Liz's Gay Youth AIDS Appeal
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

http://www.365gay.com/newscontent/090401taylor.htm

(September 4, Rome) Elizabeth Taylor has brought her AIDS campaign to the Venice Film Festival. "It is the most powerful thing in my life and I will fight until there is a cure." 

Speaking at a film festival dinner to raise funds for AIDS research Taylor issued a plea to younger gays to practice safe sex.  Taylor said the world's youth has become complacent about HIV and urged gay teens to use condoms.   Research throughout the world shows that younger gays are ignoring the safe sex message, and the number of new HIV infections is rising.

"They don't like to use condoms because it doesn't feel so good. But death feels even worse."

She was joined in her appeal by Nicole Kidman and Claudia Schiffer.

Taylor said the world must not let down its guard. It has been 20 years since the AIDS virus was first discovered. In that time, 22 million people have died.  Worldwide, 36 million people are infected with HIV.

"We are not asleep behind the wheel. We are working our tails off with love and dedication," Taylor told the audience.

Elizabeth Taylor flays AIDS complacency 
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/article.html?2001/09/04/1   

Paul Majendie, Reuters

Tuesday, September 4, 2001 / 03:53 PM

SUMMARY: Elizabeth Taylor had a stern message Friday to young people who refuse condoms because they don't feel good: "Death feels even worse."

VENICE, Italy -- Hollywood legend and veteran AIDS campaigner Elizabeth Taylor chided the world's youth on Friday for becoming too complacent about the HIV virus that causes the disease and urged them to use condoms.

"We are doing everything in our power to find a cure," she told Reuters Television at a fund-raising dinner for AIDS research at the Venice film festival.

"It is the most powerful thing in my life and I will fight until there is a cure," she said.

Hollywood star Nicole Kidman and German supermodel Claudia Schiffer joined Taylor in urging the world not to drop its guard 20 years after the AIDS virus was first discovered.

Taylor, showing her persistence as fund-raiser, said: "We are not asleep behind the wheel. We are working our tails off with love and dedication."

Asked if she felt young people in the world today were becoming complacent about the dangers of AIDS, she said: "Absolutely. They don't like to use condoms because it doesn't feel so good. But death feels even worse."

The United Nations says some 36 million people are infected with HIV and that nearly 22 million have died since the beginning of the epidemic.

Kidman, in Venice to promote her films just three weeks after her divorce from Tom Cruise, put on a brave face as she faced a barrage of paparazzi jostling for a shot.

The elegant Australian redhead was fervent in her praise of Taylor's fundraising efforts and said: "I think anything you can do to help is important. Obviously I was here and I was happy to come along."

Schiffer, who modeled a diamond necklace at the fund-raising dinner, also praised Taylor's efforts, saying: "We should always all help."

The dinner was staged on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, which was hit by a torrential downpour that mercifully cleared before the celebrities arrived.

After being serenaded by Brazilian singer Alexandre Pires, they were exhorted by Taylor at a celebrity auction to dig deep and buy everything from designer luggage to holidays at next year's winter Olympics.

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