NEW YORK, N.Y. – LGBTQ Georgia State Representatives Park Cannon and Sam Park, along with local HIV advocate Amazin LêThị, today joined GLAAD to condemn the spread of misinformation and stigma that continues to surround the topic of HIV and AIDS, including within the halls of the Georgia Statehouse. Last week, Georgia State Rep. Betty Price made the disturbing and dangerous suggestion that people living with HIV and AIDS should be quarantined.
“As a queer lawmaker in the South I reject language that stigmatizes people living with or affected by HIV and AIDS,” said Rep. Park Cannon. “I call on my colleague in the House to apologize for her appalling comments and want the community to know that we still rise in the face of adversity.”
“As the first openly gay man elected to the Georgia statehouse I want those living with HIV and AIDS to know that we stand with you, that we are fighting with you and that together we will drive out fear and hate with love,” said Rep. Sam Park.
“As a person from the Asian community where we struggle so deeply in terms of disclosing our status and gaining hope, these comments are very damaging because it pushes our community back into the closet in terms of not wanting to step forwards and disclose our status and to receive help,” said Amazin LêThị. “Particularly when politicians within our city don’t support who we are as a community for those living with HIV.”
Following the comments made by Rep. Price GLAAD called for Price to issue a full apology to all those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS who were targeted by her stigmatizing remarks. Since then, she has refused to apologize for her fear-mongering, instead issuing a statement saying her comments were “taken completely out of context” and that she was being “provocative” when discussing a stigmatizing response to a health crisis.
“Last week, GLAAD called on Representative Price to fully apologize to all those harmed by her reprehensible comments targeting Georgians living with HIV and AIDS, her refusal to do so speaks volumes,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “Betty Price and anyone who found her remarks even remotely excusable need to educate themselves to move past the outdated and harmful myths about people living with HIV.”
GLAAD got its start in the midst of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, fighting back against defamatory media coverage of people living with HIV and AIDS. Since then, GLAAD has sought to lift up and magnify the voices of those working for greater awareness and acceptance of people living with HIV. Price’s remark illustrates the miseducation and stigma that continues to surround this topic.
