co-founder of PWA Health Group and Community Research Initiative (now ACRIA) | |
| Bob Hattoy | (1950–2007) | Government employee and activist on issues related to gay rights, AIDS and the environment. | |
| Nkosi Johnson | (1989–2001) | South African child, who made a powerful impact on public perceptions of the pandemic and its effects before his death at the age of twelve. | |
| Cleve Jones | (born 1954) | American LGBT and AIDS activist, who conceived of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Featured in And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic and portrayed in Milk. | |
| Cass Mann | (1948–2009) | AIDS activist/dissident and founder of the holistic AIDS charity Positively Healthy. One of the first people diagnosed HIV positive in 1985. | |
| Eliana Martinez | (1981–1989) | American girl whose mother appealed a court ruling that the girl would only be allowed to be in school if she would be in a glass cage during classes. | |
| Ronnie Mutimusekwa | (1955–1992) | First Zimbabwean AIDS activist | |
| Simon Nkoli | (1957–1998) | South African anti-apartheid, gay rights and AIDS activist. | |
| Rory O'Neill | (born 1968) | aka Panti Bliss. Irish "Accidental activist", writer and noted drag performer. | |
|
Ricky Ray Robert Ray Randy Ray |
(1977–1992) (1978–2000) (born 1979) |
American brothers who were the subject of a federal court battle against the DeSoto County School board to allow them to attend public school despite their diagnoses. | |
| Josh Robbins | (born 1983) | American HIV activist who published a video on YouTube of being told of his HIV diagnosis in January 2012 | |
| Jorge Saavedra Lopez | (born 19??) | Mexican AIDS activist and director of CENSIDA, Mexico's top AIDS agency, since 2003. | |
| Jim St. James | (1954–1990) | Canadian actor and activist best known for starring in a series of HIV/AIDS awareness commercials on Canadian television in the 1980s, and as the subject of a biography by journalist June Callwood. | |
| Pedro Julio Serrano | (born 1974) | Puerto Rican LGBT and AIDS activist and the first openly HIV-positive and openly gay person to run for public office in Puerto Rico. | |
| Peter Staley | (January 9, 1961) | American HIV/AIDS-LGBT rights activist, known for his work with ACT UP and founding both the Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the educational website AIDSmeds.com | |
| Tonie Walsh | (born 1960) | Irish civil rights activist, journalist and founder of Irish Queer Archive. | |
| Beatrice Were | (born c. 1966) | Ugandan AIDS activist and co-founder of the non-governmental organization NACWOLA. | |
| Ryan White | (1971–1990) | American teenager and AIDS activist. The Ryan White Care Act, a federal legislation that addresses the unmet health needs of persons infected with HIV/AIDS in the United States, was named after him. |
Business
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vasily Aleksanyan | (1972–2011) | Russian lawyer and businessman, former Executive Vice President of Yukos oil company, jailed as a suspected accomplice to tax evasion and money laundering; allegedly denied treatment in jail. | |
| Stephen D. Hassenfeld | (1942–1989) | American businessman best known for being the chairman and chief executive officer of Hasbro from 1980 until 1989. | |
| Chuck Holmes | (1945–2000) | American businessman founder of gay pornography studio Falcon Entertainment | |
| Gordon Montador | (1950–1991) | Canadian book editor and publisher | |
| Steve Rubell | (1943–1989) | American owner of New York City disco Studio 54 | |
| Sean Strub | (born 1958) | American magazine publisher, founder of POZ magazine |
Criminal transmission of HIV
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson Aziga | (born 1956) | Ugandan-born Canadian resident of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, notable as the first person to be charged with, and convicted of, first-degree murder in Canada for transmitting HIV, after the deaths of two women he had infected. | |
| Nadja Benaissa | (born 1982) | German female pop singer who was convicted of knowingly infecting a number of her lovers. | |
| Henry Cuerrier | (19??–) | Canadian man convicted of aggravated assault for knowingly exposing two women to HIV. | |
| Carl Leone | (born c. 1976) | Canadian businessman found guilty of 15 counts of aggravated sexual assault for not informing his partners of his HIV status. | |
| Andre Chad Parenzee | (born c. 1971) | South African-born man convicted in Australia on three counts of endangering human life through having unprotected sex without informing his partners of his HIV status. | |
| Trevis Smith | (born 1976) | American player of Canadian football with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, jailed for aggravated sexual assault. | |
| Valentino Talluto | (born 1984) | Italian accountant convicted of thirty transmissions of HIV and sentenced to 24 years imprisonment. In court his partners testified that he would claim that he was allergic to condoms in order to convince them to have unprotected intercourse. | |
| Nushawn Williams | (born 1976) | American who infected 13 women with HIV; imprisoned for reckless endangerment and statutory rape. |
Film, television and radio
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Adair | (1943–1996) | American documentary filmmaker | |
| Néstor Almendros | (1930–1992) | Spanish born cinematographer, director and human rights activist; won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the film Days of Heaven. | |
