Elizabeth Taylor was an advocate.

Elizabeth Taylor was an advocate.

She is one of the most enduring faces of the golden age of Hollywood, and yes, she had violet eyes. Sure, she had a lot of diamonds. Some might call her a “love addict,” others might just say she was just someone who believed in the importance of love almost above all else, so much so that she always fell deeply, madly and quickly with abandon, and thus was married eight times to seven men. As most women in Hollywood were (or are) she was often a casualty of sexism, but make no mistake, she was no victim. She was a resilient, unapologetic woman, and a remarkable actor. When it comes to Elizabeth’s true legacy though, I believe she’d want us to remember her advocacy above all else.

When an unknown virus started ripping away the lives of predominantly gay men in the early eighties, most of the world was silent and afraid. Celebrities and government leaders alike did nothing for years whilst tens of thousands of sons, brothers, boyfriends and friends succumbed to the rapidly growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. One voice however was not silent. Elizabeth campaigned and fundraised tirelessly, raising $1.3 million at the “Commitment to Life” fundraiser, galvanising the public and fellow celebrities into taking action, all whilst U.S President Ronald Raegan had still refused to even mention the words HIV or AIDS publicly. When the world tried to turn away she forced it to look. Her efforts were bold and tireless, her empathy for those affected bottomless. In every place in the world she travelled to she would visit the AIDS wings of hospitals, offering what many needed the most - the compassion of human touch without judgement or fear, a hug, a held hand. She founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991, a charity dedicated to supporting those living with HIV. Elizabeth passed away in 2011 but the foundation’s work continues.

After scrolling past photo montages of Liz’s violet eyes, diamonds and beauty shots set to a certain song by a certain artist all weekend, I felt it important to remember who Elizabeth really was. Especially to those who may be discovering her for the first time.

I’m not here to criticise anyone’s art, it’s safe to say that this is simply not for me, but I do think when a billionaire decides to compare themselves, however metaphorically, to one of the most bold advocates Hollywood has ever seen, and yet only focuses on the surface of who they were, it opens up an interesting dialogue about the role of celebrities and how they choose to use their influence.

We know what Liz did with hers. She spoke up for those who needed her voice, even when it was unpopular. Even when she was shamed for it. So my question to someone who has chosen to compare themself to her, who has as much, if not more power and influence at their fingertips, is “what exactly are you doing?”

I know some will say that artists should be able to simply entertain us and that music can be just an escape, I tend to disagree. I’ve always been a staunch believer in the oft quoted Nina Simone way of thinking; that it’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times we are in. There’s certainly no shortage of crises in need of public galvanising right now. If you call yourself a true artist, a martyr, a poet, then stand for something. The silence is as loud as the tone is deaf.

And please don’t get me wrong, I’m not just coming for your fave, I’m pretty disappointed in a lot of artists right now and their lack of courage. And maybe you disagree - you needed a fun light distraction from persistent horrors of this year and this album was the gentle salve you needed. But just know, Elizabeth Taylor wouldn’t have been afraid. So if you’re going to remember her, remember that.

And that’s on being an artist.