{"id":114706,"date":"2019-12-26T16:25:29","date_gmt":"2019-12-26T21:25:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/"},"modified":"2019-12-26T16:25:29","modified_gmt":"2019-12-26T21:25:29","slug":"the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/people_we_lost_2019_670_355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/people_we_lost_2019_670_355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/people_we_lost_2019_670_355-400x212.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><\/p>\n<p>Some of the notable LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Karl Lagerfeld<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fashion designer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/fashion\/2019\/feb\/19\/karl-lagerfeld-obituary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Karl Lagerfeld died<\/a> February 19, aged 85. Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg in 1933: the son of a businessman and former lingerie saleswoman. He undertook his secondary schooling in Paris, after which he took up a job as an apprenticeship with the designer Pierre Balmain.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/karl_lagerfeld_wikimedia_commons-670x434.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/karl_lagerfeld_wikimedia_commons-670x434.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/karl_lagerfeld_wikimedia_commons-400x259.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/karl_lagerfeld_wikimedia_commons-105x68.jpg 105w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/karl_lagerfeld_wikimedia_commons.jpg 850w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><\/p>\n<p>He designed his first haute couture collection, for Jean Patou, in 1958. Lagerfeld built a name for himself during the 1960s, working extensively with Chloe, Curiel, and Fendi. Lagerfeld was appointed creative director for Chanel in 1983, which is when he truly became a global fashion brand.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Rip Taylor<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>US comic and actor Rip Taylor died early October in Beverley Hills, West Hollywood. He was 84.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor was a US TV and comedy club regular for more than six decades. He got his big break after being invited to appear on <em>The Ed Sullivan Show<\/em>. One of Taylor&rsquo;s trademarks was pretending to cry whilst pleading with the audience to laugh, and Sullivan named him the &ldquo;crying comedian.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-539708\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/10\/rip_taylor_creativecommons-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"Rip Taylor\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/10\/rip_taylor_creativecommons-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/10\/rip_taylor_creativecommons-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/10\/rip_taylor_creativecommons.jpg 943w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Rip Taylor (Photo: <a>Angela Taylor<\/a>, licensed via <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/deed.en\">CC-by-SA-3.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Countless further appearances followed on TV, including <em>The Jackie Gleason Show<\/em>, movies such as <em>Wayne&rsquo;s World 2<\/em>, and on <em>Jackass<\/em> in the mid-90s.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lyra McKee<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Northern Ireland journalist and LGBTQ rights campaigner Lyra McKee, 29, was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-48018615\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shot dead<\/a> while observing rioting in Londonderry&rsquo;s Creggan estate on April 18.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545780\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/lyra_mckee_journalist_670_355-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/lyra_mckee_journalist_670_355-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/lyra_mckee_journalist_670_355-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/lyra_mckee_journalist_670_355.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Lyra McKee (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lyra_McKee_(33207175144)_(cropped).jpg#\/media\/File:Lyra_McKee_(33207175144).jpg\">International Journalism Festival<\/a>, licensed via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/\">CC-by-2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Her death shocked Britain and reawakened memories of the sectarian troubles that have plagued Northern Ireland for decades. The New IRA admitted one of its members was responsible for the crime.<\/p>\n<p>In the wake of her death, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2019\/apr\/19\/lyra-mckee-letter-gay-journalism-northern-ireland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a letter she wrote<\/a> to her 14-year-old self, in which she counseled that being <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">gay<\/a> would turn out to be OK, went viral.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Miriam Rivera<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545781\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/miriam_rivera_de_cuervo_facebook_670_355-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/miriam_rivera_de_cuervo_facebook_670_355-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/miriam_rivera_de_cuervo_facebook_670_355-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/miriam_rivera_de_cuervo_facebook_670_355.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Miriam Rivera (Photo: Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Miriam Rivera, heralded by some as &ldquo;the world&rsquo;s first transgender reality TV star,&rdquo; died at her home, aged 38, in Hermosillo, Mexico in February. Rivera shot to attention in the UK&rsquo;s 2004 dating reality series, <em>There&rsquo;s Something About Miriam<\/em>, and also appeared on <em>Big Brother Australia<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Although her death was ruled to be suicide, those close to Rivera &ndash; including her New York-based husband &ndash; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lgbtqnation.com\/2019\/08\/miriam-rivera-worlds-first-trans-reality-tv-star-dies-mysterious-circumstances\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">suspect she may have been murdered<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Walter Mercado<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>Walter Mercado was probably the best-known astrologer in the whole of Latin America. Although he never publicly came out, the Puerto Rican&rsquo;s camp and flamboyant persona endeared him to millions &ndash; including many LGBTQ people. His televised horoscopes were broadcast across the Spanish-speaking world.