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Proof of a life well-lived–and not done yet–came in the form of swift and sincere responses, upon soliciting testimonials in praise of Ann Northrop. The widely influential journalist, broadcaster, educator, activist, strategist, and golfer recently retired as co-host of the long-running weekly broadcast Gay USA. What follows is a series of insights from admireres and contemporaries. We begin with word from Andy Humm, who will bring Gay USA into the post-Northrop era with a series of rotating co-hosts…—Scott Stiffler, founder/publisher, LGBTQCommunityNews.nyc
Origin Story of Co-Hosts Ann & Andy | I met Ann when she showed up at the Institute for the Protection of Lesbian and Gay Youth in 1987—shortly thereafter renamed the Hetrick-Martin Institute after its founders, Drs. Emery Hetrick and Damien Martin, a gay professional couple (who died of AIDS in 1987 and 1991, respectively).
Ann wanted to work as the gym teacher at the Institute’s Harvey Milk School. But while the school and Institute were too small to have a gym, we had just gotten funding for an Education Department to deal with the burgeoning HIV spread among young people. I was its first director and was able to hire Ann. Our job was to be out in the schools and youth-serving agencies educating about homosexuality and about HIV prevention—training young people and youth-serving professionals in these issues. Ann, of course, was terrific at her job—and tireless. We would often do five trainings a day, sometimes in different boroughs on the same day. We broke the silence in the schools around gay and AIDS issues—helping to de-isolate LGBTQ youth, lessen homophobia, and provide life-saving info on how to prevent HIV.
Then there is her work at the Gay Cable Network. Prior to joining me as a co-host on Gay USA in 1996, Ann was a correspondent on GCN’s coverage of the 1996 Democratic and Republican conventions. And when my lesbian co-host on Gay USA, Lee Sharmat, moved on, Ann was really the only person I considered to replace her. Had she not said “Yes,” the show in its current form might have ended then and there. But she did agree, and we’ve been co-hosting virtually every week for the last 30 years. Ann’s depth of knowledge on LGBTQ and other progressive issues is unmatched. Combined with her extensive experience in professional journalism, her ability to clearly convey the news and what it means for our communities is what makes Gay USA work. We don’t always agree and she’s said we are “The Bickersons” sometimes (after a comedy sketch couple—Don Ameche and Frances Langford—on TV and radio starting in 1948), but our values have been in strong alignment. Yes, we’re both LGBTQ and AIDS activists—but we’re dedicated to reporting fairly, including on our opponents.
We’ve been on TV together each week longer than Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. No one can replace Ann—but going forward, I’ll work to bring diverse community members to the table and keep Gay USA going. Ann more than deserves a retirement, without having to worry about keeping up and conveying all the LGBTQ and AIDS news in the world each week—though she will keep up and find new ways to address them, as she did with her past activism in the feminist movement and ACT UP.
(By the way, I haven’t played golf with Ann or anyone else for several years now. But we did use to play together—mostly on the City’s public courses and some others in the metro area. Ann’s dedication to golf continues.)—Andy Humm, Co-Host of “Gay USA”
Great Strength and Determination | What to say about Ann Northrop and where to begin? An icon of the gay community retired after a 30-year stint as co-host (with Andy Humm) of Gay USA. And though she may be stepping back from delivering the news on TV, she certainly isn’t stepping back or slowing down her (over) 50 years of activism. In fact she has pledged to join us (Rise and Resist) in the streets even more now that she has the luxury of free time.
There are few people who have been more influential to the gay activist community than Ann. She arrived on the scene with specific skills that helped us plan and execute safe and effective direct actions, and journalist skills that taught us how to talk to and through the mainstream media. After many years producing the morning news for Good Morning America and CBS, she had much to share. So besides facilitating meetings at ACT UP New York and getting arrested dozens of times, she did media training on how to deal with reporters who need to be fed the story directly from our mouths in order to get it right. She was there at the founding of Gays Against Guns and Rise and Resist and was a co-founder of The Queer Liberation March with the Reclaim Pride Coalition.