| Emile Ardolino | (1943–1993) | American film director and producer; directed the films Dirty Dancing and Sister Act. | |
| Howard Ashman | (1950–1991) | American playwright and lyricist; along with music composer Alan Menken he received two Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and two Oscars for best song for the films The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast (the later was released posthumously). | |
| Rob Astbury | (1948–2017) | Former Australian television sports presenter | |
| Trinity K. Bonet | (born 1991) | American drag queen who competed on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. | |
| Dave Brindle | (born 19??) | Canadian television journalist; anchor for CBC Newsworld. | |
| David Brudnoy | (1940–2004) | American talk radio host in Boston from 1976 to 2004 | |
| Tom Cassidy | (1950–1991) | Business anchor for CNN and founder of the weekend show 'Pinnacle' in 1982. | |
| Charity Kase | (born 1996) | British drag performer who competed on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. | |
| Venus D-Lite | (born 1984) | American drag queen who competed on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race. | |
| Kenny Everett | (1944–1995) | British disc jockey and television entertainer; starred and wrote in his own music and comedy television series The Kenny Everett Television Show. | |
| Amos Guttman | (1954–1993) | Israeli film director; an openly gay man, he was a pioneer of LGBT cinema in Israel. | |
| Vincent Hanley | (1954–1987) | Irish RTÉ radio DJ and television presenter | |
| Colin Higgins | (1941–1988) | American screenwriter, director, and producer; wrote the screenplay for the 1971 film Harold and Maude. | |
| Richard Hunt | (1951–1992) | American Muppet puppeteer; played the character of Scooter on The Muppet Show. | |
| Derek Jarman | (1942–1994) | British film director, stage designer, artist, and writer | |
| Peter Jepson-Young | (1957–1992) | Canadian medical doctor who promoted AIDS and HIV awareness and education in the early 1990s through his regular segment on CBC Television news broadcasts. | |
| Melvin Lindsey | (1955–1992) | American radio and television personality in the Washington, D.C. area; pioneered the Quiet Storm radio format. | |
| Roy London | (1943–1993) | American acting coach, actor and director | |
| Lance Loud | (1951–2001) | American columnist; best known for his role in An American Family, widely considered television's first reality show. | |
| James K. Lyons | (1960–2007) | American actor and film editor, film Far from Heaven | |
| Curt McDowell | (1945-1987) | American motion picture director | |
| Michael McDowell | (1950–1999) | American novelist and screenwriter | |
| Andy Milligan | (1929–1991) | American playwright, screenwriter and film director. | |
| CJ de Mooi | (born 1969) | British quizzer (Eggheads) | |
| Ongina | (born 1982) | American drag queen and HIV activist, competed on the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, and became one of the first reality TV stars to come out as HIV positive. | |
| Norman René | (1951–1996) | American film director and producer | |
| Marlon Riggs | (1957–1994) | American author and documentary filmmaker | |
| Danny Roberts | (born 1977) | The Real World: New Orleans | |
| Max Robinson | (1939–1988) | American journalist; was the first African American network news anchor for ABC World News Tonight. | |
| Anthony Sabatino | (1944–1993) | American art director, won an Emmy Award for his work on the television show Fun House. | |
| Murray Salem | (1950–1998) | American television actor and screenwriter; wrote the script for the film Kindergarten Cop. | |
| Bill Sherwood | (1952–1990) | American filmmaker, known for the film Parting Glances. | |
| Jack Smith | (1932–1989) | American underground film director, best known for the avant-garde movie Flaming Creatures. | |
| Michael Sundin | (1961–1989) | British television presenter and actor; was presenter of the BBC children television show Blue Peter. | |
| Jonathan Van Ness | (born 1987) | American hairdresser, podcaster, and television personality; cast member on Netflix's Queer Eye series. | |
| Esther Valiquette | (1962–1994) | Canadian documentary filmmaker (The Measure of Your Passage) | |
| Joseph Vásquez | (1962–1995) | American independent filmmaker | |
| Pedro Zamora | (1972–1994) | American television personality; cast member of MTV's The Real World reality series. |
Music
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Allen | (1944–1992) | Australian born songwriter and singer; wrote an expatriate anthem "I Still Call Australia Home". | |
| Andy Bell | (born 1964) | British musician; singer of the synthpop duo Erasure. | |
| Nadja Benaissa | (born 1982) | German musician; member of the girl group No Angels. | |
| Andy Bey | (born 1939) | American jazz musician | |
| Black Randy | (1952–1988) | American leader of west coast art-punk soul band Black Randy and the Metrosquad. | |
| Jorge Bolet | (1914–1990) | Cuban pianist and conductor, well remembered for his performances and recordings of large-scale Romantic music. | |
| Mykki Blanco | (born 1986) | American rapper performing artist and poet known for worldwide tours, and outspoken defense of LGBT rights | |
| Cazuza | (1958–1990) | Brazilian singer and composer | |
| Stuart Challender | (1947–1991) | Australian conductor; second Australian-born Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony (1987–91). | |
| David Cole | (1963–1995) | American dance music producer, part of C+C Music Factory | |
| Patrick Cowley | (1950–1982) | American electronic music artist | |
| Robbin Crosby | (1959–2002) | American guitarist nicknamed "The King", member of the glam metal band Ratt. | |
| Tony De Vit | (1957–1998) | British club disc jockey | |
| Bobby DeBarge | (1956–1995) | Singer, member of the American musical band DeBarge. | |
| Paul Delph | (1957–1996) | Singer and musician based in Los Angeles | |
| Kiki Djan | (1957–2004) | Ghanaian singer, member of the musical band Osibisa | |
| Eazy-E | (1963–1995) | American rapper, member of gangsta rap group N.W.A. | |
| Youri Egorov | (1954–1988) | Soviet classical pianist, defected to the Netherlands. | |
| Patrick Esposito Di Napoli | (1964–1994) | French Canadian singer | |
| Tom Fogerty | (1941–1990) | American musician who played rhythm guitar in Creedence Clearwater Revival, elder brother of John Fogerty, the lead singer and guitar player in that band. | |
| Andy Fraser | (1952–2015) | British musician who played bass guitar in the influential 1970s group Free. Wrote the hit "All Right Now". | |
| Michael Friedman | (1975–2017) | American composer and lyricist. Obie Award winner in 2007. Wrote the Broadway musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. | |
| Ray Gillen | (1959–1993) | American singer, best known for his work with the bands Black Sabbath and Badlands. | |
| Paul Giovanni | (1933–1990) | American playwright, actor, director, singer and musician, best known for writing the music for the film The Wicker Man | |
| John Grant | (born 1968) | American alternative rock singer and songwriter | |
| Kenny Greene | (1969–2001) | American R&B singer from the group Intro | |
| Howard Greenfield | (1936–1986) | American songwriter; was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991. | |
| Steven Grossman | (1951–1991) | American singer-songwriter from the 1970s | |
| Calvin Hampton | (1938–1984) | American organist and sacred music composer | |
| Dan Hartman | (1950–1994) | American singer, songwriter and record producer | |
| Ofra Haza | (1957–2000) | Israeli singer; gained international recognition with the single "Im Nin'alu". | |
| Jerry Herman | (1931–2019) | American composer/lyricist; composed the scores for the hit Broadway musicals Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles. | |
| Fred Hersch | (born 1955) | American contemporary jazz pianist | |
| Paul Jabara | (1948–1992) | American actor and songwriter: wrote Donna Summer's Oscar-winning hit "Last Dance" | |
| Paul Jacobs | (1930–1983) | American pianist | |
| Jobriath | (1946–1983) | American Glam Rock musician | |
| Holly Johnson | (born 1960) | British singer, former lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. | |
| Bernard Kabanda | (1959–1999) | Ugandan guitarist | |
| René Klijn | (1962–1993) | Dutch boyband singer and model. In 1992 starred in a controversial and iconic episode of Paul de Leeuw's TV show De Schreeuw van de Leeuw, where Klijn's illness was the main subject while De Leeuw took the liberty of cracking jokes about it. The episode was praised for discussing a taboo subject in frank but refreshing terms and won a Bronze Rose d'Or at Montreux. Their duet, Mr. Blue, became a number one-hit in the Netherlands while the money was donated to the AIDS foundation. | |
| Fela Kuti | (1938–1997) | Nigerian musician and political activist | |
| Héctor Lavoe | (1946–1993) | Puerto Rican salsa singer and composer | |
| Paul Lekakis | (born 1966) | American singer and actor | |
| Liberace | (1919–1987) | American pianist and entertainer | |
| Andreas Lundstedt | (born 1972) | Swedish musician best known as a member of the pop-disco group, Alcazar. | |
| Philly Lutaaya | (1951–1989) | Ugandan composer and musician, AIDS prevention activist in Africa | |
| Billy Lyall | (1953–1989) | British keyboard player; member of Pilot and the Bay City Rollers. | |
| Jimmy McShane | (1957–1995) | Frontman of the Italian musical band Baltimora | |
| Freddie Mercury | (1946–1991) | British musician and lead singer of the band Queen. | |
| Haoui Montaug | (1952–1991) | American nightclub doorman, club promoter, and writer. | |
| Jacques Morali | (1947–1991) | French disco composer, and co-creator of the Village People. | |
| Alan Murphy | (1953–1989) | English guitarist. Worked with Kate Bush and Level 42, among others. | |
| Billy Newton-Davis | (born 1951) | American-born Canadian R&B, gospel and jazz singer. | |
| Klaus Nomi | (1944–1983) | German countertenor singer | |
| Rodel Naval | (1953–1995) | Filipino singer, songwriter and actor | |
| Stephen Oliver | (1950–1992) | English composer; known for his operas. | |
| Chuck Panozzo | (born 1948) | American bass player; founding member of the rock band Styx. | |
| Lonnie Pitchford | (1955–1998) | American blues musician and instrument maker | |
| Louis Potgieter | (1951–1993) | South African singer, fronted the German novelty act Dschinghis Khan. | |
| Sharon Redd | (1945–1992) | American disco singer | |
| Scott Ross | (1951–1989) | American harpsichordist | |
| Frankie Ruiz | (1958–1998) | Puerto Rican salsa singer and composer | |
| Arthur Russell | (1951–1992) | American disco artist and cellist | |
| Renato Russo | (1960–1996) | Brazilian founder and leader of the rock band, Legião Urbana. | |
| Gil Scott-Heron | (1949–2011) | American poet, musician, author and spoken word performer known as 'The Godfather of Rap' | |
| Mano Solo | (1963–2010) | French singer | |
| Jermaine Stewart | (1957–1997) | American pop singer | |
| Sylvester | (1947–1988) | American disco artist and drag performer | |
| Umanji | (c. 1968–2008) | South African musician and songwriter | |
