Madonna marks Worlds AIDS Day by paying tribute to five fallen friends and sharing 1991 amfAR speech

Seven-time Grammy winner Madonna marked Worlds AIDS Day on Tuesday by paying tribute to five of her fallen friends and sharing a video from her speech at a 1991 amfAR fundraiser.

The 62-year-old Queen of Pop did so as ‘a reminder that we cannot give up the fight’ of 38M people living with HIV despite ‘anti-retroviral drugs’ making the disease no longer ‘a death sentence.’

Madge (last name Ciccone) said addressing AIDS in this fashion was ‘fitting’ considering ‘that we are in the midst of another global pandemic’ – COVID-19

Never forget: Seven-time Grammy winner Madonna marked Worlds AIDS Day on Tuesday by paying tribute to five of her fallen friends and sharing a video from her speech at a 1991 amfAR fundraiser

Progress: The 62-year-old Queen of Pop did so as 'a reminder that we cannot give up the fight' of 38M people living with HIV despite 'anti-retroviral drugs' making the disease no longer 'a death sentence'

Progress: The 62-year-old Queen of Pop did so as 'a reminder that we cannot give up the fight' of 38M people living with HIV despite 'anti-retroviral drugs' making the disease no longer 'a death sentence'

Progress: The 62-year-old Queen of Pop did so as ‘a reminder that we cannot give up the fight’ of 38M people living with HIV despite ‘anti-retroviral drugs’ making the disease no longer ‘a death sentence’

‘I am not HIV+. But what if I were? I would be more afraid about how society would treat me for having the disease than the actual disease itself,’ the self-made superstar said in 1991.

‘It occurred to me rather recently that what’s even bigger than the AIDS epidemic, what’s even more frightening, is the fear that this plague has given birth to. What they’re facing is real. And if we can learn to deal with real and we can learn to deal with our fears then I’m hopeful that we can conquer this disease.’

Madonna singled out five men ‘who personally inspired’ her like high school ballet teacher Christopher Flynn, who took her to her first gay club in Detroit and urged her to move to New York. 

'Share love not AIDS': Madge (last name Ciccone) said addressing AIDS in this fashion was 'fitting' considering 'that we are in the midst of another global pandemic' - COVID-19

‘Share love not AIDS’: Madge (last name Ciccone) said addressing AIDS in this fashion was ‘fitting’ considering ‘that we are in the midst of another global pandemic’ – COVID-19

The self-made superstar said in 1991: 'I am not HIV+. But what if I were? I would be more afraid about how society would treat me for having the disease than the actual disease itself'

The self-made superstar said in 1991: ‘I am not HIV+. But what if I were? I would be more afraid about how society would treat me for having the disease than the actual disease itself’

She continued: 'What they're facing is real. And if we can learn to deal with real and we can learn to deal with our fears then I'm hopeful that we can conquer this disease'

She continued: ‘What they’re facing is real. And if we can learn to deal with real and we can learn to deal with our fears then I’m hopeful that we can conquer this disease’

RIP: Madonna singled out five men 'who personally inspired' her like high school ballet teacher Christopher Flynn (L), who took her to her first gay club in Detroit and urged her to move to New York

RIP: Madonna singled out five men ‘who personally inspired’ her like high school ballet teacher Christopher Flynn (L), who took her to her first gay club in Detroit and urged her to move to New York

In memoriam: The Levitating songstress famously penned her heartbreaking 1992 ballad In This Life about her best friend and roommate Martin Burgoyne (R), who died from AIDS in 1986 at age 23

In memoriam: The Levitating songstress famously penned her heartbreaking 1992 ballad In This Life about her best friend and roommate Martin Burgoyne (R), who died from AIDS in 1986 at age 23

The Levitating songstress famously penned her heartbreaking 1992 ballad In This Life about her best friend and roommate Martin Burgoyne, who died from AIDS in 1986 at age 23. 

Madonna’s good friend the legendary pop artist Keith Haring passed away four years later, age 31, after painting clothing for her early performances.