For me, Gay USA is appointment TV. It plays during the week on various cable networks—but I watch it live every week, because I like the feeling of being in the room “when” it happens. Many people can deliver the news, but not that many know how to analyze what’s important and explain why, and deliver the truth with insights that show you why you must pay attention.
Ann is a role model for me, as a person with great strength and determination. She’s incredibly smart and she brings a sense of calm. In partnering with her for The Queer Liberation March, I learned the art of patient negotiation. What a gift! And did I mention she is kind and extremely generous? Yes, that too. Needless to say, I love this woman. I could go on, but you get the idea and you can check her bio at gayusatv.org for more. Ann can’t stand that Brad Hoylman-Siegel proclaimed August 4 (the day of the celebration) “Ann Northrop Day” but I say, why not, cause I celebrate her every day.—Jackie Rudin; activist & documentarian
Much-Needed, in the City and Countryside | Thank you Ann (and Andy), for bringing the very much-needed Gay USA to rural areas for the past three decades. You have been a much-needed resource, comfort, and connection for all of us—both in the city and countryside. Ann, I am seriously going to miss your sharp analyses and your pointed asides that make me laugh out loud in the midst of such trying times. Thank you for your dedication and your brilliant mind. You have done magnificent work. Wishing you good health and unexpected delights!—Gal
Her Purpose Has Always Been to Uplift | The debt NYC’s LGBTQIA activist community owes to Ann Northrop is incalculable. Her strategic thinking, intelligence, media savvy, and wit have been invaluable to so many of our movements. I first met Ann in 1998 in the aftermath of the Giuliani NYPD’s horrific attack on the mourners in the political funeral/march organized in the wake of the murder of Matthew Shepard. Community members gathered at the temporary location of the LGBT Center on Little West 12th Street to strategize on responses to both. Out of that meeting, a barely remembered group called The October 19th Coalition was formed to advocate for policy and legislation to address hate crimes like those against Shepard and, earlier that year, against James Byrd, Jr., a Black man chained to the back of a truck and dragged to his death in Jasper, TX. Ann, with her long history of activism and media savvy, was a beacon of strategic and tactical brilliance for neophytes like me in the group. I had, of course, been watching her and Andy Humm on Gay USA for two years prior to our meeting; but I was impressed by her approachability and lack of egotism as October 19th was forming.
I’ve often said, perhaps hyperbolically, that the greatest enemy of social justice activism and organizing isn’t “The Man”—it is ego. And that is something that Ann has never allowed to dictate her behavior in organizing spaces. In more recent years, whether it was with Gays Against Guns, Rise and Resist, The Reclaim Pride Coalition and Queer Liberation March, or Chelsea Neighbors United, when Ann has stepped up or been called upon to offer her leadership, expertise, or advice, she has approached the work without an iota of self-aggandizement. Her purpose has always been to uplift the organizations and activists with whom she has worked.
As one who has felt constantly uplifted by her in my own work for our communities, I am so grateful to Ann for her tutelage; but more so for her friendship. While we shall all miss seeing and listening to Ann every week on Gay USA, we in the NYC LGBTQIA activist community can rest assured that we will continue to see her out in these streets!—Jay W. Walker; Gays Against Guns Co-Founder (and occasional “Gay USA” Co-Host)
Chelsea Neighbors, United in Praise of Ann Northrop | Of course, Ann Northrop has always been on our radar as a strong activist and journalist in the gay community. She became someone we turned to at Penn South when we needed help to activate folks to action. As leaders of the Penn South LGBTQIA+ group, we first called on Ann and Andy Humm to speak at one of our programs. We wanted a discussion of the history of and current activism in the gay community.