<\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545782\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/walter_mercado_670_355_youtube-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/walter_mercado_670_355_youtube-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/walter_mercado_670_355_youtube-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/walter_mercado_670_355_youtube.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Walter Mercado (Photo: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He died, aged 88, following a short illness, in San Juan on November 2.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Richard Rhodes<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>A Navy veteran, political trailblazer and HIV\/AIDS activist, Richard Rhodes died aged 81 in late July. Born in Tampa, Florida, he made Atlanta, Georgia, his home from 1971 onwards. Among his achievements, he was one of the first openly <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">gay<\/a> <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">men<\/a> to run for the Georgia House of Representatives, the first openly <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">gay<\/a> <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">male<\/a> delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Georgia and the first openly <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">gay<\/a> chair of the DeKalb Democratic Party. He was a founding member of SAGE Atlanta and Atlanta Prime Timers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brandon Truaxe<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gay entrepreneur Brandon Truaxe was the founder of the $300 million+ skincare company Deciem. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/openly-gay-deciem-founder-dead-40-posting-unsettling-video-instagram-20190122%20was\">He died, aged 40<\/a>, in January, following a fall from the 26th floor of a condominium building in Toronto, Canada. Friends and colleagues reported that he had been acting erratically for several months, leading to him being ousted as the head of the company he founded.<\/p>\n<div>\n<blockquote data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Bs6RTn7HUep\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"12\">\n<div> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Bs6RTn7HUep\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div>\n<div> View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Bs6RTn7HUep\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brandon, our founder and friend. You touched our hearts, inspired our minds and made us believe that anything is possible. Thank you for every laugh, every learning and every moment of your genius. Whilst we can&rsquo;t imagine a world without you, we promise to take care of each other and will work hard to continue your vision. May you finally be at peace. Love, (forever) your DECIEM ?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A post shared by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/deciem\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> The Ordinary, NIOD, &amp; more.<\/a> (@deciem) on <time datetime=\"2019-01-21T20:44:46+00:00\">Jan 21, 2019 at 12:44pm PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Jackie Shane<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Trans singer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/02\/22\/obituaries\/jackie-shane-dead.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jackie Shane died<\/a> in February at the age of 78. Shane was born in Nashville, TN, but moved to Canada in the 1960s, where she briefly blazed a trail on the R&rsquo;n&rsquo;B circuit and had a hit with the song &ldquo;Any Other Way&rdquo; in 1967.<\/p>\n<p>She disappeared into obscurity in 1971 and was not publicly heard from again until a retrospective collection of music was released in 2018 and picked up a Grammy nomination. Back living in Nashville, she came forward to do limited media interviews about her life and music.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p><strong>Barbra Siperstein<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Transgender activist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lgbtqnation.com\/2019\/02\/community-leaders-mourn-transgender-rights-pioneer-babs-siperstein-passes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Barbra &lsquo;Babs&rsquo; Casbar Siperstein died<\/a> on February 3. She was 76. Siperstein came out as <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/offers.cam4tracking.com\/aff_c?offer_id=125&#38;aff_id=2778&#38;source=gfcsb\">trans<\/a> in the late 1980s. She made history in 2009 when she became the first openly transgender person to be elected to the Democratic National Committee. She was promoted to the executive committee in 2011 and served until 2017.<\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545930\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/hillary_babs_siperstein_facebook_2-670x365.jpg\" alt=\"Hillary Clinton and Barbra Siperstein (Photo: Facebook)\" width=\"670\" height=\"365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/hillary_babs_siperstein_facebook_2-670x365.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/hillary_babs_siperstein_facebook_2-400x218.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/hillary_babs_siperstein_facebook_2.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/tag\/hillary-clinton\">Hillary Clinton<\/a> and Barbra Siperstein (Photo: Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Just days before her death, the Babs Siperstein Law went into effect in New Jersey. The law allows transgender, non-binary, and other gender-nonconforming people to request a change on their birth certificate from a registrar.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hattie Hathaway<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545785\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Hattie_Hathaway-670x434.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"434\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Hattie_Hathaway-670x434.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Hattie_Hathaway-400x259.