A new report from the advocacy group GLAAD finds that a large majority of Americans have not come across media stories featuring real people living with HIV over the past year, a figure that has risen from the previous year’s survey. The findings, which the group says underscore a gap between public awareness and medical progress, were published in GLAAD’s sixth annual “State of HIV Stigma” report.
According to the report, 72% of Americans said they had not seen stories about real people living with HIV in the media over the preceding 12 months, up from 66% in 2024. The report also found that 70% of respondents said they had not seen a movie or TV show depicting a character living with HIV, GLAAD reported.
The organization suggested that a lack of visible representation could have real-world consequences. “When the public sees people living with HIV lead long and successful lives, it helps inspire comfort with HIV testing and treatment,” the report states.
GLAAD’s analysis of media content also showed limited representation across platforms. Out of 225 studio movies reviewed, only one, a film called Fairyland, featured a character living with HIV. The report also found that just 0.09% of podcasts mentioned HIV, and only 15% of those surveyed had seen a mention of HIV on social media.
Reaction from critics
The report has drawn criticism from some conservative commentators, who question the urgency of the findings. Writing for Breitbart, John Nolte argued that the absence of HIV-focused media narratives is unsurprising given medical advances that have dramatically lowered death rates from AIDS-related causes.
Nolte pointed to CDC data cited in his column showing about 4,600 deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2024, compared to 683,491 deaths from heart disease the same year, and noted that he has not seen comparable campaigns demanding media representation for heart disease patients or other health conditions.
He also argued that the decline in HIV coverage may reflect progress: “The urgency for raising awareness has evaporated,” he wrote, drawing a parallel to COVID-19, which he said receives less media attention now that vaccines and natural immunity have reduced its death toll.
Nolte further suggested that audiences are making a deliberate choice in a streaming era, noting that classic films and TV productions about HIV such as Philadelphia, And the Band Played On, Longtime Companion, and An Early Frost are widely available but underwatched.
GLAAD’s call to action
In the report, GLAAD called on media, public health leaders, policymakers, and advocates to improve how HIV is portrayed. “Americans need accurate information, authentic stories and policies that reflect today’s realities about living with HIV and the huge advancements in prevention and treatment,” the report states. “This report should be a call to action for media, public health leaders, policymakers and advocates to ensure that the way we talk about HIV catches up with what science has already made possible. Ending HIV will require all of us to choose truth over misinformation, visibility over silence and facts over fear.”
GLAAD’s survey has historically tracked public perceptions of HIV stigma and the role of media in shaping attitudes. The group has argued that increased representation can reduce stigma and encourage testing.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2026/08/20/nolte-glaad-mad-70-did-not-see-media-stories-people-living-hiv/