| António Variações | (1944–1984) | Portuguese musician and songwriter. First known case in Portugal among famous people. | |
| Ricky Wilson | (1953–1985) | American guitarist; original member of The B-52's. | |
| Conchita Wurst | (1988–) | Austrian drag performer, singer and winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest | |
| Miki Zone | (1955–1986) | American musician; member of Man 2 Man | |
| Zombo | (1979–2008) | South African singer, songwriter and music producer, best known as a member of kwaito group Abashante. |
Politics and law
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond Blain | (1950/51–1992) | Canadian politician whose election to Montreal City Council in 1986 made him one of Canada's first openly gay politicians. | |
| Edwin Cameron | (born 1953) | South African Supreme Court of Appeal judge | |
| Roy Cohn | (1927–1986) | American lawyer; came to prominence during the investigations by Senator Joseph McCarthy into alleged Communism in the U.S. government, especially the Army–McCarthy hearings. | |
| Corey Corbin | (born 1967) | Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 2000 to 2004. | |
| Brian Coyle | (1944–1991) | Minneapolis City Council member, president of the City Council | |
| Terry Dolan | (1950–1986) | American New Right political activist who founded and chaired the National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC). | |
| James K. Dressel | (1943–1992) | American state representative for the Republican Party in the Michigan legislature; gay rights activist. | |
| Thomas Duane | (born 1955) | American politician; first openly HIV-positive member of the New York City Council and the New York State Senate | |
| Nicholas Eden | (1930–1985) | British Conservative politician and son of Prime Minister Anthony Eden | |
| Paul Gann | (1912–1989) | American politician, co-author of California Proposition 13 (1978) | |
| Greg Harris | (born 1955) | American politician from Illinois | |
| Richard A. Heyman | (1935–1994) | American politician; mayor of Key West, Florida in 1983–85 and 1987–89. | |
| Jon Hinson | (1942–1995) | American politician; Member of the U.S. House of Representatives | |
| Corey Johnson | (born 1982) | American politician; Speaker of the New York City Council | |
| Ryuhei Kawada | (born 1976) | Japanese member of parliament who sued the government for failing to prevent HIV transmission through tainted blood products. | |
| Michael Kühnen | (1955–1991) | German leader of the neo-Nazi scene | |
| Makgatho Mandela | (1950–2005) | South African attorney; was the son of former South African president Nelson Mandela. | |
| Larry McKeon | (1944–2008) | American politician and member of the Illinois House of Representatives. | |
| Stewart McKinney | (1931–1987) | American Congressman; represented Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives from 1971 until his death. | |
| Lloyd Russell-Moyle | (born 1986) | British Labour Party politician; member of the House of Commons. | |
| Dan Ryan | (born 1962/63) | Portland City Council member | |
| Carsten Schatz | (born 1970) | German state legislator in Berlin; first openly HIV-positive holder of political office in Germany. | |
| Rand Schrader | (1945–1993) | Los Angeles Municipal Court judge | |
| Chris Smith | (born 1951) | British Labour Party politician; member of the House of Lords and former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. |
Pornographic acting
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicky Crane | (1958–1993) | British pornographic actor and neo-Nazi activist | |
| Dawson | (born 1973) | American pornographic actor | |
| Tricia Devereaux | (born 1975) | American pornographic actress | |
| Karen Dior | (1967–2004) | American transvestite pornographic actress | |
| Casey Donovan | (1943–1987) | American pornographic actor | |
| Fred Halsted | (1941–1989) | American pornographic actor | |
| John Holmes | (1944–1988) | American pornographic actor | |
| Darren James | (born 1964) | American pornographic actor; transmitted to Lara Roxx, Miss Arroyo and Jessica Dee, causing an international pornography-industry AIDS scare. | |
| Tim Kramer | (1952/1958–1992) | American pornographic actor | |
| Robert La Tourneaux | (1941–1986) | American pornographic actor | |
| Richard Holt Locke | (1941–1996) | American pornographic actor | |
| Kurt Marshall | (1965–1988) | American pornographic actor | |
| Wade Nichols | (1946–1985) | American pornographic actor and soap opera actor; committed suicide after receiving HIV diagnosis. | |
| Scott O'Hara | (1961–1998) | American pornographic actor, poet and editor/publisher | |
| Jeff Palmer | (born 1975) | American pornographic actor | |
| Al Parker | (1958–1994) | American pornographic actor | |
| Johnny Rahm | (1965–2004) | American pornographic actor | |
| Erik Rhodes | (1982–2012) | American pornographic actor | |
| Lara Roxx | (born 1982) | Canadian pornographic actress; see Darren James entry. | |
| Aiden Shaw | (born 1966) | British author, musician, model and former pornographic actor | |
| John Stagliano | (born 1951) | American pornographic actor; best known for his Buttman series of films, which is credited with sparking the gonzo adult film genre. | |
| Joey Stefano | (1968–1994) | American pornographic actor; was a model in Madonna's book Sex. | |
| Marc Stevens | (1943–1989) | American pornographic actor | |
| Eric Stryker | (1954–1988) | American pornographic actor | |
| Cole Tucker | (1953–2015) | American pornographic actor | |
| Marc Wallice | (born 1959) | American adult film actor | |
| Josh Weston | (1973–2012) | American adult film actor |