When in 2023 we learned of a right wing church in the middle of our neighborhood and planned a demonstration to alert folks, Ann publicized it, came, and brought folks. It was at that demonstration we first heard of Project 2025. And lo and behold, that awful future forecasted for us came to pass. And of course, Ann joined the leadership of our neighborhood Hands Off group, Chelsea Neighbors United, despite the health challenge she was facing. In fact, she chaired our very first Town Hall meeting (attended by 200 Chelsea residents) when the threat of ICE emerged. She has always been a voice for fearless activism.
Gay USA is an institution in the gay community and will continue to be under Andy’s stewardship. But we will miss the repartee between those two. And we’re grateful Ann allowed us to thank her for her leadership and commitment and didn’t execute an Irish goodby!—Margarita Aguilar and Trudy Rudnick, Chelsea Neighbors United
Probably Mad at Her Coffee | I once wrote that when Ann Northrup wakes up, she’s probably mad at her coffee. I bet she even yells at it. And I always felt that stance was important because we have enough complacent people in the world (and also enough keyboard warriors), so the Anns of our community have always been the ones pushing things forward and making waves and actually making a difference. A big coffee toast to her righteous anger! She also happens to have a great sense of humor, by the way.—Michael Musto; columnist, author, pundit
Devilishly Funny | When you look at Ann Northrop, you see an activist. A media personality. A no-nonsense woman who tells it like she sees it. A shit-stirrer. And you’re right! When I look at Ann, I see all of that, but I also see a devoted comrade. And someone who is so devilishly funny that she almost always leaves you laughing, even in the darkest times. To sum it up: Ann Northrop—She’s got your back.—Chip Duckett, SpinCycleNYC
Pithy, Not Unkind, and Right! | It’s easy enough to laud Ann Northrop. Smart. Kind. Activist…but she can give you a kick in the head. I know. I’ve felt it. Years ago at an action in Grand Central, groups of us were stationed in strategic spots—the stairs, the clock…In Ann’s group, as we waited, I described a book I was writing. Ann listened graciously and said, “You buried the lead.” Pithy, not unkind, and right! I’ve never forgotten Ann’s acuity—more, its real help. “You buried the lead.” To this day I hear it, stop, re-tool, and get to the point: Thank you, Ann.—Roberta Degnorer; writer, professor, psychologist
Unfailingly Welcoming | Ann is rightly lauded for her commitment to LGBTQ rights activism. Come on now, she was a LESBIAN AVENGER!! But many of us got to know Ann on the public golf courses of New York City and environs. A member since 2009, Ann is an anchor, leader, and mentor to the LPGA Amateurs New York City chapter. Ann organized many overseas golfing trips for the Club that were heavy on golf and light on tourism. It would be selfish, but truthful, to say that we are looking forward to Ann having more time for golf post-GayUSA!
Shortly after I moved to NYC, I was introduced to Ann through one of Andy’s exes, who happened to be a colleague of mine in Silicon Valley. Ann invited me to lunch in Chelsea for a chat. I knew I couldn’t blow that “interview,” since Ann was a lesbian, member of a women’s golf club, AND had a car in Manhattan. I had no clue that she was a famous activist. She invited me to play at Van Cortlandt Park. So I strapped my golf bag onto my back and walked up 10th Ave. to her parking garage in West Chelsea. You get a lot of high 5s on the street when you are carrying your golf bag in the middle of a work day…When we arrived, Ann said, “Let’s walk the course.” Sure, I thought, how hard could it be? And Ann was at least 15 years older than me. The back 9 had me huffing and puffing, while Ann merrily chugged along unfazed. We had a lot of fun playing over the course of four years, except when Ann slipped one January day and broke her ankle. She was very stubborn (anyone else experienced that?), but eventually left the course and grudgingly visited an emergency room.
