Bereaved fans of Taylor, who passed away last week at the age of 79, have been flooding the offices of the West Hollywood City Council with requests to honor the deceased actress and activist by renaming one of the city’s thoroughfares after her.
Michelle Rex, interim deputy for West Hollywood Councilman John D'Amico, says there has yet to be a formal discussion about the proposal among city leaders, but the public’s call for an Elizabeth Taylor Way is certainly legitimate.
Local HIV/AIDS activists told L.A. Weekly that Taylor was a major, early force in raising money and awareness to combat the deadly disease that was killing thousands and thousands of gay men.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation president Michael Weinstein pointed out that at a time when many people in Hollywood and across the country were silent about AIDS, Taylor took on President Ronald Reagan for not acting more quickly to fund AIDS research.
In a city with a gay and lesbian population of around 40 percent and an international reputation as a gay mecca, it seems more than appropriate for West Hollywood to dedicate a main thoroughfare after Taylor…
West Hollywood City Council members — four out of five of whom are gay — have historically loved voting for official bans and proclamations, beating other metropolises to the punch on a variety of issues. Now they have a chance to do something truly deserved and something residents very much want.
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