Carl Bean (May 26, 1944 – September 7, 2021) was an African-American singer and activist who was the founding prelate of the Unity Fellowship Church Movement,^[1][2] aliberalProtestant denomination that is particularly welcoming oflesbians,gay andbisexualAfrican Americans.

Bean was born on May 26, 1944, inBaltimore, Maryland.^[3] Before founding the first church of the denomination, the Unity Fellowship Church,Los Angeles, in 1975, Bean was aMotown anddisco singer, noted particularly for his version of the earlygay liberation song "I Was Born This Way". It inspiredLady Gaga's2011 album and song of the samename.^[4] He was openly gay.^[5]

In 1982, Bean became an activist, working on behalf of people withAIDS inWashington, D.C., andLos Angeles, coinciding with the rise of theAIDS epidemic.^[5] He was involved with several activist organizations, including theNational Minority AIDS Council, which he co-founded alongside activists likeGilberto Gerald,Craig G. Harris, Paul Kawata, Calu Lester, Don Edwards, Suki Ports, Timm Offutt, Norm Nickens, Marie St.-Cyr, and Sandra McDonald in 1987.^[6]

Bean founded theMinority AIDS Project in Los Angeles with the goal of supporting people with AIDS, especially young African-American men. It is still in operation.^[7][6]

In 1992, theAIDS Healthcare Foundation named an AIDS hospice center in South Los Angeles after him. It was in operation from 1992 to 2006.^[3][8]

Bean's autobiography,I Was Born This Way, came out in 2010. He died at the age of 77 on September 7, 2021.^[5][3][9]

• Bean, Reverend Carl (June 1, 2010).I Was Born This Way.Simon & Schuster.ISBN 978-1-4165-9282-2. – Bean's autobiography

• Minority AIDS Project Website

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