By Savannah Whaley
“Do you want to spend the Memorial Day weekend in an unairconditioned warehouse making red ribbons?”
The voice on the landline phone belonged to my friend Patrick O’Connell, a blindingly brilliant and funny man whom I had met through our mutual friend, theatrical company manager Brian Dunbar.
It was 1991 and Patrick worked in New York City’s visual arts community which, like the theater industry, was being devastated by AIDS. While ACT UP activists were focused on the politics of ending the epidemic, Patrick had recently created VISUAL AIDS to raise awareness of the crisis outside the gay community.
“We had a meeting and we need something like the yellow ribbon,” Patrick explained.
I was beginning to understand. Across the nation, people inspired by a pop music hit by Tony Orlando and Dawn had tied yellow ribbons on trees in support of troops in the first Gulf War.
“Of course, our ribbon has to be RED,” Patrick said, raising his voice two octaves on the last word.
Over the years, I’ve read accounts of the red ribbon’s origin and most report the color was chosen to represent such things as blood and passion. Good enough for the historical record. However, the impression I got that day was it was the obvious choice for any gay fashion accessory.
“They said we should launch it at Pride but I said, ‘There’s a gay holiday before then — the Tony Awards®,’” he laughed.
The annual ceremony for Broadway’s best was in a few days and weeks before the Pride march.
“I’m going to call Brian and see if Manny will get them to the people in his shows to wear,” Patrick said, formulating his masterplan.
Brian was working for producer Emanuel Azenberg who had several nominated productions that year. Brian was one of the most charming, loveable men I’ve ever known and, sure enough, red ribbons held together with tiny safety pins went out to those in Azenberg’s shows.
VISUAL AIDS was also able to place ribbons on all the seats in the Minskoff Theater where the awards would be held. As viewers across the country tuned in, Jeremy Irons walked onstage wearing a red ribbon. More ribbon clad celebrities came before the cameras as the night wore on.
Although the show’s producers had allowed the ribbons, they forbade anyone to mention them on air as they had seen too many award shows derailed by political speeches. That vow of silence was heard around the world. The curious media immediately began reporting about the mysterious ribbons and an iconic symbol was born.
I confess that I did not show up that weekend 34 years ago, but I have witnessed the red ribbon grace a postage stamp and be added to the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection as its powerful message lives on. On a personal note, Brian would pass away before the end of that year of AIDS-related pneumonia while Patrick lived with HIV for decades until his death in 2021.
As we prepare to mark World AIDS Day 2025, we once again live in dangerous times. But there is hope in remembering that a few people can come together to force change, even when they only have some ribbon and safety pins.