Ann is unfailingly welcoming to new members and new golfers. Over time we learned that she “had a television show” or was “organizing an action.” But when on the golf course, Ann is all about the golf. And our Chapter has been the richer for it.—Marie Trexler
This Boston Debutante and Often-Jailed Activist | Ann and I met on the telephone, about 50 years ago. While I was editor of the Vassar Quarterly, I had learned something about one Ann Northrop (I think in her class notes) that led me to believe that she could offer smart advice about how to handle an inquiry from a cranky reporter. I made the cold call, she answered, and she did. I immediately liked her voice, her humor, her intelligence, and before long her then-partner. Over these many wonderful years of friendship, I was honored to photograph her for numerous requests. I also learned that Ann is totally loveable!
For me, one of the most admirable traits, among so many, of this Boston debutante and often-jailed activist, is her sense of responsibility and faithfulness to her values, to her causes, AND TO HER FRIENDS! Love you, Ann.—Dixie Sheridan
When Ann Northrop Asks, You Help | I’ve known Ann since the ACT UP days—I was blessed to be a part of the group when I moved to NYC (a long time ago). While I wasn’t in front of the room like her, I was just one of many bodies in the room and on the streets doing what needed to be done. Ann, of course, was different—she was always one of the people you looked to, someone whose presence in a room (or a jail cell) meant the work was being taken seriously.
When Ann Northrop asks, you help—not out of obligation, but because you know exactly who’s asking and everything she’s given to get us here. Thank you, Ann, for everything. Congratulations on an extraordinary run.—Scott Gorenstein
Substance and Grace | I’ve looked up to Ann Northrop before I ever met her. The advice she gave people at ACT UP in the late eighties and early nineties, “You’re not speaking to the media, you’re speaking through the media,” reached me as a young activist and college student in NJ just beginning my fight with the Boy Scouts of America, and it has stayed with me through every decade of it since, fighting Scouting and then helping them change.
By the time Ann and Andy interviewed me on Gay USA, my case was working its way through the New Jersey courts. The mainstream press covered my fight in soundbites, when they covered it at all. Ann and Andy treated me, and my story, with substance and grace, and they helped elevate a story that ultimately went all the way to the Supreme Court.
Ann’s still doing it. Just recently I called her for counsel on a new fight, and she gave it the way she always has: Sharp, generous, and with all the time in the world for you. Ann has done so much for so many of us. I’m thankful to still have her guidance all these years later; we’re all fighting for the same thing.—James Dale | Plaintiff, Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (U.S. Supreme Court, 2000) | Plaintiff, Dale v. Department of Defense (S.D.N.Y. 2026)
A Beautiful Thing to Witness | My admiration for you runs deep. Getting to know you more closely through co-hosting Gay USA has only deepened that admiration. Your contributions to our community and your unwavering commitment to honesty are a beautiful thing to witness—especially when they’re delivered with your signature sarcasm and good humor. Thank you for your courage and conviction. Having you as a role model has taught me to step up, even when it’s scary. See you in the streets.—Cathy Marino-Thomas; Boardmember of the Gilbert Baker Foundation, and occasional “Gay USA” Co-Host)
A Lifetime of Radical Urgency and Solidarity | To know Ann Northrop is to know what fearless and thoughtful grassroots activism looks like in practice. Long before mainstream media paid attention to our lives, Ann was on the front lines shaping the media strategy for ACT UP, getting arrested for civil disobedience, and co-hosting Gay USA for three historic decades. But Ann’s legacy isn’t just defined by national headlines; it is defined by her radical generosity toward the next generation of activists.
In 2013, when our group of new activists sought to protest the Kremlin’s brutal crackdowns on LGBTQ+ individuals in Russia, Ann stepped up. She taught us exactly how to organize strategic direct action. Working together with Queer Nation, we launched powerful campaigns calling for divestment from Russian products—especially popular vodkas and oil—and a boycott of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Ann’s mentorship fueled the vital coalition between Qaravan (formerly RUSA LGBTQ+) and Queer Nation, sparking immediate, high-impact emergency demonstrations across New York City.
