Ken Cowan (23 February 1955 – 11 November 1995) was a Scottish

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

activist and founder/director of

PHACE West Project for HIV and AIDS Care and Education (PHACE) West was Scottish HIV and AIDS awareness organisation that was active in the West of Scotland between 1995 and 2006. History PHACE West was founded in November 1994 by Ken Cowan following cha ...

, the project for HIV and Aids education in the West of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Biography

Cowan was a left wing activist and founder member of the Scottish Labour Party. In the late seventies, he founded the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group (now Outright Scotland) to campaign for equal rights. In November 1994, Cowan set up

(Project for HIV/AIDS Care and Education) and with funding in 1995 conducted work in the West of Scotland. Cowan successfully lobbied that patients be included on the carers sub-committee at

Ruchill Hospital Ruchill Hospital was a fever hospital in the Ruchill area of Glasgow, Scotland. The hospital was closed in 1998 and was sold to Scottish Enterprise in July 1999. It was managed by NHS Greater Glasgow. __TOC__ History In 1891 when the boundaries ...

and was instrumental in the success of the West of Scotland's awareness strategy for highlighting HIV prevention initiatives for gay men. He was also majorly involved in the development of

Body Positive Body positivity is a social movement focused on the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities, while challenging present-day beauty standards as an undesirable social construct. Proponents fo ...

, the self-help agency for those living with HIV.

Death and legacy

Cowan was diagnosed with HIV in 1991. He died aged 40 on 11 November 1995. Eric Kay, in '' Gay Scotland''s'' article on his passing, wrote that Cowan:

"was particularly skilful in fighting against the prejudice and dispelling the myths surrounding the virus. His eloquent delivery on the subject was always compelling, whether he was teaching young children or convincing politicians and Health Board funders. His determination ultimately brought about key policy changes which in turn have radically affected HIV Services in the West of Scotland."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cowan, Ken 1955 births 1995 deaths Scottish activists HIV/AIDS activists AIDS-related deaths in the United Kingdom Scottish LGBT rights activists Scottish gay men 20th-century Scottish LGBT people