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Hattie_Hathaway-105x68.jpg 105w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Hattie_Hathaway.jpg 850w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>A recent photo of Hattie Hathaway | Photo: Facebook\/Brian Butterick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>New Yorker Brian Butterick, also known as the drag queen Hattie Hathaway, died at the age of 62 in late January. Butterick was a well-known figure on NYC&rsquo;s club scene. Beyond making a name for himself as a drag queen, Butterick was also a musician and performer, poet, and club runner. He worked for a while as creative director of Pyramid, as well as stints at Mudd Club, Mother and co-producer of Jackie 60 in the 90s.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Harris Wofford<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545786\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/harris_wofford_peace_corps_wikipedia-670x645.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"645\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/harris_wofford_peace_corps_wikipedia-670x645.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/harris_wofford_peace_corps_wikipedia-400x385.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/harris_wofford_peace_corps_wikipedia.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Harris Wofford (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/\">Peace Corps, Public Domain<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Harris Wofford was a noted US attorney, civil rights activist, and Democratic Party politician who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1991 to 1995. He married his wife, Clare, in 1948, and had three children. They were together until her death in 1996. At the time, Wofford said he never expected to fall in love again, but in 2001 he met interior designer Matthew Charlton, 50 years his junior. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lgbtqnation.com\/2016\/04\/former-us-senator-comes-out-announces-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">He married Charlton<\/a> in 2016, at the age of 90. Wofford died January 21, 2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jeudy Charlot<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of Haiti&rsquo;s most prominent LGBTIQ activists, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/haitis-leading-lgbtq-rights-activist-found-dead-suspicious-circumstances-20191127\">Jeudy Charlot, was found dead<\/a> at his home in P&eacute;tion-Ville outside of the capital of Port-au-Prince on the morning of Monday, November 25th. He was 34. Jeudy rose to prominence as an LGBTQ rights advocate in 2009 when he founded Kouraj, a social group for queer people to meet and congregate together.<\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545787\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/1024px-Charlot_Jeudy-670x377.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/1024px-Charlot_Jeudy-670x377.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/1024px-Charlot_Jeudy-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/1024px-Charlot_Jeudy.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Jeudy Charlot (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/\"> The American Jewish World Service<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/\">CC-by-4.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The organization evolved to take on a more campaigning role. In the months leading up to his death, friends and family had tried to persuade Charlot to flee Haiti for his safety.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mary Oliver<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545788\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/mary_oliver_youtube-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/mary_oliver_youtube-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/mary_oliver_youtube-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/mary_oliver_youtube.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Mary Oliver (Photo: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Lesbian Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver died January 17, at her home in Hobe Sound, Florida, at the age of 83, following a battle with lymphoma. The beloved American poet was known for her odes to nature and wildlife. In 1984, she won a Pulitzer Prize for her poetry collection, American Primitive, and a National Book award in 1992 for New and Selected Poems. In 2007, The New York Times praised her as &lsquo;far and away, this country&rsquo;s best-selling poet&rsquo;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Robert W. Richards<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Robert W. Richards was an artist and illustrator. He died on July 11, aged 78. Born in Maine, he began his career as a fashion illustrator, working for major newspapers and brands such as L&rsquo;Oreal, Clairol, and Revlon. He went on to also work on show posters, as well as album artwork for the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Shore, Lena Horne, Bob Marley, and Peggy Lee. In later years, he won new fans for his erotic art.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Andy Velez<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.losangelesblade.com\/2019\/05\/14\/andy-velez-a-seminal-new-york-aids-and-latino-queer-activist-dies-at-80\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andy V&eacute;lez, died May 14, 2019<\/a>, aged 80, following complications associated with a fall in his Greenwich Village home. V&eacute;<a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/www.flirt4free.com\/live\/girls\/?mp_code=akftr\">lez<\/a> became involved with ACT UP soon after its launch in 1987 and remained a committed HIV activist throughout his life, also helping raise awareness of challenges facing Latinx communities and becoming involved with the Rise and Resist movement.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/andy_velez_gofundme_900-670x414.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"414\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/andy_velez_gofundme_900-670x414.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/andy_velez_gofundme_900-400x247.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/andy_velez_gofundme_900.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><\/p>\n<p>He was also a founding member of Queer Nation in New York City in 1990. Besides his activism, he wrote extensively about the theatre for a number of media outlets and taught courses in musical theater at the New School.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Philip Osment<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545790\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/philip_osment_670_355_vimeo-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/philip_osment_670_355_vimeo-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/philip_osment_670_355_vimeo-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/philip_osment_670_355_vimeo.