Celia Farber
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Celia Ingrid Farber (born ) is an American print
journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
and
author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...
who has covered a range of topics for magazines including ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'', ''
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'', ''
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'', ''
Harper's ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...
'', ''
Interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" re ...
'', ''
Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...
'', ''
Gear A gear or gearwheel is a rotating machine part typically used to transmit rotational motion and/or torque by means of a series of teeth that engage with compatible teeth of another gear or other part. The teeth can be integral saliences or ...
'', ''
New York Press ''New York Press'' was a free alternative weekly in New York City, which was published from 1988 to 2011. The ''Press'' strove to create a rivalry with the ''Village Voice''. ''Press'' editors claimed to have tried to hire away writer Nat Hento ...
'', ''Media Post'', ''
The New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'' and ''
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'', and is best known for her controversial beliefs about HIV and AIDS, and a 1998 report on O. J. Simpson's post-trial life. Farber is the daughter of radio talk pioneer
Barry Farber Barry Morton Farber (May 5, 1930 – May 6, 2020) was an American conservative radio talk show host, author, commentator and language-learning enthusiast. In 2002, industry publication '' Talkers magazine'' ranked him the 9th greatest radio talk ...
and a graduate of
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...
. Farber has written extensively about
HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
and
AIDS denialists HIV/AIDS denialism is the belief, despite conclusive evidence to the contrary, that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) does not cause acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Some of its proponents reject the existence of HIV, while othe ...
such as
Peter Duesberg Peter Heinz Hermann Duesberg (born December 2, 1936) is a German-American molecular biologist and a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is known for his early research into the genetic aspects o ...
. Farber claims that she never expresses her own views about whether HIV causes AIDS and instead merely reports that some people disagree with the mainstream scientific viewpoint. Her writings have been criticized by scientists and journalists for promoting AIDS denialism.


''Spin'' columns

In 1987, at the encouragement of Bob Guccione Jr., her editor at ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' magazine, Farber began exploring questions related to the role of the HIV virus in AIDS. She wrote and edited a monthly column in ''Spin'' titled "Words From the Front" from 1987 to 1995, which was focused on the subject of AIDS denialism. She says that her interest in the field was sparked when, as an intern at ''Spin,'' she heard of AL-721, a lipid mixture derived from eggs that was proposed as an anti-HIV drug. She stated, "I was very young, and I believed instantly in the mythological fantasy that there was a quote 'cure' for AIDS that was being suppressed by the government and by the pharmaceutical industry." Farber's second ''Spin'' column was an interview with prominent AIDS denialist
Peter Duesberg Peter Heinz Hermann Duesberg (born December 2, 1936) is a German-American molecular biologist and a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is known for his early research into the genetic aspects o ...
. In a later interview, she noted her first interview aroused response for what she believed was touching on the "taboo" of questioning the mainstream view that HIV causes AIDS. In another interview, she said she recognized that publishing an interview with Duesberg would be viewed as an endorsement of his denialist views, but believed as a journalist it was her responsibility to report on what she considered an important event in the "landscape" of AIDS. She also stated she felt that as a journalist, she was not qualified to determine what causes AIDS. In a 1989 column for ''Spin,'' Farber interviewed researchers and doctors who felt
AZT Zidovudine (ZDV), also known as azidothymidine (AZT), was the first antiretroviral medication used to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. It is generally recommended for use in combination with other antiretrovirals. It may be used to prevent vertica ...
, the first approved antiretroviral medication for the treatment of HIV, had been pushed precipitously through the United States
Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a List of United States federal agencies, federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is respo ...
approval process owing to political pressures. She criticized this process because she felt it led to ignoring other possible treatments, and believed she had to "give voice" to the small minority of scientists at that time who felt AZT was dangerous. Her column was criticized by the scientist running trials on AZT, as "sensationalistic drivel of half-truths and noncritical journalism that sells tabloids" and could lead to people avoiding life-saving treatment with AZT. Farber rejected criticism that this column was essentially scaring people into avoiding AZT, saying that was not her intent. A ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' column criticized the tone of her column as "fear-mongering" and "inexcusable," due to her giving Duesberg the last words in her column. Duesberg's words were called "hyperbolic blather", because Duesberg invoked
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
and compared people taking AZT to "people running into the gas chambers".


"Out of Control"