Scientifically notable infections
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly Bergalis | (1968–1991) | American woman who alleged she had contracted HIV from her dentist | |
| Timothy Ray Brown | (1966–2020) | American man who was the first to be considered cured of HIV. Known as the "Berlin patient". | |
| Adam Castillejo | (born circa 1980) | Second person to have been considered cured of HIV. Known as the "London patient". | |
| Gaëtan Dugas | (1953–1984) | French-Canadian flight attendant who was widely, although incorrectly, identified as "Patient Zero" for the spread of HIV in North America. | |
| Nina Martinez | (1984?–) | American woman, self-proclaimed "AIDS baby" (i.e. contracted HIV as an infant) who became the first HIV-positive living organ donor. | |
| Arvid Noe | (1947–1976) | Norwegian sailor famous for being one of the first humans known to have died from AIDS. | |
| Veronica Prego | (1958-) | Argentine born American doctor who was the plaintiff in Prego v. City of New York | |
| Margrethe P. Rask | (1930–1977) | Danish physician and surgeon, one of the first people known to have died from AIDS. | |
| Robert Rayford | (1953–1969) | African-American Missouri teenager who was the victim of the first confirmed case of HIV/AIDS in North America. His death baffled doctors because AIDS was not discovered and officially recognized until June 5, 1981, when five San Francisco doctors discovered the disease, long after Rayford's death. |
Sports
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Ashe | (1943–1993) | American tennis player and social activist; won three Grand Slam titles. | |
| Mike Beuttler | (1940–1988) | British Formula One driver | |
| Glenn Burke | (1952–1995) | American Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Oakland Athletics. | |
| John Curry | (1949–1994) | British figure skater who won the Olympic and World Championships in 1976 | |
| Esteban de Jesús | (1951–1989) | Puerto Rican boxer; world lightweight champion. | |
| Rudy Galindo | (born 1969) | American figure skater; won a bronze medal at the 1996 World Championships. | |
| Bill Goldsworthy | (1944–1996) | Canadian ice hockey player; played in the National Hockey League for fourteen seasons. | |
| Magic Johnson | (born 1959) | American basketball player; was named to the NBA All-Star team twelve times. | |
| Job Komol | (born 1981) | Cameroonian soccerplayer at Vitesse Arnhem | |
| Greg Louganis | (born 1960) | American Olympic diver; best known for winning back-to-back Olympic titles in both the 3 m and 10 m events. | |
| Robert McCall | (1958–1991) | Canadian figure skater; won a bronze medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics. | |
| Tommy Morrison | (1969–2013) | American boxer, WBO Heavyweight Champion, co-star of movie Rocky V | |
| Ondrej Nepela | (1951–1989) | Slovak figure skater, was Olympic champion in 1972 | |
| Brian Pockar | (1959–1992) | Canadian figure skater; won bronze medal at 1982 World Figure Skating Championships | |
| Stéphane Proulx | (1965–1993) | Canadian racing driver | |
| Tim Richmond | (1955–1989) | American NASCAR racing driver | |
| Roy Simmons | (1956–2014) | American athlete who played for the National Football League | |
| Jerry Smith | (1943–1987) | American professional football player; tight end for the Washington Redskins. | |
| Gareth Thomas | (born 1974) | Welsh rugby player | |
| Tom Waddell | (1937–1987) | American Olympic athlete; founded the Gay Games | |
| Robert Wagenhoffer | (1960–1999) | American figure skater; won a silver medal at the 1982 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. | |
| Ji Wallace | (born 1977) | Australian gymnast and Olympic silver medallist. | |
| Michael Westphal | (1965–1991) | German tennis player | |
| Alan Wiggins | (1958–1991) | American Major League Baseball player |
Theatre and dance
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alvin Ailey | (1931–1989) | American modern dancer and choreographer | |
| A. J. Antoon | (1944–1992) | American stage director who won a Tony Award in 1972 for directing the play That Championship Season. | |
| Rick Aviles | (1952–1995) | American comedian and actor | |
| Tony Azito | (1948–1995) | American dancer and character actor | |
| Alan Bowne | (1945–1989) | American playwright and author | |
| Michael Bennett | (1943–1987) | American musical theater director, choreographer, and dancer; was the choreographer of the Broadway production of A Chorus Line. | |
| Christopher Chadman | (1948–1995) | American dancer and choreographer | |
| Gerald Chapman | (1950–1987) | English theater director and educator | |
| Robert Chesley | (1943–1990) | American playwright, theater critic and musical composer | |
| Dorian Corey | (c. 1937–1993) | American drag queen; best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris Is Burning. | |
| Stephanie Dabney | (1958–2022) | American ballerina, former Prima ballerina with Dance Theatre of Harlem. | |
| Martin de Maat | (1948–2001) | American teacher and artistic director at The Second City in Chicago | |
| Jorge Donn | (1947–1992) | Argentine ballet dancer with the Maurice Béjart ballet company and artistic director of the Béjart's Ballet of the 20th Century. | |
| Ulysses Dove | (1947–1996) | American contemporary choreographer | |
| Ethyl Eichelberger | (1945–1990) | American drag performer, playwright and actor | |
| Tony Fields | (1958-1995) | American dancer | |
| Wayland Flowers | (1939–1988) | American entertainer and ventriloquist | |
| Christopher Gillis | (1951–1993) | Canadian dancer and choreographer; formed the Paul Taylor Dance Company. | |
