Because his face and name became linked with gay rights and AIDS issues, many Black people did not want to be associated with him. “I lost a lot of friends in the Black community, especially the Black gay community,” Thomas said. He became one of the most recognizable faces for Nashville CARES because of his appearances in the media. He joined Nashville CARES in its founding years, and his experience with AIDS organizing in New York and Atlanta was pivotal for the outreach and success of Nashville’s own group. Thomas returned to Nashville around 1990 and discussed that coming back to the city “felt like being caged” when it came to speaking out about gay rights issues. He was also active in AIDS organizations in Atlanta, particularly AID Atlanta. He was an early member of ACT UP New York and participated in the organization’s crucial die-in protests that called out the government’s lack of action for supporting AIDS patients and HIV research. He spent time in New York and Atlanta in the 1970s and 1980s. I recently sat down with Thomas to interview him about his experiences living as a Black gay man in Tennessee and other places around the country.Īfter attending high school and college in Nashville, Thomas moved out of state. Born and raised in Nashville, Phil Michal Thomas has been an integral part of Music City’s LGBTQ+ community for decades.