Legendary b&w photographer Herb Ritts – who died in 2002 – photographed the two-time Golden Globe winner for her 1986 album cover True Blue and directed her 1989 music video for Cherish. 

She used to date Basquiat: Madonna's good friend the legendary pop artist Keith Haring (R) passed away four years later, age 31, after painting clothing for her early performances

She used to date Basquiat: Madonna’s good friend the legendary pop artist Keith Haring (R) passed away four years later, age 31, after painting clothing for her early performances

Gone but not forgotten: Legendary b&w photographer Herb Ritts (L) - who died in 2002 - photographed the two-time Golden Globe winner for her 1986 album cover True Blue and directed her 1989 music video for Cherish

Gone but not forgotten: Legendary b&w photographer Herb Ritts (L) – who died in 2002 – photographed the two-time Golden Globe winner for her 1986 album cover True Blue and directed her 1989 music video for Cherish

Tragic: Madonna also paid tribute to architect David Collins (L, pictured in 1995), who died in 2013 after co-writing her 1998 song Drowned World/Substitute for Love as well as designing two of her apartments

Tragic: Madonna also paid tribute to architect David Collins (L, pictured in 1995), who died in 2013 after co-writing her 1998 song Drowned World/Substitute for Love as well as designing two of her apartments

Fail: Other 'relentless' celebrity AIDS activists have included Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Elton John, and Sharon Stone - while the Reagan Administration largely ignored the crisis until 1987 when nearly 21K people had already perished (President Ronald Reagan pictured in 1986)

Fail: Other ‘relentless’ celebrity AIDS activists have included Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Elton John, and Sharon Stone – while the Reagan Administration largely ignored the crisis until 1987 when nearly 21K people had already perished (President Ronald Reagan pictured in 1986)

Madonna also paid tribute to architect David Collins, who died in 2013 after co-writing her 1998 song Drowned World/Substitute for Love as well as designing two of her apartments. 

Other ‘relentless’ celebrity AIDS activists have included Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Elton John, and Sharon Stone – while the Reagan Administration largely ignored the crisis until 1987 when nearly 21K people had already perished.

The I Don’t Search I Find singer – who boasts 41M social media followers – celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with all six of her children, sharing a rare family portrait on Monday. 

Reunited: The I Don't Search I Find singer celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with all six of her children, sharing a rare family portrait on Monday

Reunited: The I Don’t Search I Find singer celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday with all six of her children, sharing a rare family portrait on Monday

Blended brood: Madonna posed alongside (from L-R) her daughter Lourdes, 24; son David Banda, 15; twin daughters Stella & Estere, 8; son Rocco, 20; and daughter Mercy James, 14

Blended brood: Madonna posed alongside (from L-R) her daughter Lourdes, 24; son David Banda, 15; twin daughters Stella & Estere, 8; son Rocco, 20; and daughter Mercy James, 14

Madonna posed in front of a fireplace alongside her daughter Lourdes, 24; son David Banda, 15; twin daughters Stella & Estere, 8; son Rocco, 20; and daughter Mercy James, 14.

The I Rise singer has been hard at work with Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody co-writing the script for her self-directed Universal Pictures biopic about her extraordinary life and five-decade career.

Madonna previously helmed two dismally-reviewed box office bombs – Filth and Wisdom in 2008, and W.E. in 2011.

Pre-production: The I Rise singer has been hard at work with Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (R) co-writing the script for her self-directed Universal Pictures biopic about her extraordinary life and five-decade career (pictured October 16)

Pre-production: The I Rise singer has been hard at work with Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (R) co-writing the script for her self-directed Universal Pictures biopic about her extraordinary life and five-decade career (pictured October 16)

Madonna directed Filth and Wisdom in 2008

Madonna directed W.E. in 2011

Three time’s a charm? Madonna previously helmed two dismally-reviewed box office bombs – Filth and Wisdom in 2008, and W.E. in 2011

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