| Choo San Goh | (1948–1987) | Singaporean choreographer of ballet | |
| Hibiscus | (1949–1982) | American founder of the psychedelic drag queen troupe The Cockettes. | |
| René Highway | (1954–1990) | Canadian Cree actor and dancer | |
| John Hirsch | (1930–1989) | Hungarian-Canadian theatre director | |
| Jade Elektra | (1967-) | American born, Canada-based drag queen and recording artist | |
| Robert Joffrey | (1930–1988) | American dancer, teacher, producer, and choreographer | |
| Bill T. Jones | (born 1952) | American dancer, choreographer and director | |
| Gibson Kente | (1932–2004) | South African playwright; known as the Father of Black Theatre in South Africa. | |
| Lady Catiria | (1959–1999) | Puerto Rican drag performer; best known for her appearance in the 1995 film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. | |
| Larry Kert | (1930–1991) | American Broadway performer; played in West Side Story and Company. | |
| Charles Ludlam | (1943–1987) | American actor and playwright | |
| Thom McGinty | (1952–1995) | Irish-Scottish street mime, human statue, stillness artist, and stage and film actor, widely known as "The Diceman". | |
| Roger Montoya | (1961–) | American dancer, community arts instructor and politician | |
| Jean-Louis Morin | (1953–1995) | Canadian choreographer and dancer | |
| Javier Muñoz | (1975–) | Puerto Rican-American actor mainly known for his role in the hit Broadway musicals Hamilton and In the Heights. | |
| Willi Ninja | (1961–2006) | American dancer and choreographer; best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris Is Burning. | |
| Rudolf Nureyev | (1938–1993) | Russian ballet dancer; is regarded as one of the greatest male dancers of the 20th century. | |
| Ongina | (born 1982) | Filipino American drag queen and spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics | |
| Michael Peters | (1948–1994) | American choreographer; choreographed the fifteen-minute Michael Jackson music video "Thriller". | |
| Craig Russell | (1948–1990) | Canadian female impersonator | |
| John Sex | (1956–1989) | American cabaret singer and performance artist | |
| Ron Vawter | (1949–1994) | American actor; founding member of the artists ensemble The Wooster Group. | |
| Nashom Wooden | (1969–2020) | American drag queen and notable New York City nightlife personality | |
| Angie Xtravaganza | (c. 1966–1993) | American transgender woman; best known for her appearance in the documentary film Paris Is Burning. | |
| Arnie Zane | (1947–1988) | Co-founder with Bill T. Jones of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company |
Visual arts and fashion
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Almaraz | (1941–1989) | Mexican American artist and an early proponent of the Chicano street arts movement | |
| Mario Amaya | (1933–1986) | American art critic, museum director, magazine editor | |
| Richard Amsel | (1947–1985) | American graphic artist and illustrator best known for his iconic movie posters from the 1970s and 1980s | |
| Joe Average | (born 1957) | Vancouver-based Canadian visual artist | |
| Way Bandy | (1941–1986) | American celebrity makeup artist | |
| Crawford Barton | (1943–1993) | American photographer whose work is known for documenting the blooming of the openly gay culture in San Francisco, in the 1960s and 1970s. | |
| Tom Bianchi | (born 1945) | American writer and photographer who specializes in male nude photography | |
| Leigh Bowery | (1961–1994) | Australian performance artist, fashion designer, dancer and model | |
| Gia Carangi | (1960–1986) | American supermodel of the late 1970s and early 1980s | |
| Tina Chow | (1951–1992) | American restaurateur and model | |
| Copi | (1939–1987) | Argentine-French comics artist, cartoonist and playwright | |
| DONDI | (1961–1998) | American graffiti artist | |
| Perry Ellis | (1940–1986) | American fashion designer; his name still represents the sportswear fashion house he founded in the mid-1970s. | |
| Vincent Fourcade | (1934–1992) | French American interior designer | |
| Félix González-Torres | (1957–1996) | Cuban-American artist | |
| Mondo Guerra | (1978–) | Mexican-American fashion designer | |
| Halston | (1932–1990) | American fashion designer | |
| Keith Haring | (1958–1990) | American artist social activist whose work responded to the New York street culture of the 1980s. | |
| Henfil | (1944–1988) | Brazilian cartoonist and comics artist, best known for Graúna. | |
| Sighsten Herrgård | (1943–1989) | Swedish fashion designer; first Swedish celebrity to publicize his HIV-positive status. | |
| Victor Hugo | (1948-1994) | Venezuelan-born visual artist and former partner of fashion designer Halston | |
| Peter Hujar | (1934–1987) | American photographer | |
| Patrick Kelly | (1954–1990) | American fashion designer | |
| Peter Klashorst | (1957) | Dutch painter, sculptor, photographer and conceptual artist | |
| John Kobal | (1940–1991) | British film historian and photograph collector | |
| Kia LaBeija | (1990–) | American fine artist | |
| Antonio Lopez | (1943–1987) | Puerto-Rican fashion illustrator | |
| Jack Mackenroth | (1969–) | American swimmer, model, gay pornographic film actor, and fashion designer | |
| Robert Mapplethorpe | (1946–1989) | American photographer | |
| Alexander McQueen | (1969–2010) | British fashion designer | |
| Frank Moore | (1953–2002) | American artist; designer of the red ribbon symbol of AIDS awareness. | |
| Jesse Murry | (1948–1993) | American painter | |
| Tommy Nutter | (1943–1992) | British Savile Row tailor and fashion designer | |
