When Debbie Reynolds Sang for Our Lives (Video)

@ 2026 Equal Entertainment LLC.
All rights reserved

        When Debbie Reynolds Sang for Our Lives (Video)
    Debbie Reynolds was one of the earliest activists against AIDS, as evidenced by this 1983 radio spot promoting a benefit at the Hollywood Bowl.
 Advocate.com Editors
          
          Jan 07, 2017
          
        
Advocate.com Editors
 See Full Bio 

        
        FROM OUR SPONSORS
        
    

        
        The Latest
        
    
News
        New true crime documentary solves 1990 murder of gay porn star
    The unsolved murder, dubbed the "gay Black Dahlia," was cracked wide open by director Rachel Mason after 25 years.
Ariel Messman-Rucker
News
        A Martin Scorsese amour fou: The most satisfying bombshell from Liza's dishy new memoir
    In Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, the legendary performer details descending into an impassioned, drug-fueled affair with the filmmaker during the filming of the 1977 movie musical New York, New York.
Elaina Patton
News
        Don Lemon wants queer people to stand up to bullies: ‘Punch them in the nose’
    The award-winning journalist isn't backing down despite what the current administration throws at him.
Ricky Cornish
News
        'Heated Rivalry's meteoric rise blamed for anti-LGBTQ+ bullying on high school hockey teams
    A civil rights group claims that backlash to the show's popularity has caused an uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ hate from fellow players and coaches. 
Ariel Messman-Rucker

        
        More For You
        
        Budget cuts and ignorance of history are racing us towards another HIV & AIDS epidemic
    
John Casey
Mar 04, 2026
The 'lenacapavir' inscription displayed on a screen and illustrative syringes are seen in this illustration photo.

        Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
    
        I’m old enough to remember what it looked like when the government decided AIDS wasn't its problem. Keep Reading →

        After 40 years living with HIV, this military veteran sees history repeating
    
Ryan Adamczeski
Feb 27, 2026
Reggie Dunbar II advocates for military troops and veterans living with HIV.

        Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Reggie Dunbar II
    
        Reggie Dunbar II’s doctor was more concerned than he was when his HIV diagnosis came back. Keep Reading →

        Black LGBTQ+ leader derides Trump’s cuts to HIV funding after State of the Union
    
Jacob Ogles
Feb 26, 2026
Kelley Robinson, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign

        Manoli Figetakis/Getty Images
    
        Kelley Robinson brought a list of gripes about Donald Trump the night of the State of the Union address — but cuts to HIV funding and its impact on her community loomed large. Keep Reading →

        How can PrEP use among Black people be improved?
    
Jacob Ogles
Feb 25, 2026

        Ines Bazdar/Shutterstock
    
        Black patients account for 42 percent of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S., despite making up just 13 percent of the country’s population. So why is PrEP use so low? Keep Reading →

        Federal appeals court sides with Pentagon against science, reinstating U.S. military’s HIV enlistment ban
    
Christopher Wiggins
Feb 19, 2026
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addresses a group of National Guard troops before conducting their re-enlistment ceremony at the base of the Washington Monument on February 06, 2026, in Washington, DC. 

        Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
    
        In a ruling that reasserts broad judicial deference to the U.S. military and delivers a major setback to HIV and LGBTQ+ advocates, a federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated the Pentagon’s long-standing ban on people living with HIV enlisting in the armed forces, undoing a lower-court decision that had briefly opened the door to qualified recruits with undetectable viral loads. Keep Reading →

        Most Popular
        
Crime
        Many alleged suicides of Black trans women are in fact modern-day lynchings, report finds
    Jill Collen Jefferson, the founder of JULIAN, explains what happens when a transgender woman’s death is ruled a suicide and a community calls it something else.
Christopher Wiggins
Politics
        Charlie Kirk DID say stoning gay people was the 'perfect law' — and these other heinous quotes
    These are some of his worst comments about LGBTQ+ people made by Charlie Kirk.
Ryan Adamczeski
States
        New Hampshire House advances transgender bathroom bill, breaking with New England
    The Republican-led legislation places the state increasingly out of step with the rest of New England on trans rights.
Christopher Wiggins
Opinion
        Kristi Noem is a cautionary tale for white gay Republicans
    Opinion: Proximity to (and even building) misogynistic machinery will not protect you, writes contributor Josh Ackley.
Josh Ackley
National
        Outraged Ben Shapiro says Candace Owens documentary labels Erika Kirk a ‘lesbian pedophile’
    The far-right influencer for months accused the CEO of Turning Point USA of being involved in her husband, Charlie Kirk's, murder.
Jacob Ogles
Elections
        Anti-LGBTQ+ Congressman Dan Crenshaw ousted by more extreme candidate in Texas GOP primary
    The Texas Republican championed a federal ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for minors.
Christopher Wiggins

Site Navigation

When Debbie Reynolds Sang for Our Lives (Video)

Debbie Reynolds was one of the earliest activists against AIDS, as evidenced by this 1983 radio spot promoting a benefit at the Hollywood Bowl.

