Carl Bean, born May 26, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland, was an American singer and clergyman. Before entering the ministry, he began his music career as a Motown and disco singer. His version of "I Was Born This Way" became particularly notable for its early gay liberation themes. His other singles include "Jellyroll" (1982) and "Love Will Show You the Way" (1982). In 1975, Bean founded the Unity Fellowship Church Movement in Los Angeles, a liberal Protestant denomination welcoming to LGBTQ+ African Americans. He was openly gay and became an activist in 1982, working on behalf of people with AIDS in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Bean co-founded the National Minority AIDS Council in 1987 and established the Minority AIDS Project in Los Angeles. His autobiography, I Was Born This Way, was published in 2010. Bean passed away on September 7, 2021 at the age of 77.
