FAME AND HIV : 5 MALE BIGGEST HIV POSITIVE CELEBRITIES

The list of famous people who have been open about their HIV diagnosis is a short one. Even among those known to us, most had their HIV status revealed either just before or after their deaths. While, sadly, many felt they had to hide their status, a few have used their influence to spread HIV awareness.
What follows are some of the most notable celebrities who are known to be living with or have died from HIV or AIDS. Some will be extremely familiar while others may surprise you.

Magic JohnsonMost people over the age of 30 won't soon forget the emotional public disclosure on Nov. 7, 1991 from one of basketball's all-time greats. Magic's HIV diagnosis essentially ended a phenomenal NBA career, though he did make a few brief comebacks.

His disclosure spurred a re-evaluation of safety in sports and was a watershed moment in HIV awareness. He has thrived since, leading some to believe he was somehow cured. To combat this type of misinformation, Magic has dedicated himself to HIV education and helping those living with HIV through the Magic Johnson Foundation and several other efforts

Rock HudsonOne of the most beloved movie stars of the '50s and '60s, Rock Hudson's AIDS-related death in late 1985 was a shock to the world. In a move that is truly emblematic of the unparalleled stigma of HIV, his publicity team had covered up his illness by saying he had liver cancer.

Hudson's HIV disclosure just prior to his death brought forth the fact that this matinee idol, a leading man in numerous romantic comedies, was gay. For better or for worse, his death sparked a landslide of conversation in mainstream media about homosexuality and HIV.






   Eric "Eazy-E" Wright

Eazy-E was a rap legend and co-founder of the influential group N.W.A., along with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. Their album, Straight Outta Compton, went double platinum in 1988 and cemented Eazy-E's legacy in gangsta rap history.
His lyrics jolted many, but nothing shocked people more than when he fell ill in 1995 and publicly acknowledged that he had AIDS. He died just one month after his diagnosis at the age of 31. His death was another key moment in public awareness of HIV/AIDS, particularly within the African-American community.


 

Arthur Ashe

As the first African-American man to win a Grand Slam title, Arthur Ashe broke down the color barrier in tennis. An accomplished champion and Hall of Famer, he is perhaps best known for his humanitarian and civil right efforts.
He was diagnosed with HIV in 1988, but didn't go public until 1992. He died a year later from AIDS-related pneumonia. During his final year of life, he was instrumental in raising HIV awareness through various efforts, including a speech at the U.N. on World AIDS Day and the creation of an AIDS foundation.



 

Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins was a film and stage actor who will always be remembered for his unforgettable turn as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. He had a productive career that spanned nearly 40 years.
Oddly, Perkins only discovered he was HIV positive in 1990 after a National Enquirer article exposed that he had AIDS, leading him to get tested. He had suspected that he might be HIV positive, but chose to ignore it for fear of what it might do to his career. He died two years later from AIDS-related complications.

                                              culled from The Body