Michael Callen | |
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| Born | April 11, 1955 Rising Sun, Indiana, United States |
| Died | December 27, 1993 (aged 38) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Cause of death | AIDS-related complications |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, author, and AIDS activist |
| Known for | Early AIDS activist |
Michael Callen (April 11, 1955 – December 27, 1993) was an American singer, songwriter, composer, author, and AIDS activist. Callen was diagnosed with AIDS in 1982 and became a pioneer of AIDS activism in New York City, working closely with his doctor, Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, and Richard Berkowitz. Together, they published articles and pamphlets to raise awareness about the correlation between risky sexual behaviors and AIDS.[1]
As a major contributor to the foundation of AIDS activism, specifically activism from People With AIDS, Callen helped draft unprecedented documents such as How to Have Sex in an Epidemic: One Approach, and The Denver Principles. In addition to his written work, Callen was a leader and founder of activist organizations including The People with AIDS Coalition and the Community Research Initiative. As a musician, he was a member of the openly gay and politically active a cappella quintet The Flirtations and released two solo albums: Purple Heart in 1988 and Legacy in 1996. He consistently spoke out for AIDS activists and gay and lesbian organizations and made frequent speaking and performance appearances. Callen remained a primary public figure in AIDS activism until he died at age 38 from AIDS-related complications of pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma at Midway Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.[2] In Love Doesn't Need a Reason the author, Jones, wrote that Michael Callen requested that Douglas Sadownick and Tim should be granted power of attorney over him.[3]
- ^ Watney, Simon (2000). Imagine Hope: AIDS and Gay Identity. London: Taylor and Francis Group. pp. 114–115. ISBN 9780203495445.
- ^ Dunlap, David W. (December 29, 1993). "Michael Callen, Singer and Expert on Coping With AIDS, Dies at 38". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- ^ Jones (2020). Love Don't Need a Reason - The Life & Music of Michael Callen. Punctum Books. p. 261. ISBN 9781953035158.