NEW YORK — David Mixner, a longtime LGBTQ+ activist who was an adviser to Invoice Clinton throughout his presidential marketing campaign and later referred to as him out over the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Inform” coverage concerning homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer personnel within the army, has died. He was 77.
Mixner died Monday at his residence in New York Metropolis, in line with Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Mixner had been in hospice for a while, Parker mentioned. In 1991, Mixner was one of many founding members of the group that recruits and helps LGBTQ+ political candidates.
“David was a brave, resilient and unyielding drive for social change at a time when our group confronted widespread discrimination and an HIV/AIDS disaster ignored by the political class in Washington, DC,” the Victory Fund mentioned in an announcement Monday. “In 1987, David joined one of many first HIV/AIDS protests outdoors the Reagan White Home, the place police wore latex gloves due to the stigma and misinformation round HIV/AIDS,” and was arrested.
Mixner believed that the LGBTQ+ group wanted to be visibly and constantly concerned within the political course of and “dragged individuals together with him,” Parker mentioned. He was social and witty and had a giant persona, she mentioned, however added that it was his ethical compass that folks ought to bear in mind probably the most: He was prepared to talk up and arise.
“He bought different individuals to be concerned however he additionally held individuals accountable,” Parker mentioned. “When politicians didn’t make their commitments, he was prepared to name them out on it.”
Mixner, who was credited with elevating tens of millions of {dollars} for Clinton from homosexual and lesbian voters, angered the White Home in 1993 by attacking then-U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga. In a speech, Mixner referred to as Nunn, chairman of the Senate Armed Providers Committee, an “old style bigot” for opposing Clinton’s plan to raise the ban on gays within the army.
When Clinton started to compromise with Congress and the Pentagon on the difficulty later that yr, Mixner accused the White Home of deceptive homosexual leaders. He mentioned Clinton “sacrificed the liberty of tens of millions to your personal political expediency.” Days later, Mixner was amongst greater than two dozen individuals arrested in entrance of the White Home in a protest of Clinton’s retreat from his marketing campaign pledge to raise the ban by govt order.
Neil Giuliano, the previous mayor of Tempe, Arizona, traveled to New York final month to go to with Mixner, whom he had identified for many years, and so they talked about politics and life and the afterlife.
“Going through loss of life compels one to be completely naked and completely sincere,” he mentioned.
Giuliano described Mixner as an “activist with grace” who was influential with individuals in any respect ranges.
“It’s not like he wasn’t indignant, however he got here ahead with a approach of speaking about points and with such grace and he offered in such a approach that introduced individuals in and didn’t maintain individuals out,” mentioned Giuliano, who now serves on the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund’s board. “I believe that’s why so many individuals have been drawn to him.”