| Gustavo Ojeda | (1958–1989) | Cuban-American painter | |
| Dom Orejudos | (1933–1991) | American comics artist, also active as a ballet dancer. | |
| Felix Partz | (1945–1994) | Canadian artist, member of the artist collective General Idea | |
| Neal Pozner | (1955–1994) | American comics writer, editor and art director. Worked for DC Comics. | |
| Joel Resnicoff | (1948–1986) | American artist and fashion illustrator | |
| Herb Ritts | (1952–2002) | American photographer and video director, best known for his work with Madonna. | |
| Tom Rubnitz | (1956–1992) | American video artist | |
| David Seidner | (1957–1999) | American photographer | |
| Allen Shapiro | (1932–1987) | American comics artist (Harry Chess) | |
| Willi Smith | (1948–1987) | American fashion designer | |
| Ted Stearn | (1961–2019) | American animator and comics artist (Fuzz & Pluck) | |
| Frederick Weston | (1946–2020) | African-American gay artist whose collages were recognized for their quality late in his life. | |
| David Wojnarowicz | (1954–1992) | American artist, writer and activist | |
| Martin Wong | (1946-1999) | Chinese-American painter | |
| Jorge Zontal | (1944–1994) | Canadian artist, member of the artist collective General Idea |
Writing
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Stewart Anderson | (c. 1958–1991) | Canadian writer whose novel The Toronto You Are Leaving was published by his mother 15 years after his death. | |
| Reinaldo Arenas | (1943–1990) | Cuban novelist who committed suicide while living in New York | |
| Jean-Paul Aron | (1925–1988) | French writer and journalist; One of the first people of renown in France to die of AIDS. | |
| Isaac Asimov | (1920–1992) | Russian-born American author and biochemist, a highly successful and exceptionally prolific writer best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. He became infected with HIV through a tainted blood transfusion during his 1983 triple heart bypass surgery. | |
| Simon Bailey | (1955–1995) | British Anglican priest and writer | |
| John Boswell | (1947–1994) | American historian and a professor at Yale University | |
| Harold Brodkey | (1930–1996) | American author whose works include the memoir This Wild Darkness: The Story of My Death, which documents his battle with AIDS. | |
| Marvelyn Brown | (born 1984) | American woman who wrote an autobiography, The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and (HIV) Positive documenting her diagnosis and struggle with HIV | |
| Warren Casey | (1935-1988) | American playwright best known for co-writing the 1972 Broadway musical Grease | |
| Bruce Chatwin | (1940–1989) | British novelist and travel writer, best known for the influential In Patagonia. | |
| Cyril Collard | (1957–1993) | French writer, actor and director of his autobiographical novel and film Les Nuits fauves (Savage Nights). | |
| Timothy Conigrave | (1959–1994) | Australian playwright and author of memoir Holding the Man | |
| Steven Corbin | (1953–1995) | American writer | |
| Peter Cureton | (1965–1994) | Canadian playwright (Passages) | |
| Sam D'Allesandro | (1956–1988) | American poet and fiction writer | |
| Serge Daney | (1944–1992) | French influential film critic | |
| Nicholas Dante | (1941–1991) | American Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright best known for the musical A Chorus Line | |
| Tory Dent | (1958–2005) | American poet, art critic and commentator on the AIDS crisis | |
| Michael Estok | (1939–1989) | Canadian poet (A Plague Year Journal) | |
| David B. Feinberg | (1956–1994) | American writer and AIDS activist with ACT UP | |
| Michel Foucault | (1926–1984) | French philosopher and writer; known for his critical studies of various social institutions. | |
| Ken Garnhum | (living) | Canadian playwright (Pants on Fire) | |
| Steve Geng | (born 1943) | American memoirist/author; wrote memoir Thick As Thieves; brother of editor/writer for The New Yorker, Veronica Geng. | |
| Jaime Gil de Biedma | (1929–1990) | Spanish poet | |
| Hervé Guibert | (1955–1990) | French writer and filmmaker. | |
| Richard Hall | (1926–1992) | American writer | |
| Essex Hemphill | (1957–1995) | American poet and activist | |
| Guy Hocquenghem | (1944–1988) | French writer and philosopher | |
| Bo Huston | (1959–1993) | American writer | |
| Arturo Islas | (1938–1991) | Mexican-American professor of English and writer | |
| Frans Kellendonk | (1951–1990) | Dutch novelist and translator | |
| Gregory Kolovakos | (1951–1990) | American translator | |
| Greg Kramer | (1961–2013) | Canadian writer | |
| Larry Kramer | (1935–2020) | American dramatist, author and gay rights activist | |
| Didier Lestrade | (born 1958) | French journalist and author | |
| Hezi Leskali | (1952–1994) | Israeli poet, artist and choreographer | |
| Arnold Lobel | (1933–1987) | American children's book author and illustrator | |
| Michael Lynch | (1944–1991) | Canadian poet, journalist and academic | |
| Dambudzo Marechera | (1952–1987) | Zimbabwean writer | |
| Peter McGehee | (1955–1991) | American-born Canadian writer | |
| Peter McWilliams | (1940–2000) | American writer and libertarian activist. | |
| James Merrill | (1926–1995) | American Pulitzer Prize winning poet | |
| Ernest Matthew Mickler | (1940–1988) | American author of the cookbook White Trash Cooking | |
| Paul Monette | (1945–1995) | American novelist and poet | |
| John Preston | (1945–1994) | American author of gay erotica and an editor of gay nonfiction anthologies | |
| Manuel Ramos Otero | (1948–1990) | Gay Puerto Rican short story writer | |