When we faced challenges of launching Brighton Beach Pride in 2017 in a conservative, heavily insulated immigrant enclave in Brooklyn, Ann didn’t hesitate. She championed the idea from day one. Over the past decade, as we marched down the Riegelmann Boardwalk against hate and censorship, Ann has repeatedly stood with us as our keynote speaker, reminding us that visibility is our greatest weapon. Thank you, Ann, for teaching us that no community is too difficult to reach, and no fight is too big to win.
Thank you, Ann, for being our mentor, our fierce defender, and our boardwalk speaker for so many of our annual marches.—Yelena Goltsman, President of Qravan
The Glue Who Holds Us Together | I have known “Northrop” since 10th grade, where we attended The Kent School for Girls in Denver. Our wonderful friendship has continued all these years. Northrop has always been the penultimate athlete. In high school we played Field Hockey, LaCrosse, Basketball, and also had a few ski trips with classmates to Winter Park, Co. Northrop has always had a great sense of humor, common sense, and is a natural leader. She also graduated at the top of our class, as I recall.
I adore her and became a loyal follower many years ago of Gay USA—today, from the vast wide empty in Montana where I live. The Vassar Debutante, nee social activist, has followed her soul and has become one of the most influential leaders in the Gay movement in America. Without Northrop’s leadership. President Regan would have never signed the necessary papers to approve drug research for the cure of AIDS. I remember Northrop storming onto the set of Dan Rather’s news show, and also The Saint Patrick Cathedral in NYC, to bring national attention to the AIDS epidemic. She is bold, strong, courageous, and whip smart.
I adore her and love her to pieces. She has influenced not only me, but thousands if not millions more, across our country in so many great ways. Northrop loves to drive cars fast and furious whenever she has the opportunity, and she loves Hunt Slonem. Oh, lest I forget; she is a golfer extraordinaire, an “all around” great athlete in every sport in which she participates, and a dear friend to many! Her influence on our country goes very deep for her efforts in teaching Americans to have respect for all people from all walks in life.
Thank you for the opportunity to praise a very brave and strong woman who is a dear and forever friend! I love and adore her!!! Northrop also walks on water.—Norma Buchanan
Excerpts From NYS Assemblymember Tony Simone’s Proclamation | WHEREAS, Ann Northrop has been a fearless journalist, a devoted educator, and an unrelenting champion whose work has been a nationwide inspiration and who holds a cherished place in the hearts of queer and allied New Yorkers; and
WHEREAS, Ann Northrop has trained a generation of advocates in the fine art of handling the news media, ensuring that our community’s message was always delivered with clarity and courage; and
WHEREAS, Ann joined ACT UP/New York and became deeply involved in direct-action advocacy, participating in hundreds of demonstrations and was a tireless advocate of social justice; now, therefore be it
Proclaimed, that I, Assemblymember Tony Simone, recognize Ann Northrop as a leader, journalist, and public servant, deserving of the greatest acclaim and held in the highest regard; and be it further.
Proclaimed, that I, Assemblymember Tony Simone, on behalf of the New York State Assembly, bestow this honor upon Ann Northrop, in celebration of thirty remarkable years at GAY USA and a lifetime of service to New York City and to the cause of a world free of hatred and discrimination.
