DaBaby
LGBTQ media advocacy organization GLAAD has released a statement in response to the controversial comments rapper DaBaby made during his Rolling Loud music festival performance.
At the music festival in Miami on Sunday, DaBaby, interrupted his performance to make some disturbing comments about HIV and the LGBTQ community.
According to TMZ, the rapper told audience members, in part, to hold up their cellphone flashlights, "If you didn't show up today with HIV/AIDS or other STDs that'll make you die in 2-3 weeks," along with other homophobic comments.
In response to these comments, GLAAD's Associate Director of Communities of Color DaShawn Usher said:
"The rhetoric that DaBaby used is inaccurate, hurtful, and harmful to the LGBTQ community and the estimated 1.2 million Americans living with HIV. It is critical that DaBaby and his fans learn that people living with HIV today, when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV. While DaBaby has made haphazard attempts to 'apologize,' actions need to be taken for full accountability and changes to do better in the future. It further confirms what GLAAD reported last year in the State of HIV Stigma Study that stigma and misinformation around HIV is widespread, and there is much work to be done to educate the public, including entertainers."
Read Dashawn's thread here:
The rhetoric that #DaBaby used is inaccurate, hurtful, and harmful to the LGBTQ community and the estimated 1.2 mil… https://t.co/cWebpZ6u4M— DaShawn Usher (@DaShawn Usher)1627504786.0
In addition to this response from GLAAD, DaBaby has also received criticism from celebrities. Artists like Demi Lovato, collaborator Dua Lipa, and Elton John have all condemned his rhetoric.
If she would like to replace DaBaby’s verse on levitating I’m totally available https://t.co/UNVhH0gDEU— Victoria Monét (@Victoria Monét)1627418169.0
(1/5) We've been shocked to read about the HIV misinformation and homophobic statements made at a recent DaBaby sho… https://t.co/FneW1nu64g— Elton John (@Elton John)1627480813.0
Even clothing company boohooMAN announced that they would no longer be working with the rapper following the controversy.
In their press release GLAAD reiterated its findings from their 2020 State of HIV Stigma Study which "found that only half of American adults feel knowledgeable about HIV and that high levels of perceived stigma around HIV still exist. About 90% of American adults agreed 'there is stigma around HIV,' 'people are quick to judge those with HIV,' and that 'people make assumptions when someone is tested for HIV.'"
These statistics put into perspective just how damaging DaBaby's comments are to a community already facing massive stigma and false perceptions.
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