Advocates Decry HIV Falsehoods, Stigma at CBS HQ
LGBTQ, HIV/ AIDS groups rip media giant, police union, warn Queens DA on charges
BY MATT TRACY
Dozens protested outside
CBS’ towering headquarters
in Midtown on
January 10, demanding
that the media giant’s local affiliate
apologize, meet with advocates,
and hold a teach-in after publishing
a deeply insensitive article and
several tweets that stoked fear and
spread misinformation about HIV/
AIDS .
The advocates, holding signs
reading “how the f*ck did we go
back to 1987?” and chanting “HIV
stigma has got to go,” also placed
blame on the Port Authority Police
as well as the Port Authority Police
Benevolent Association’s role in
spreading false statements about
HIV and using the case to push a
police-driven narrative about bail
reform.
The community’s swift response
follows an explosive turn of events
that first emerged on the evening
of January 8 and spilled into the
day on January 9 in the aftermath
of CBS New York’s article and subsequent
tweets that described an
incident in which a man allegedly
spit on a police officer as an “HIV
ATTACK.” The controversy blew up
even further when a spokesperson
for the Port Authority Police Benevolent
Association told Gay City
News that it was a “problem” that
the suspect allegedly committed
the attack while knowing he was
HIV-positive.
“As a person living with HIV/
AIDS, I thought these days were
done,” Jason Walker, a member of
ACT UP New York, said as he addressed
the crowd in front of the
entrance to the CBS building at
51 West 52nd Street. “I thought we
were done seeing headlines and
articles that weaponize me and say
that I am a problem, that say that I
am a threat to my society.”
After the widespread outrage
emerged, CBS New York confirmed
to Gay City News on the evening
of January 9 that the reporter responsible
for the article and tweets
had been fired, but nobody at the
media outlet apologized and many
Jason Walker of ACT UP New York addressed demonstrators in front of CBS headquarters in Manhattan,
saying, “I thought we were done seeing headlines and articles that weaponize me.”
have expressed their desire to see
those at CBS undergo training to
prevent such controversies in the
future. Advocates at the December
10 demonstration also voiced
frustration that the article had yet
to be taken down, even as it was
amended to remove references to
HIV.
In yet another new development,
protestors expressed concern that
Queens District Attorney Melinda
Katz could upgrade the charges
against the accused man, whose
name was provided by the Port
Authority Police to Gay City News
but is being withheld from publication
to protect the man’s privacy
after union officials and CBS New
York shockingly disclosed his HIV
status. Advocates speculated that
the charges could be upgraded
to assault with a deadly weapon,
which would undoubtedly spark
more anger because it would again
drive the false assumption that an
HIV-positive person’s saliva could
be used as a deadly weapon. HIV
cannot be transmitted via saliva.
When reached after the protest,
a spokesperson for Katz would not
confirm or deny that charges could
MATT TRACY
be upgraded in the future but told
Gay City News “as of right now
the case stands with the current
charges.”
The man was first arrested for
stealing yogurt at LaGuardia Airport
and, according to authorities,
and later spit on the cop while held
in custody. He was ordered by a
judge to be released after he was
charged with criminal possession
of stolen property, petty larceny,
criminal mischief, and assault.
Brooklyn City Councilmember
Stephen Levin joined advocates at
the demonstration and committed
to raising the issue with Katz as
well as his City Council colleagues
from Queens.
“It’s 2020 and yet we have major
organizations like CBS News … not
only stigmatizing HIV, but spreading
misinformation,” Levin said.
“We have made so many strides
thanks to everyone here for 40
years. We will not go back.”
Out gay State Senator Brad Hoylman
of Manhattan was unable to
attend the protest, but stood in
solidarity with advocates in a Twitter
post, writing, “The facts are
clear. HIV can’t be spread through
HEALTH
saliva, and anyone suggesting otherwise
is perpetuating stigma in
the face of fact. There’s no place for
this fearmongering and bigotry in
New York.”
The vibrant group of demonstrators
included representatives
from ACT UP New York, Gay Men’s
Health Crisis, VOCAL-NY, Housing
Works, and Harlem United.
Advocates handed out guidelines
on HIV reporting to CBS officials
standing outside of the building
and to pedestrians walking on the
sidewalk near the building.
But the rhetoric wasn’t all aimed
at CBS. Jason Rosenberg of ACT
UP New York was, like others, critical
of the media giant, but also
responded to the police union’s
opposition to bail reform by pointing
out that Layleen Xtravaganza
Cubilette-Polanco, a transgender
woman of color, died in her cell on
Rikers Island after she was unable
to afford bail. He highlighted the
racial disparities that criminalize
people of color, including those in
the LGBTQ community.
Brandon Cuicchi, also of ACT UP
New York, told Gay City News that
advocates would likely be paying
a visit to the Port Authority Police
Benevolent Association to address
their role in the controversy.
“They need to not be sabotaging
bail reform by using outdated,
unscientific information about HIV
and pushing HIV stigma in the
process,” Cuicchi said.
He also foreshadowed advocates’
next move in taking on CBS, saying
that the firing of a unnamed
reporter involved with the problematic
story represents “a first
step” but is not nearly enough.
“We want a meeting with CBS to
make sure they have accurate and
scientific information about HIV,
that they’re not pushing HIV stigma
or criminalization, and that
they’re not sabotaging bail reform,”
Cuicchi said. “We’re going to follow
this case and be in contact with
the Queens DA to see how they’re
going to charge this case. If they
upgrade the charge to assault with
a deadly weapon, we will pay a visit
to them.
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