| Paul Reed | (1956–2002) | American writer | |
| Vito Russo | (1946–1990) | American gay activist, film historian and author | |
| Barbara Samson | (born 1975) | French poet who was infected with HIV at the age of seventeen. Her story was made into the French television film Being Seventeen. | |
| Severo Sarduy | (1937–1993) | Gay Cuban poet and author | |
| Dick Scanlan | (born 1961) | American librettist, writer and actor | |
| Nicholas Schaffner | (1953–1991) | American author, wrote books about Pink Floyd and The Beatles | |
| Jay Scott | (1949–1993) | Canadian film critic | |
| Kevin Sessums | (born 1956) | American memoirist, editor, and celebrity interviewer | |
| Randy Shilts | (1951–1994) | American journalist and author; wrote the book And the Band Played On which documented the outbreak of AIDS in the United States. | |
| Ian Stephens | (1955–1996) | Canadian poet and spoken word artist (Diary of a Trademark) | |
| George Stambolian | (1938–1991) | American professor of French literature and editor of gay fiction anthologies | |
| Andrew Sullivan | (born 1963) | British-American journalist and blogger | |
| Pier Vittorio Tondelli | (1955–1991) | Italian novelist. One of the first famous people to die of AIDS in Italy. | |
| Colin M Turnbull | (1924–1994) | British American anthropologist | |
| Yvonne Vera | (1964–2005) | Zimbabwean author | |
| Matthew Ward | (1951–1990) | American English/French translator noted for his 1989 rendition of Albert Camus' The Stranger. | |
| Edmund White | (born 1940) | American novelist, short-story writer and critic | |
| LeRoy Whitfield | (1969–2005) | American writer and AIDS activist who chronicled his personal experience with HIV infection and AIDS. | |
| George Whitmore | (1946–1989) | American writer and AIDS activist who chronicled his personal experience with HIV infection and AIDS. | |
| Alex Wilson | (1953–1993) | American-born Canadian writer, teacher, landscape designer and community activist |
Miscellaneous
| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon Andelson | (1931–1987) | American regent of the University of California. | |
| Victoria Arellano | (1984–2007) | Mexican immigrant who died from HIV-related illness while in custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement | |
| Kuwasi Balagoon | (1946–1986) | American member of the Black Liberation Army | |
| Nozipho Bhengu | (1974–2006) | South African who became famous for opting not to take antiretroviral medication, on the advice of health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. | |
| José María Di Bello | (born 1968) | One of the first gay Argentine citizens (along with partner Alex Freyre) to be granted the right to marry in Argentina | |
| Dean Faiello | (born 1959) | American criminal and murderer | |
| John Wesley Fletcher | (1940–1996) | American Assemblies of God pastor | |
| Althea Flynt | (1953–1987) | American; wife of publishing magnate and Hustler founder Larry Flynt. | |
| Xavier Fourcade | (1927–1987) | French American contemporary art dealer. Brother of Vincent Fourcade who also died of AIDS. | |
| Kendall Francois | (1971–2014) | Haitian American serial killer | |
| Alex Freyre | (born 1970) | One of the first gay Argentine citizens (along with partner José María Di Bello) to be granted the right to marry in Argentina | |
| Eve van Grafhorst | (1982–1993) | Australian child, forced to migrate to New Zealand due to ostracism from her local community in Australia. | |
| David Hampton | (1964–2003) | American con artist. His story became the inspiration for a play and later a film, titled Six Degrees of Separation. | |
| Terry Higgins | (1945–1982) | One of the first British people to die of AIDS; gave his name to the Terrence Higgins Trust. | |
| Gervase Jackson-Stops | (1947–1995) | British architectural historian and journalist | |
| Michael Lupo | (1953–1995) | Italian serial killer; in revenge for his contracting HIV he murdered four homosexuals. | |
| Christine Maggiore | (1957–2008) | American AIDS denialist who refused interventions to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to her children; her three-year-old daughter died of complications of AIDS in 2005. | |
| Leonard Matlovich | (1943–1988) | American decorated Vietnam War veteran, fought U.S. military in 1975 for the right to serve as an openly gay man. | |
| Kongulu Mobutu | (c. 1970–1998) | Son of Mobutu Sese Seko, former president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; officer in the presidential guard. | |
| Richard Nyauza | (born 1970) | South African serial killer | |
| Lucy Offerall, aka Miss Lucy | (died 1991) | American groupie who gained some cult fame by appearing in Frank Zappa's film 200 Motels (1971) and making a musical contribution to the album Permanent Damage with The GTOs. | |
| Ed Savitz | (1942–1993) | American businessman accused of sexually abusing children | |
| Michael Shernoff | (1951–2008) | American mental health professional who wrote extensively on HIV/AIDS prevention and the mental health concerns of gay men. | |
| Lou Sullivan | (1951–1991) | American transsexual activist and author. | |
| Lucille Teasdale-Corti | (1929–1996) | Canadian physician, surgeon and international aid worker, who worked in Uganda and contributed to the development of medical services in the country. | |
| Ösel Tendzin | (1943–1990) | American Buddhist regent | |
| Ottis Toole | (1947–1996) | American serial killer |
External links
- "Artists With Aids". Archived from the original on May 16, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
