Life

Palm Springs residents complain about proposed AIDS memorial “anus” statue

“It’s become a laughingstock.... and that's the last thing we want," a local resident said.
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Palm Springs AIDS Memorial
The proposed Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Photo: YouTube screenshot

The city of Palm Springs, California has agreed to revise a proposed AIDS memorial sculpture after locals complained that the original design looked like an anus.

The nine-foot limestone sculpture, proposed for a downtown park, was designed by sculptor Phillip K. Smith III. It looks like a donut with ridges on it. “The opening at the center is at eye level and allows a view through,” Smith explained, “[offering] a connection, a sense of hope, a view beyond what is directly in front of you.”

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The sculpture and memorial space is supposed to add “great beauty” and provide “the opportunity for reflection and remembrance,” “to evoke feelings of connection, reflection, and hope” while “symbolizing the diverse impact of AIDS on the community,” KESQ-TV reported

However, Gene Brake, a local resident and founder of the Jose Sarria Foundation, told the news station, “The proposed memorial looks like a graphic depiction of the backside of a human being.” More bluntly, Twitter user @BrandonDonkey2 wrote, “The AIDS Memorial looks like a butt hole.”

Another local resident, Clay Sales, told the news station, “It’s become a laughingstock. Because it looks like what it looks like, it’s become a joke. And that’s the last thing we want.”

The Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Task Force, the group planning the sculpture, said in a letter to residents, “Please know that we’ve heard the concerns… and a revised design is in process.” The task force will reveal the new design later this year, it said.

The final memorial will also include an educational component on HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options.

It will be located near a 26-foot-tall Marilyn Monroe statue that also caused a stir when it was first erected in 2021. The statue shows Monroe’s white skirt dress being blown up from underneath, her iconic pose from the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. However, some residents complained that it was misogynistic and exploitative because the sculpture showed the back side of the actress’ underwear. The statue is still standing.

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