• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
NewslettersFortune Archives

Fortune Archives: The AIDS activist and the banker

Beth Greenfield
By
Beth Greenfield
Beth Greenfield
Senior Reporter, Fortune Well
Down Arrow Button Icon
Beth Greenfield
By
Beth Greenfield
Beth Greenfield
Senior Reporter, Fortune Well
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 15, 2024, 7:00 AM ET
Barclays CEO Jes Staley (above left) became a supporter of his brother Peter’s mission. (Photograph by Patrick James Miller for Fortune)
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This essay originally published in the Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 edition of the Fortune Archives newsletter.

Recommended Video

The 37th annual World AIDS Day on Dec. 1 came in the wake of some good news in HIV/AIDS research: a seventh case of HIV cure reported in Germany over the summer, and promising new research on shots to prevent HIV infection in women.

It’s also a time of deep angst about what looks likely to be a major setback in efforts to eradicate the deadly infection: President-elect Donald Trump’s likely Health and Human Services head, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has glorified the remarks of an infamous AIDS-denialist, and has questioned whether HIV even causes AIDS (it does)—suggesting at one point that poppers, a popular drug in the gay party scene, might actually be the culprit.

What better time to look for activist inspiration? An excellent place to find it is in this 2016 Fortune interview by Patricia Sellers. The conversation between brothers Jes Staley, then the CEO of Barclays, and Peter Staley, a famed AIDS activist best known for shutting down the New York Stock Exchange in a 1989 ACT UP protest over drug prices, was the first time the siblings sat down for a joint interview. The result is a poignant discussion about homophobia, bravery, and brotherly love.

Peter told Sellers about going home for Thanksgiving in 1985, when he was working as a bond trader at J.P. Morgan, with a plan to come out as both gay and HIV-positive to his family.

“It was within 10 days of the diagnosis,” he explained. “I knew I had to build a support system around me, that I couldn’t do this alone.” He was particularly nervous about telling his brother, the head of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, who was, according to Peter, quite homophobic.

Jes recalled that the news of his brother’s diagnosis—understood at that time to be essentially a death sentence—was “shocking.” He spoke candidly about anti-gay sentiment in Wall Street’s culture—and also how watching Peter’s bravery changed him profoundly.

“Just to watch Peter go through that whole process and what his friends were going through, it was the beginning of a long march that changed my life,” Jes said, “and I think changed the world in some ways.”

Just three months after the interview, Donald Trump would win the presidency for the first time. In 2021, Jes would step down from his role at Barclays following revelations about his ties to the financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Peter remains an activist and has since published a memoir.

This is the web version of the Fortune Archives newsletter, which unearths the Fortune stories that have had a lasting impact on business and culture between 1930 and today. Subscribe to receive it for free in your inbox every Sunday morning.

About the Author
Beth Greenfield
By Beth GreenfieldSenior Reporter, Fortune Well

Beth Greenfield is a New York City-based health and wellness reporter on the Fortune Well team covering life, health, nutrition, fitness, family, and mind.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

Image of colored bar charts with one being pushed up.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI is minting billion-dollar companies faster than before
By Beatrice NolanJune 30, 2026
12 hours ago
Meet the only Black woman chair of the board in the Fortune 500
NewslettersMPW Daily
Meet the only Black woman chair of the board in the Fortune 500
By Emma HinchliffeJune 30, 2026
13 hours ago
The VCs betting founders need a village, not a blank check
NewslettersTerm Sheet
The VCs betting founders need a village, not a blank check
By Allie GarfinkleJune 30, 2026
18 hours ago
Gulf bond markets extend their rally despite uncertain outlook
NewslettersFortune Gulf Brief
Gulf bond markets extend their rally despite uncertain outlook
By Melissa HancockJune 30, 2026
18 hours ago
A close-up view of a woman wearing a striped shirt and jeans, sitting and using a smartphone with one hand in a casual setting.
NewslettersFortune Tech
U.S. Supreme Court limits use of ‘geofence’ warrants
By Andrew NuscaJune 30, 2026
20 hours ago
Why Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe wants his EV company to be compared to Apple, not Tesla
NewslettersCEO Daily
Why Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe wants his EV company to be compared to Apple, not Tesla
By Diane BradyJune 30, 2026
20 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
6 days ago
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
2 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
4 days ago
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
AI
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
By Catherina GioinoJune 29, 2026
1 day ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
3 days ago
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
Commentary
The U.S. Army is opening military bases to private billions — here's why that changes everything for the next 250 years
By Marc AndersenJune 30, 2026
17 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.