Remembering Rob Reiner’s history of LGBTQ+ advocacy after the filmmaker and his wife’s sudden deaths

In light of the deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, on Sunday (14 December), Attitude remembers the American filmmaker’s LGBTQ+ advocacy through both his acting, directing and politics.

Found stabbed to death at their Brentwood home in Los Angeles, authorities are investigating an apparent homicide and arrested the couple’s son, Nick Reiner, the same night on suspicion of murder.

Rob first rose to fame as an actor playing Mike “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family in 1970, a role that brought revolutionary change for the LGBTQ+ community.

Rob Reiner’s advocacy began when he battled homophobia in All in the Family in 1970

At a time when gay characters were rare and often mocked, Mike Stivic openly challenged homophobia, particularly when confronting Archie Bunker’s slurs and stereotypes.

Rob and Michele were trailblazers for equality and diversity and were recognised throughout their lives by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the wider LGBTQ+ community.

At the 2015 HRC Las Vegas Gala, the late couple were honoured for their role in advancing marriage equality, following Rob’s co-founding of AFER in 2009, the organisation behind the legal challenge to California’s Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage.

AFER’s and Rob’s efforts were pivotal in overturning the anti-gay ban and contributed to the momentum that eventually led to nationwide marriage equality.

“We have to move past singling out transgender, LGBTQ, Black, white, Jewish, Muslim, Latino” – Reiner advocating for minorities

Appearing at the 2019 HRC Los Angeles Dinner, Rob spoke out in support of the LGBTQ+ community and marginalised groups whose rights are constantly under threat.

“We have to move past singling out transgender, LGBTQ, Black, white, Jewish, Muslim, Latino,” he said. “We have to get way past that and start accepting the idea that we’re all human beings.”

He highlighted humanity’s commonalities: “We’re all human beings, we all share the same planet, and we should all have the same rights, period. It’s no more complicated than that.”

“Their fierce support for the causes they believed in, including LGBTQ+ equality” – HRC president Kelley Robinson remembering Rob and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner

HRC president Kelley Robinson issued a statement following the 78-year-old’s death, saying the entire organisation was “devastated”.

“Rob and Michele will most be remembered for their gigantic hearts, and their fierce support for the causes they believed in, including LGBTQ+ equality,” Robinson said.

As this monumental loss is mourned by the queer community, we reflect on Reiner’s advocacy at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under threat worldwide, particularly in the US and the UK.

Transgender rights are seeing a particular rollback, with Donald Trump ruling that there are only two sexes on his first day back in office for his second presidential term, and the UK Supreme Court ruling in April that “woman” refers to biological sex.

“He is mentally unfit” – Rob criticising Donald Trump’s presidency

President Donald Trump commented on the filmmaker’s death, claiming that Reiner passed away due to “Trump derangement syndrome”.

In a statement issued on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Rob died “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind-crippling disease known as trump derangement syndrome”.

Speaking to Variety as Trump entered his second term, Reiner criticised the president’s mental state: “Donald Trump is the single most unqualified human being to ever assume the presidency of the United States. He is mentally unfit. Not only does he not understand how government works, he has no interest in trying to find out how it works.”

---

Subscribe to Attitude magazine in print, download the Attitude app, and follow Attitude on Apple News+. Plus, find Attitude on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X and YouTube.