The Latest

New true crime documentary solves 1990 murder of gay porn star

The unsolved murder, dubbed the "gay Black Dahlia," was cracked wide open by director Rachel Mason after 25 years.

A Martin Scorsese amour fou: The most satisfying bombshell from Liza's dishy new memoir

In Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, the legendary performer details descending into an impassioned, drug-fueled affair with the filmmaker during the filming of the 1977 movie musical New York, New York.

Don Lemon wants queer people to stand up to bullies: ‘Punch them in the nose’

The award-winning journalist isn't backing down despite what the current administration throws at him.

'Heated Rivalry's meteoric rise blamed for anti-LGBTQ+ bullying on high school hockey teams

A civil rights group claims that backlash to the show's popularity has caused an uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ hate from fellow players and coaches.

LGBTQ+ stories deserve to betold.

Pennsylvania lawmakers advance LGBTQ+ protections despite GOP objections

82 Photos of California Boys Doing It One More Time

Florida suddenly cuts off 12,000 people from receiving their HIV meds

Did you know over half of HIV-positive people in the world are female?

What to know about HIV testing and treatment if you’re Black and LGBTQ+

More For You

Budget cuts and ignorance of history are racing us towards another HIV & AIDS epidemic

After 40 years living with HIV, this military veteran sees history repeating

Black LGBTQ+ leader derides Trump’s cuts to HIV funding after State of the Union

How can PrEP use among Black people be improved?

Federal appeals court sides with Pentagon against science, reinstating U.S. military’s HIV enlistment ban

Most Popular

Many alleged suicides of Black trans women are in fact modern-day lynchings, report finds

Jill Collen Jefferson, the founder of JULIAN, explains what happens when a transgender woman’s death is ruled a suicide and a community calls it something else.

New Hampshire House advances transgender bathroom bill, breaking with New England

The Republican-led legislation places the state increasingly out of step with the rest of New England on trans rights.

Kristi Noem is a cautionary tale for white gay Republicans

Opinion: Proximity to (and even building) misogynistic machinery will not protect you, writes contributor Josh Ackley.

Outraged Ben Shapiro says Candace Owens documentary labels Erika Kirk a ‘lesbian pedophile’

The far-right influencer for months accused the CEO of Turning Point USA of being involved in her husband, Charlie Kirk's, murder.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Congressman Dan Crenshaw ousted by more extreme candidate in Texas GOP primary

The Texas Republican championed a federal ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for minors.

Latest Stories

Stay up to date with the latest in LGBTQ+ news with The Advocate’s email newsletter, in your inbox five days a week.

When Debbie Reynolds Sang for Our Lives (Video)

Debbie Reynolds was one of the earliest activists against AIDS, as evidenced by this 1983 radio spot promoting a benefit at the Hollywood Bowl.

FROM OUR SPONSORS

The Latest

The unsolved murder, dubbed the "gay Black Dahlia," was cracked wide open by director Rachel Mason after 25 years.

In Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, the legendary performer details descending into an impassioned, drug-fueled affair with the filmmaker during the filming of the 1977 movie musical New York, New York.

The award-winning journalist isn't backing down despite what the current administration throws at him.

A civil rights group claims that backlash to the show's popularity has caused an uptick in anti-LGBTQ+ hate from fellow players and coaches.

LGBTQ+ stories deserve to betold.

More For You

Most Popular

Jill Collen Jefferson, the founder of JULIAN, explains what happens when a transgender woman’s death is ruled a suicide and a community calls it something else.

These are some of his worst comments about LGBTQ+ people made by Charlie Kirk.

The Republican-led legislation places the state increasingly out of step with the rest of New England on trans rights.

Opinion: Proximity to (and even building) misogynistic machinery will not protect you, writes contributor Josh Ackley.

The far-right influencer for months accused the CEO of Turning Point USA of being involved in her husband, Charlie Kirk's, murder.

The Texas Republican championed a federal ban on Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for minors.