On the Anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s Death, Here’s How to Honor the Late Icon

On Nov. 24, 1991 — 27 years ago today — Freddie Mercury died. The Queen frontman’s stated cause of death was bronchial pneumonia, brought on by AIDS. He left a legacy that burns passionately even to this day. The anniversary of his passing inspires emotional tributes every year, as well as reminders that the disease that took his life remains a plague in our world.

On Twitter, many have used the occasion to direct people to donate to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, the charity founded by Queen’s surviving members Brian May and Roger Taylor, plus manager Jim Beach, in the wake of Mercury’s death. Additionally, one user, @THOUGHTCRIME, directed fans to learn more about HIV/AIDS from other sources.

In addition to donating, we’d highly recommend streaming Mercury and Queen’s greatest hits in his memory today, or watching the group’s legendary Live Aid set on YouTube. It’s as fitting a tribute to Mercury’s artistry and legacy as you can imagine.

Note that we won’t recommend going to see Bohemian Rhapsody in theaters, though. Even though the movie is immensely popular, it also whiffs in a major way when it comes to Mercury’s sexuality, all but totally erasing his queerness. Remembering Mercury properly means remembering all of Mercury — and this selective history won’t cut it. There are far more honest ways to remember a legend on the anniversary of his death than this.