From the beginning of the AIDS crisis, writer Larry Kramer became a passionate advocate, resembling a prophet from the Old Testament with his intense indignation. He condemned both the government’s deliberate inaction and the gay community’s reluctance to change potentially dangerous behaviors. As a co-founder of the Gay Men’s Health Crisis service organization and the ACT UP protest group, Kramer faced vilification from those who perceived his critiques as self-loathing. However, he was also celebrated by many for his role in alerting the gay community—and eventually the government and medical institutions—to the catastrophic impact of the disease.