▁Power ▁( ACT ▁UP ), ▁he ▁was ▁among ▁the ▁first ▁A ID S ▁activ ists ▁to ▁protest ▁responses ▁to ▁the ▁disease . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁co - found ing ▁member ▁of ▁A CT ▁UP ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁New ▁York , ▁and ▁later ▁helped ▁organ ize ▁A CT ▁UP ▁chap ters ▁in ▁Port land , ▁Oregon , ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁and ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁A CT ▁UP ▁President ial ▁Project . ▁Pet rel is ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁Que er ▁Nation / National ▁Capital , ▁the ▁Washington ▁D . C . ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁milit ant ▁L GB T Q ▁rights ▁organization . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁he ▁organized ▁a ▁nation wide ▁boy c ott ▁of ▁products ▁manufact ured ▁by ▁Philip ▁Morris ▁Comp an ies , ▁Inc . ▁( now ▁Alt ria ▁Group , ▁Inc .), ▁including ▁Mar l bor o ▁c igare tt es ▁and ▁Miller ▁be er , ▁to ▁protest ▁the ▁company ' s ▁support ▁for ▁J esse ▁Hel ms , ▁a ▁Republican ▁sen ator ▁from ▁North ▁Carolina ▁whose ▁r het or ic ▁and ▁policy ▁positions ▁Pet rel is ▁said ▁were ▁harm ful ▁to ▁L GB T Q ▁communities . ▁ ▁Pet rel is ▁was ▁among ▁several ▁activ ists ▁who ▁dis closed , ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁that ▁Mark ▁Hat field , ▁a ▁Republican ▁sen ator ▁from ▁Oregon ▁who ▁supported ▁anti - g ay ▁legisl ation , ▁was ▁secret ly ▁gay ,