Back in the 1980s, Donna Summer was protested by gay groups such as ACT UP for her statements attributed to a Village Voice article that AIDS was God’s punishment for the gays. While Summer and the gay community obviously made up over time, what has never been published before is the full apology letter Summer sent to ACT UP in 1989.
The letter was obtained by Poz Blog’s Peter Staley, who requested a full copy from ACT UP’s archives at New York’s LGBT Community Center.
[Photo: Wikipedia]
Spike
Seems like a rather long letter, full of excuses, to address a misunderstanding. Quoting scripture and no signature, seems consistent with her bat shit crazy beliefs that 911 was an attack on Christians and that inhaling toxic air after 911 gave her lung cancer. Never mind minor fact that lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer death for both men and women in the United States, in Donna’s case it was the attack on Christians that led to her death. Koo koo.
Katt
Well I wasn’t around when this happened, but my parents taught me one thing. When someone apologizes you accept it! If you can, you forgive them. If time passes without further offense, you forget it.
That letter was beautiful and heart felt. If I were around I would have gave her a hug and said “we ok girl!”
Ernie
@Spike: And Donna Summer is dead of cancer now, so you have fun holding on to that hate for the rest of your life.
John
I find it funny that so many people hate Donna because of unsubstantiated claims of her homophobia just because her conversion to Christianity happened around the time AIDS hit. Yet the same people who were happy when she died (and shame on you all, she was one of the greatest divas of all time) were upset when Whitney and Jackson died, two artists who also were accused of homophobia… yet somehow the rumors didn’t stick to them and it was water under the bridge when they died.
Donna was one of the all time greats, the majority of gay entertainers and those who worked with her who were openly gay had nothing buy great things to say about her, so I think their opinion matters more than a few jilted queens who felt like Donna embracing religion to overcome her drug addiction and depression was somehow a dagger to their chest. Newsflash, not all Christians are homophobes. Why doesn’t Gloria Gaynor get the hate Donna did, Gloria in print has made homophobic remarks and has never apologized or recanted them… but yet Donna, who gave lots of money to AIDS charities and other gay causes is still treated as Anita Bryant in death. Eff you all, Donna was one of the greatest ever and I for one miss her.
Cam
@John: said…
“I find it funny that so many people hate Donna because of unsubstantiated claims of her homophobia just because her conversion to Christianity happened around the time AIDS hit.”
_______________
You may actually want to read a bit, even in this article.
In an interview with a paper she said basically that AIDS could be seen as God’s punishment towards gays.
What I noticed is that she didn’t explain how the paper was wrong. she just kind of rambled all over the place.
prettygirls
Why can’t we let Ms Donna R.I.P. The majority of the gays here on Queerty are going to hate her no matter what. I expect nothing less from this crowd. The ones who are able to forgive and forget and understand that sometimes words maybe taken out context still love and respect her work.
Spike
@Ernie: Really, seriously? Nice attempt to project and label me a hater, rather then address the few facts that I stated in my post. Yea, I get it, your a die hard DS fan, bless your heart. Guess what, I saw her live, in concert, in the 70’s, too, back when she worked the acrylic mic stand like she was jacking dick while singing Love to Love You Baby . . . however I evolved through the 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s . . . and watched her do a 180, find ja-hesus. As for the 911 nonsense, whatever. No hate, just reality. But if it makes you feel better projecting and labeling me a hater, bless your heart.
What the f**k
SYLVESTER…was the queen of disco.
Me
She said that she never said “aids was God’s punishment for gays”. If this is true, why is this even an issue? Besides, she apologized for any misunderstandings. So why chase a lie?
villa viper
If the gay community hated every famous person that felt Aids was God’s punishment or that it is a Sin to be gay you would be left with a tiny portion of people to look up to, or listen to their music, see their movies or watch their television shows . I mean seriously can you imagine ONLY listening to Madonna, Lady Gaga or Cyndi Lauper for the rest of your life?? :-0
Get over it, let Bigots live in peace.
I love it how gay men are so fu..ing shallow when it comes to each other but when someone does not approve of “the lifestyle” it is like the gay heavens have opened up and rained down homo wrath…so contradictory and silly..
Delius
She was a total liar, right to the end.
I don’t miss this bigot one iota.
Cam
@Me: said…
“She said that she never said “aids was God’s punishment for gays”. If this is true, why is this even an issue? Besides, she apologized for any misunderstandings. So why chase a lie?”
_____________-
You’re lying. If she never said it, then that would be a very easy correction to make rather than type a long rambling letter that says nothing.
If she never said it the paper would have had to print a retraction. The fact that they didn’t and she couldn’t demand one speaks volumes.
Franco
I believe her that she never said the things that she was accused of.
David
No one has ever come forward with any real proof that Donna made anti-gay remarks! To base something solely on some paragraph in a gossip column or what a friend of a friend told you really says a lot about an individual!
JohnnyBoy
What was the point of posting this letter? It doesn’t matter.
Jimmie Lee
@Franco: I agree, Franco.