RELATED: See Suzanne Somers’ Rare Photo of Her Granddaughter Looking Like Her Twin. On June 30, Taylor’s 35-year-old grandson Quinn Tivey published an article with People detailing the work he’s done with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) to carry on his grandmother’s legacy. Taylor advocated for people with AIDS tirelessly in the latter half of her life. She co-founded The Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985 and frequently lobbied for the government to address the crisis. According to the foundation’s website, ETAF was established in 1991 to “provide direct care, along with love and moral support, to the most vulnerable patients.“ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Now, Tivey serves as both an officer and ambassador for ETAF. “The fight against HIV/AIDS was such a vital part of her legacy, and although the fight is far from over, I’m honored to see ETAF continue her work—educating legislators, raising awareness for the public, disproving myths, and decreasing fear and stigma,” Tivey wrote for People. “I know grandma would be proud.” RELATED: See Michael Jackson’s Daughter and Ex-Wife Now in Rare Photo. Tivey said that ETAF has a new initiative called HIV Is Not a Crime, aimed at modernizing the laws that target people living with HIV. “Outdated laws that were enacted decades ago because of fear and stigma toward people living with HIV have not adapted to modern science,” wrote Tivey. While science has evolved so that, with the right medication, the risk of transmitting HIV is nearly zero, the laws have not been adapted to reflect this in most U.S states. “People living with HIV in more than 30 states are being charged and branded as criminals because of their status,” he wrote. “Furthermore, in most HIV-related cases in these states, neither proof of transmission nor intent to harm is required for conviction.”
Tivey said he feels that his “grandma would have been incredibly proud of the work being done through the ‘HIV Is Not A Crime’ initiative.” He also reflected on the admirable qualities Taylor exhibited throughout her life. She “stood up for what she believed in, living boldly and courageously. She would never buckle under pressure, and she certainly would not support the status quo if the status quo didn’t feel right,” he wrote. RELATED: For more celeb content delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Growing up, Tivey said he didn’t realize the influence his grandmother had. “I always just knew her as grandma,” he told Town & Country in 2017. “She was the woman I could lie in bed with to chat and watch movies.” Tivey decided to get more involved with ETAF soon after Taylor passed away in 2011 when he and his cousin Tarquin Wilding were asked to take part in an event in her honor. “Hearing from people personally about how the work that she had done touched so many people, my cousin and I were both so moved,” Tivey told Town & Country. “I immediately thought, I need to get more involved. I want to dive into the deep end of this. Through that experience, we had the opportunity to see how crucial it was for her family to be participating in her legacy.” RELATED: Frank Sinatra Died Believing This Rumor About Marilyn Monroe, New Book Says.
