Dr. Michael Schiavi presented a lecture, "Vito Russo: Celluloid Activist and Gay Hero," Oct. 12 at the Frick Center's Founders Lodge at Elmhurst College. Schiavi's lecture concluded the college's annual LGBT guestship named in honor of alumnus Dr. William R. Johnson ( class of 1968 ) . About 100 people attended the talk, including Johnson and luminaries from the college.
Schiavi commenced by saying, "The goal of my talk tonight is to introduce you to Vito Russo." He then mentioned details of Russo's life, such as the late activist being a founder of GLAAD ( the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ) and ACT UP ( AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power ) , and author of The Celluloid Closet. He did all of this by the age of 44—when he died, in 1990, of AIDS-related complications.
A clip from the new documentary Vito ( which will be shown at Chicago's Reeling Film Festival Nov. 7 at Landmark's Century Centre Cinema ) was shown before Schiavi launched into his PowerPoint presentation highlighting important moments in Russo's life.
Schiavi began by talking about Russo's early years, when he felt alienated while living in East Harlem and New Jersey because of his homosexuality. Schiavi went on to say that to escape this feeling Russo moved to New York City's Greenwich Village after college so he could express his pride and immerse himself in gay life.
When the Stonewall Riots occurred, Russo retreated and stayed on the fringes of gay life—but that didn't last long. Russo's whole life soon changed as he began to take a leadership role in the LGBT movement. He joined GAA ( Gay Activist Alliance ) which, with its radical bent, gelled with Russo's personality. Russo also set up cabaret nights, when people could perform for each other and watch screenings of LGBT movies ( Firehouse Flicks ) . From these screenings he put together the Celluloid Closet lecture, traveling all over the world to give his talk. His talk later turned into a book and a documentary.
When Russo was taking care of his lover, Jeffrey Sevcik, who contracted AIDS in 1985, he discovered he had AIDS as well. At that time, there were no drugs available so Russo felt he would die, like Sevcik did. Starting in 1985 and until his death five years later, Russo became an AIDS activist, co-founding GLAAD to combat negative images of LGBT people in the media; he also co-founded ACT UP in 1987. Schiavi said that another reason for Russo's AIDS activism was President Ronald Reagan's silence on the issue.
Throughout the presentation, Schiavi played audio and video clips of Russo talking about important events in his life. One of the most moving of these was his speech in Washington, D.C., on the steps of the Health and Human Services Building in 1988. Russo was protesting what he perceived as the federal government's inaction regarding the AIDS crisis due to their homophobia and fear of the disease.
Schiavi closed his talk by saying that Russo was a fighter until his death and asked the audience to consider Russo's legacy, which is visibility at any cost and standing up for LGBT equality.
Previous Johnson guestship ( formerly LGBT Guestship ) lecturers include the Rev. Joan Martin in 2008, historian John D'Emilio in 2009, Windy City Times Publisher Tracy Baim in 2010 and Harry Knox last year.