Excerpts From NYS Senator Erik Bottcher & NYS Senator Jabari Brisport’s Proclamation | WHEREAS, It is the custom of the New York State Senate to recognize individuals whose extraordinary dedication, courage, and service have strengthened the communities of our State and advanced the principles of equality Justice, and human dignity; and
WHEREAS, Ann Northrop is hereby honored in recognition of her remarkable career as an award-winning journalist, television producer, activist, educator, and advocate, as well as for her thirty years as Co-Host and Co-Executive Producer of “GAY USA,” one of the Nation’s longest running LGBTQ+ television news programs; and
WHEREAS, Beyond journalism, Ann has devoted her life to advancing social justice; as an activist in the anti-war, feminist, and LGBTQ+ movements, she has consistently used her voice to challenge injustice and advocate for equal rights and dignity for all people; and
WHEREAS, Ann has also contributed immeasurably to the LGBTQ+ community through her leadership with organizations including the Gay Games, the Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic Studies, and the Lesbian and Gay Alumnae Association of Vassar College, as well as numerous publications, conferences, and public forums that have advanced equality and visibility; and
WHEREAS, Since 1996, alongside longtime colleague Andy Humm,Ann has co-hosted and co-produced “GAY USA,” providing comprehensive coverage of LGBTQ+issues, politics, culture, public health, and civil rights; for three decades, the program has served as an indispensable source of information, preserving history while amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ communities around the world…
PROCLAIMED, That we. New York State Senator Erik Bottcher and New York State Senator Jabari Brisport, are proud to honor Ann Northrop for her extraordinary contributions to journalism, public service, LGBTQ+ equality, and human rights and congratulate her on thirty years of excellence on “GAY USA…”
Excerpts from Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal’s Honor | Ann’s decades of advocacy have left an indelible mark on New York City’s LGBTQ+ community. Through GAY USA, alongside Andy Humm, she has chronicled our community’s triumphs and setbacks for nearly three decades, ensuring that our stories are documented, our leaders are held accountable, and our progress is never taken for granted.
As Manhattan Borough President, and as someone whose own public service has been deeply shaped by the generations of LGBTQ+ advocates who came before me, I know I stand on the shoulders of pioneers like Ann Northrop. Her activism during the darkest years of the AIDS epidemic helped build the movement that made later victories, from marriage equality to stronger protections for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, possible. Her fearless reporting, relentless advocacy, and lifelong commitment to justice have strengthened not only our community, but our city and our democracy.
It is a privilege to celebrate Ann Northrop, whose life reminds us that real change is driven by people willing to speak truth to power, organize their neighbors, and never stop fighting for a more just and equitable world. Manhattan, and our entire LGBTQ+ community, owes her a debt of gratitude.
Excerpts From NYC Council Member Carl Wilson’s Tribute | Ann Northrop has never been content to witness history. She has dedicated her life to changing it in the pursuit of justice and equality.
From the frontlines of ACT UP during the AIDS crisis to three decades at Gay USA, Ann never simply reported history, she made it. She understood that journalism is at its best when it gives voice to those too often ignored, challenges those in power, and never loses sight of the people whose lives are on the line…
As someone who proudly represents the Stonewall community in the New York City Council, I know our progress rests on the shoulders of pioneers like Ann. Her courage during the darkest days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, her unwavering commitment to equality, and her insistence on holding leaders accountable have inspired generations of advocates, including myself and many of us in public service today.
On behalf of the New York City Council and the people of Council District 3, thank you, Ann, for your extraordinary career, your unmatched integrity, and your lifetime of service to our community. While your retirement marks the end of an era, your legacy will continue to shape the fight for equality for years to come.
THE LAST WORD
Excerpts From Ann Northrop’s Speech
Given at Julius’ Bar, NYC
During August 4, 2026’S Gay USA Fundraiser/Ann Northrup Tribute
It [Gay USA] has allowed me to combine my activism and my journalism into a package where blessedly we get to say whatever we want…We have no boss and no one comes after us and tells us what to do. And so we get to do it every week, making it up as we go along with notes, with research, and everything. And it has given us a voice that people tell me has inspired them all over the world. We hear from viewers everywhere. And that has just kept me going for 30 years…
I said on the last show that there are two things that were important to me in doing the show—truth and insight. And that was always my goal; for us to tell the truth and to be able to explain things in a way that taught people why it was important to pay attention and how to understand what was going on. And I think we’ve accomplished that week after week, not perfectly, but that has been a thrill every week…
It’s so much fun [the activism]. It’s so interesting. It is fascinating work, and I really wish more people would see that, so that they would get out in the streets and do it…And that’s the message I always want to send, that people should do it for their own satisfaction—because then the ripple effect is just amazing. And I think that’s proved by all of you showing up tonight, which just, you know, delights me and makes me very, very, very, happy.—Ann Northrop
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