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Philip Osment (Photo: Vimeo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>British theatre director and playwright Philip Osment died May 24, aged 66. Osment was a member of the pioneering queer theatre group Gay Sweatshop in the late 70s and 80s. He found acclaim with his play <em>This Island&rsquo;s Mine<\/em> in 1988, described by The Guardian as &ldquo;elegiac plea for acceptance of those at the fringes of mainstream society.&rdquo; He went on to write and direct many other productions, including his award-winning <em>Little Violet<\/em> <em>and<\/em> t<em>he Angel<\/em> (2001).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Howard Cruse<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Acclaimed cartoonist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lgbtqnation.com\/2019\/12\/pioneering-gay-cartoonist-howard-cruse-dies-75\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Howard Cruse died<\/a> November 26, aged 75, from complications relating to lymphoma. He was best known for his 1995 graphic novel, <em>Stuck Rubber Baby<\/em>, which explored his interior struggles as a closeted <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">gay<\/a> <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">man<\/a> during the civil rights era of the 1960s.<\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545792\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/howard_cruse_youtube-670x355.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/howard_cruse_youtube-670x355.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/howard_cruse_youtube-400x212.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/howard_cruse_youtube.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Howard Cruse (Photo: YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the 1980s, he was founding editor of Gay Comix, which showcased the work of many underground <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/www.flirt4free.com\/live\/girls\/?mp_code=akftr\">lesbian<\/a> and <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=R2Xc&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">gay<\/a> cartoonists. He also produced the comic strip, &lsquo;Wendel&rsquo;, which ran in the Advocate for much of that decade.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Carmella Marcella Garcia<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Drag queen Carmella Marcella Garcia was the creation of performer, George Timothy Reed, who passed October 15, 2019, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, aged 57, following a fight against cancer. He created Carmella, &ldquo;The Grand Ole Gal of the South&rdquo;, in the mid-80s and became a well-known figure in Nashville and further afield, with regular appearances in the bars of Provincetown and Florida. He also had great success as a pageant coach.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">RIP legend. Thanks for all the laughs and love <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/12.0.0-1\/72x72\/2764.png\" alt=\"&#10084;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/12.0.0-1\/72x72\/1f494.png\" alt=\"&#128148;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/U1RseTAkgP\">pic.twitter.com\/U1RseTAkgP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Brooke Lynn Hytes (@Bhytes1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Bhytes1\/status\/1184211344649674752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 15, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Binyavanga Wainaina<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kenyan author and LGBTI rights activist Binyavanga Wainaina died May 21, at the age of 48. Wainaina worked for several years as a freelance food and travel writer. However, a satirical essay he wrote in 2012, How To Write About Africa, brought him to wide attention and won awards. It led to him writing more political work, leading to him being named by <em>Time<\/em> magazine as one of its annual Most Influential People in 2014.<\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545793\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/binyavanga_wainaina_nightscream_wikimedia_commons_3-670x473.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"670\" height=\"473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/binyavanga_wainaina_nightscream_wikimedia_commons_3-670x473.jpg 670w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/binyavanga_wainaina_nightscream_wikimedia_commons_3-400x283.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/binyavanga_wainaina_nightscream_wikimedia_commons_3.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 670px) 100vw, 670px\"><figcaption>Binyavanga Wainaina (Photo: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/\">Nightscream<\/a>, licensed via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/\">CC-by-3.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>He revealed himself to be HIV positive on World AIDS Day in 2016 and also announced plans to marry his long-term partner &ndash; news that made headlines in Kenya, where homosexuality remains criminalized.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Santiago Carvajal<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-545794\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Santiago_carvajal_facebook.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Santiago_carvajal_facebook.jpg 900w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Santiago_carvajal_facebook-400x223.jpg 400w, https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/Santiago_carvajal_facebook-670x373.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><figcaption>Santiago Carvajal (Photo: Facebook)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Santiago Carvajal, 32, was a television presenter in Honduras. The <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/offers.cam4tracking.com\/aff_c?offer_id=125&#38;aff_id=2778&#38;source=gfcsb\">trans<\/a> broadcaster hosted La Galaxia de Santi, a magazine show on a local television channel. She was <a href=\"https:\/\/tdor.translivesmatter.info\/reports\/2019\/07\/06\/santiago-carvajal-santi_puerto-cortes-honduras_0cc16e97\">gunned down in the street<\/a> and died July, 6. Friends say she had been subjected to death threats in the days preceding her death. Anti-<a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/offers.cam4tracking.com\/aff_c?offer_id=125&#38;aff_id=2778&#38;source=gfcsb\">trans<\/a> hate crime is common in Honduras, and Carvajal was one of several <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/offers.cam4tracking.com\/aff_c?offer_id=125&#38;aff_id=2778&#38;source=gfcsb\">trans<\/a> <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/www.flirt4free.com\/live\/girls\/?mp_code=akftr\">women<\/a> murdered in July alone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Allee Willis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Grammy-winning songwriter <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2019\/music\/news\/allee-willis-dead-dies-songwriter-1203451705\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Allee Willis<\/a> died Christmas Eve, aged 72, of a heart attack. She was best known for co-writing the Earth Wind and Fire songs, &ldquo;September&rdquo; and &ldquo;Boogie Wonderland&rdquo;, and the theme song to Friends, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll Be There For You&rdquo;, for The Rembrandts, among many other hits. She also wrote for shows, including the score for the musical of The Color Purple. Her partner, Prudence Fenton, announced Willis&rsquo; death via Instagram.