Even with all the progress being made in the field of HIV research, a new GLAAD report shows that we still have a long way to go.
On Monday (July 27), GLAAD, in association with Gilead Sciences Inc., released its first Study on the status of HIV stigma, A new guide showing the prevalence of stigma surrounding HIV in the United States. To help spread the message of its findings, GLAAD also recruited stars like Peppermint, Parson James, Michelle Visage and many more to speak on camera about the pervasive nature of disinformation.
“We have made significant progress in ending the HIV epidemic” Endurance race the star Peppermint says at the beginning of the new video. “But too many people are still not informed about HIV and the people living with it.”
According to the new study, only 51 percent of non-LGBTQ Americans and 55 percent of Americans who identify LGBTQ said they “feel informed about HIV,” while 59 percent of all respondents stated incorrectly that it is “important to be careful with people living with HIV to avoid contracting it.”
Research and treatment have shown that HIV can not only not be transmitted through healthy, uninterrupted skin, but that proper treatment can make a patient’s viral load undetectable and therefore non-transmissible. “Stigma continues to hamper efforts to educate the public about prevention and treatment options and suppress valuable conversations about HIV between friends and loved ones,” the report notes.
But as singer Asiahn points out in the GLAAD video, many Americans say they want to do better. 89 percent of respondents agreed that “there is still a stigma surrounding HIV,” while more than 90 percent also said that “promoting prevention should also be a high priority.”
Actress Tatiana Maslany left viewers with some final thoughts, imploring Americans to educate themselves about the virus as a means to help end its spread and stigma. “We can all play our part in fighting stigma by educating ourselves and our communities,” he said. “Armed with the facts, we can make the world a better place for everyone.”
See the full Study on the status of HIV stigma here, and watch the new GLAAD video below:
