First openly HIV positive Mayor is also successful fashion designer
By Alice Neil
Mayors are not known for their sartorial elegance – it must be those heavy chains and velvet robes.
Lambeth’s, though, is no ordinary first citizen, despite his name – Philip Normal.
The first openly HIV positive mayor, he is a fashion designer with an outlet in Brixton Village selling T-shirts that say things like “That’s bold, dear” and “Alexa, cancel Brexit”.
Our other faves are “I thought Ariane Grande was a font” and “What other people think about you is none of your business”.
But he’s surpassed himself this time with a T-shirt that just says “La” – the greeting the central characters use in Channel 4 series It’s a Sin, about the dawn of HIV and Aids in the 1980s.
And he’s already raised £40,000 in three days, thanks to his fundraiser being promoted by the series’ star Keeley Hawes – of Life on Mars, The Durrells and Finding Alice fame.
The ‘La’ charity t-shirts were launched as part of Phillip’s pledge to support LGBT+ rights and de-stigmatise those living with HIV during his year in office.
The T-shirts that cost £25, £20 of which goes straight to the Terence Higgins Trust, raising over £20,000 in the first 24 hours of its launch alone.
Philip said: “La really resonated with me, it encapsulates that love and mutual support in the community.
“I was extremely emotional to wake up less than 24 hours after the launch and find such an overwhelming amount of support, including from the show’s creators.
“Ending new cases of HIV is something we can achieve- we now have the tools: home testing PrEP and the knowledge to kill the stigma.”
Phillip, who made his name by combining his flair for design with his passion for LGBT+ rights, has previously served as the LGBT+ officer for the Labour party’s Vauxhall branch.
He also supports HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust and the Albert Kennedy Trust, which helps young LGBT+ people with housing issues, life skills and emergency accommodation.
Order your T-shirt here: https://philipnormal.shop/products/la-t-shirt
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