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B6e-OwoJHuM\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"12\">\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B6e-OwoJHuM\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rest In Boogie Wonderland Nov 10,1947-December 24, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A post shared by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/prufencef\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Prudence Fenton<\/a> (@prufencef) on <time datetime=\"2019-12-25T05:38:06+00:00\">Dec 24, 2019 at 9:38pm PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Ram Dass<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Spiritual philosopher <a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/news\/2019\/12\/ram-dass-dead-americas-spiritual-teacher-dies-at-age-88\/\">Ram Dass died December 22<\/a> in Hawaii. He was 88. Born Richard Alpert, he was a clinical psychologist but a trip to India, and experimentation with LSD in the late 60s, set his life on a different path. He published several motivational and inspiring books, including <em>The Only Dance There Is<\/em>, and <em>How Can I Help? Compassion in Action<\/em>. A stroke in 1997 left him disabled, but he continued his work, saying his health challenges only led him to look even further inward into the spiritual heart of life.<\/p>\n<p>Actress Helen Hunt was among those to mourn his passing. She posted a photo of herself to Instagram with one of his quotes on the subject of death.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B6Z73bvDjo0\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"12\">\n<div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/B6Z73bvDjo0\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A post shared by Helen Hunt (@helenhunt)<\/a> on <time datetime=\"2019-12-23T06:41:14+00:00\">Dec 22, 2019 at 10:41pm PST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&ldquo;Dying is the most important thing you do in your life. It&rsquo;s the great frontier for every one of us. And loving is the art of living as a preparation for dying. Allowing ourselves to dissolve into the ocean of love is not just about leaving this body; it is also the route to Oneness and unity with our own inner being, the souls, while we are still here. If you know how to <a title=\"\" class=\"aalmanual\" target=\"_blank\"   href=\"https:\/\/chaturbate.com\/in\/?tour=grq0&#38;campaign=hl4zp&#38;track=gfcsb\">live<\/a> and to love, you know how to die.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/queerty2?a=WGkpU0bwInw:a7cAy4Aerc8:yIl2AUoC8zA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/queerty2?d=yIl2AUoC8zA\" border=\"0\"><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/queerty2?a=WGkpU0bwInw:a7cAy4Aerc8:dnMXMwOfBR0\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/queerty2?d=dnMXMwOfBR0\" border=\"0\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.queerty.com\/lgbtq-figures-lost-2019-20191226?utm_source=feedburner&#038;utm_medium=feed&#038;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29\" class=\"autohyperlink\">www.queerty.com\/lgbtq-figures-lost-2019-20191226?utm_source=feedburner&#038;utm_medium=feed&#038;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019 Some of the notable LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019. Karl Lagerfeld Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died February 19, aged 85. Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg in 1933: the son of a businessman and former lingerie saleswoman. He undertook his secondary schooling in Paris, after which he took &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2466,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-114706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019 - GAYFRIENDSCHAT.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019 - GAYFRIENDSCHAT.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019 Some of the notable LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019. Karl Lagerfeld Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died February 19, aged 85. Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg in 1933: the son of a businessman and former lingerie saleswoman. He undertook his secondary schooling in Paris, after which he took &hellip; Continue reading The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019 &rarr;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"GAYFRIENDSCHAT.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-12-26T21:25:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/people_we_lost_2019_670_355.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"GayFriendschat.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gayfriendschat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gayfriendschat\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"GayFriendschat.com\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"GayFriendschat.com\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/#\/schema\/person\/181913201d50f65b9bba7437f822a17f\"},\"headline\":\"The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-12-26T21:25:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\"},\"wordCount\":2230,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com\/2019\/12\/people_we_lost_2019_670_355.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"NEWS\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/the-lgbtq-figures-we-lost-in-2019\/\",\"name\":\"The LGBTQ figures we lost in 2019 - 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Karl Lagerfeld Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died February 19, aged 85. Lagerfeld was born in Hamburg in 1933: the son of a businessman and former lingerie saleswoman. 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