Writer and AIDS Activist, Is Dead
Never doubt that a handful of queens can change the world, and get something into the New York Times when they put their minds to it.
Last week, a small circle of Robert's friends traded emails about the Times not writing an obituary for him. Even though it had been weeks since he passed away, and we feared too late for the Gray Lady to run something, we nevertheless made phone calls and sent emails to the obits desk and other contacts at the paper.
Today, the Times web-published a short obit on Robert, and hope this means it will appear in tomorrow's print edition. Sure, the passing of our friend and brother was noted on may blogs and cultural web sites, it was still necessary, if not old-fashioned, to get an obit for him in the paper of record, and in print too.
Working with this fabulous circle of Robert's loved ones reminded me of a valuable ACT UP and queer justice dictum: It is never too late to request that the right thing be done.
From the Times:
Robert Hilferty, a writer and an AIDS activist who made a documentary film in 1989 that roiled the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York and the Public Broadcasting Service, died on July 24 at his home in Manhattan. He was 49.
Mr. Hilferty committed suicide while suffering from complications of a head injury he received in March, said Fabio Toblini, his companion.
In the late 1980s, while he was active in the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (Act Up), Mr. Hilferty produced and directed a 24-minute film, “Stop the Church,” documenting a demonstration at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan by gay rights and abortion rights advocates. More than 4,500 people gathered outside while 134 went inside and collapsed in the aisles to symbolize death.
PBS initially planned to broadcast the film in August 1991 as part of its “P.O.V.” series of independently made documentaries. It then canceled the broadcast, citing the film’s numerous denunciations of the Roman Catholic Church and calling it “inappropriate for distribution because of its pervasive tone of ridicule.” [...]
Mr. Hilferty was a freelance writer for many publications, including New York magazine, Playbill, The Village Voice, Opera News, Artforum, Bloomberg News and The New York Times. He wrote about classical music, architecture, acting, fashion and gardening. [...]
What the fuck does it mean anyway to be mentioned in New York Times? It matters to immigrants who have made good. Jackson Pollock finally made the New York times and Life magazine. His life took a downspin from then onward. I don't want to be in the New York Times when I die. My late wife's obituary was written up by Johnson and Johnson the company that her father founded, and I got one letter from an elderly New York couple asking me about retiring in North Carolina where she died. That was about it.
ReplyDeleteHe looks like a sweet man and I am glad friends are remembering him. I am just saying....a mention in the NYT is meaningless to him as he doesn't know about it.
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