Farber published a 2006 ''Harper's'' article, "Out of Control: AIDS and the corruption of medical science," which criticized the ethics of the
antiretroviral drug The management of HIV/AIDS normally includes the use of multiple Antiviral drug, antiretroviral drugs as a strategy to control HIV/AIDS, HIV infection. There are several classes of antiretroviral agents that act on different stages of the HIV li ...
industry and examined the arguments by Duesberg that HIV does not cause AIDS. Farber's article was widely criticized for its promotion of AIDS denialism and its many inaccuracies. A ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' op-ed written by scientists described Farber's article as promoting "deadly quackery" for denying the "established fact" that HIV causes AIDS, which could lead to resurgence of the disease if people began to believe HIV was harmless. The ''
Columbia Journalism Review The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its original purpose was "to assess the performance ...
'' chided ''Harper’s'' for "giving...legitimacy" to "an illegitimate and discredited idea." ''Harper's'' editor
Roger Hodge Roger D. Hodge (born 1967 in Del Rio, Texas, Del Rio, Texas, United States, U.S.) is Deputy Editor at ''The Intercept''. He was the editor of ''Harper's Magazine'' from March 2006 through January 2010. He was the editor of the ''Oxford American'' ...
defended Farber from criticism, stating the article was thoroughly fact-checked and that Farber was "courageous" for covering a story that came at "great personal cost". Farber said that she did not endorse the
Duesberg hypothesis The Duesberg hypothesis is the claim that AIDS is not caused by HIV, but instead that AIDS is caused by noninfectious factors such as recreational and pharmaceutical drug use and that HIV is merely a harmless passenger virus. The hypothesis was p ...
and that she had approached the story as an objective journalist, stating: "People can't distinguish, it seems, between describing dissent and being dissent." An article in the ''
New York Observer New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
'' juxtaposed her stated position of not endorsing Duesberg's views with previous statements she made questioning the mainstream view of HIV, and questioned whether she had herself become a "dissenter". In response to Farber's column, leading AIDS researchers published a 37-page rebuttal to Duesberg's views, whose views these researchers believed were long disproved in the medical community, while others in the medical community criticized her column for being poorly fact checked and containing "glaring errors". Seth Kalichmann, an HIV researcher, has stated this ''Harper's'' column "represented a breakthrough of HIV/AIDS denialism into mainstream media".


Maggiore article

In June 2006, Farber wrote an article for the ''
Los Angeles CityBeat ''LA CityBeat'' was an alternative weekly newspaper in Los Angeles, California, debuting June 12, 2003. Its publication ceased on March 26, 2009, issue. ''LA CityBeat'' was available every Thursday at more than 1,500 distribution locations thro ...
'' in defense of Christine Maggiore, an HIV-positive AIDS denialist, whose three-year-old daughter had died from AIDS the year before. Maggiore avoided medical treatment during pregnancy that could have prevented her children from becoming infected with HIV before birth, and she did not have her children tested for HIV after they were born, so they could not be treated for HIV. Maggiore's daughter, Eliza Jane, was found to be HIV-positive only after she died of
AIDS-related complications The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a preventable disease. It can ...
in 2005. Maggiore herself died of AIDS-related complications in 2008, at the age of 52.


''Serious Adverse Events''

A collection of Farber's AIDS writings, ''Serious Adverse Events: An Uncensored History of AIDS'', was published in 2006. Interviewed by '' Discover'' magazine in connection with her book's publication, she stated that she felt many of the older mainstream ideas about HIV were proven wrong and defended the decision to devote her reporting to the AIDS-denialist viewpoint as important for journalistic reasons.


Other work

Farber describes herself as "a vocal and persistent critic of
political correctness "Political correctness" (adjectivally "politically correct"; commonly abbreviated to P.C.) is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. ...
and the
McCarthyism McCarthyism is a political practice defined by the political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and a Fear mongering, campaign spreading fear of communist and Soviet influence on American institutions and of Soviet espionage i ...
that reigned in sexual harassment law in the 1990s." During her time as a writer at ''Spin,'' Farber was romantically involved with the magazine's publisher and editor, Bob Guccione Jr.Farber, Celia (June 9, 1997)
"The Trial"
. ''
Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...
''.
In 1994, a ''Spin'' employee filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Guccione Jr. and the magazine, alleging sexual discrimination and favoritism.Sheelah Kolhatkar, "AIDS Anarchist Farber Hops Back in Whirlwind"
''The Observer'', 28 June 2006. Accessed October 30, 2006.
Farber was a key witness in the ensuing trial, as the prosecution alleged that Farber's relationship with Guccione Jr. led to her promotion and other job opportunities. Ultimately, the jury found that ''Spin'' editors had created a "hostile environment" and awarded $90,000 to the plaintiff; the remainder of the charges, including those of sexual favoritism, were rejected. In 1999, Farber co-founded the
nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...
Rock the Boat. The organization's mission was to arrange rock music concerts to stimulate independent thinking about subjects which the organization's proponents believed had been censored by the media. Farber also worked as a ghost writer on the books ''How I Helped O.J. Get Away With Murder'' by Mike Gilbert and ''The Murder Business: How The Media Turns Crime Into Entertainment and Subverts Justice'' by
Mark Fuhrman Mark Fuhrman (born February 5, 1952) is a former detective of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). He is primarily known for his part in the investigation of the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in the O. J. Simpson m ...
.


Personal life

She is the daughter of
Barry Farber Barry Morton Farber (May 5, 1930 – May 6, 2020) was an American conservative radio talk show host, author, commentator and language-learning enthusiast. In 2002, industry publication '' Talkers magazine'' ranked him the 9th greatest radio talk ...
, a noted radio talk-show host in New York, and Ulla Farber. She has a sister Bibi who became a singer and songwriter. In 1993, their mother, Ulla Farber, was working as a nurse at Askersund Hospital in
Askersund Askersund is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Askersund Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with a population census of 3,887 inhabitants in 2010. Geography Askersund is a popular tourist destination with swimming and nature ...
,
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
. Farber married guitarist Robert Bannister on December 12, 1993. Farber and Bannister had a son, Jeremy, together. They have since divorced.


References


External links


Truth Barrier, Celia Farber's Blog
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farber, Celia 1965 births Living people 21st-century American women American activist journalists American women journalists HIV/AIDS denialists Place of birth missing (living people)