Two Day Magazine

Sherri Shepherd is the last person I would take seriously when discussing science or medicine considering she once stated on the popular daytime talk show that she believed the world was flat and does not believe in evolution. On June 22, 2010, she proved yet again why she should stick to doing what she does best, telling jokes and discussing celebrity gossip.

The comedian, D.L. Hughley, was guest hosting on ‘The View’ when the topic turned to the incredibly high rate of HIV amongst African American women in the United States. According to the CDC, African American women have an infection rate nearly 15 times HIGHER than that of White women. AIDS is the leading cause of death among African American women between the ages of 25-34.

Shepherd and Hughley began trying to explain the reason for the high rate of HIV amongst African American women in America, and linked it to African American men on the “down low”. Meaning, these men have wives and girlfriends, but are having sexual relations with other men on the side. Unfortunately, homophobia is incredibly prevalent in the African American community, and like D.L. Hughley stated on the show,

“You can sing in the choir, but you can’t come out.”

Sherri Shepherd added “[African American men] are having sex with men, and they’re not telling their girlfriends or their wives that they’re gay.”

What’s even more unfortunate, however, was that this discussion about the spread of HIV was incredibly inaccurate and now GLAAD wants them to retract their statement and apologize for spreading false information about the main cause of HIV in the African American community.

According to Dr. Kevin Fenton, the director of the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, the CDC has studied why African-American women make up 61% of all new HIV cases amongst women, with 80% being contracted through heterosexual contact.

He went on to say, “we know that a lot of the infections are actually coming from male partners who have high-risk behavior. In fact, we have looked to see what proportion of infections is coming from male partners who are bisexual and found there are actually relatively few. More are male partners who are having female partners and are injecting drugs or using drugs or have some other risks that may put those female partners at risk of acquiring HIV.”

GLAAD’s Senior Director of Programs’, Rashad Robinson, stated:

“Sherri Shepherd and D.L. Hughley’s claim that African American gay and bisexual men are ‘primarily’ responsible for increased HIV rates among African American women is inaccurate and dangerous. Medical experts, including the CDC have dispelled that myth and ABC has a responsibility to correct the information. Shepherd and Hughley’s comments fuel a climate of homophobia and racism.”

GLAAD has since taken out an ad in Variety Magazine as a Call to Action in response to  the comments on ‘The View’. GLAAD is encouraging supporters to contact ABC and demand that ‘The View’ issues an on-air apology and correct Sherri Shepherd and D.L. Hughley’s misinformed comments.

With all of the false information out there, it saddens me that a platform as big as ‘The View’ doesn’t take responsibility for their remarks and issue not only an apology, but have someone from the CDC come on to the show and set the record straight. There are so many myths concerning homosexuality, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases that people seem to forget that this disease can infect anyone, and does not discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation or race. Anyone risks infection when they have unprotected sex. HIV is not a “gay” disease. It is disease caused by high risk behavior such as sharing needles, unprotected sexual intercourse, and in some case, blood transfusions/mixing.

We have to open our eyes as a nation and understand that the only way to fight HIV is through education. By continually reinforcing negative and untrue stereotypes about who gets it and why, we are not only spreading fear and ignorance on this subject, but we are also hurting future generations by downplaying how they can protect themselves from a preventable tragedy.