GMHC, GLAAD Want Graphic HIV Prevention Ad Pulled from TV

On Saturday, R20 wrote up the controversial HIV prevention television commercial produced by the New York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, which warns that gay men who seroconvert are at increased risk for osteporosis, dementia, and "over 28 times more likely to get anal cancer." To encourage condom use, the spot uses extremely graphic images to illustrate that last point and  many HIV prevention experts have criticized the messaging as "scare tactics."

GLAAD and the Gay Men's Health Crisis want the spot pulled because they fear it  further stigmatizes people living with HIV/AIDS, reports the Wall Street Journal.

"It really paints this picture of gay men as these sort of disease-ridden vessels, and so the message is really sort of, ‘Stay away from gay men,’” said Francisco Roque, director of community health for GMHC. Roque said the ad had a “horror movie” like quality with eerie music that appeared to demonize gay men.

In a statement, the city’s Department of Health said, “Silence is no solution when the number of new HIV diagnoses among” men having sex with other men is up by more than 50% in eight years. "In developing this video spot, we tested various approaches in focus groups," said the statement. “The spot was informed by that process and by lessons learned from our successful anti-smoking efforts. It was also carefully vetted for technical accuracy. The Health Department trumpeted the media campaign in a release last week, saying the video spots “promote condom use and partner reduction” in the gay community. The release said while HIV infection is no longer a "death sentence," living with HIV "is still no picnic."

The spot is scheduled to run on cable and broadcast television over the next week and the Health Dept. has no intention of pulling it. "I am completely comfortable with what we put out here. I have talked with many young men who are HIV positive," Dr. Monica Sweeney, assistant commissioner for the city’s Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, told Housing Works. "This is not fabricated."

Other HIV prevention experts and people living with HIV/AIDS say otherwise. "I felt like I stepped back into 1987 when I saw this, my head almost exploded," said Jim Pickett, advocacy director at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. "I reject portraying my life—15 years and counting with HIV—as a hellish nightmare. Has it been tough? Yes, living with HIV is challenging. But it is not one big long scream of agony for most of us."

In case you missed it before, and a warning that some images are very graphic, watch AFTER THE JUMP ...

Comments

[Liberator Émigré Éire]

Am I a big girl for not wanting to watch the "extremely graphic images"?

[derrick from Philly]

"Am I a big girl for not wanting to watch the 'extremely graphic images'?"

No, you're not. You are human. It takes special folks to deal with human illnesses that are horrible to witness--and probably a majority of them are "big old girls" or women.

Photos of untreated or advanced stage cancer are always horrifying. The photo in this PSA is especially terrifying, and I guess that's the point.

[Jim Pickett]

Most people with HIV won't get anal cancer. It is exceedingly rare - for neg and pos ppl. And is caused by HPV, not HIV. Most of us have been exposed to HPV, incidentally. So, the ad seems to miss this nuance - yes, we are more at risk for anal cancer if we have HIV - but it is very unlikely to ever happen. And more so now that we have increased screening and treatment capabilities that can stop abnormal anal cells in their path....

Hmmm, how did they forget that piece?

[Zambos27]

They should not pull the ad. I am over 30, and I have seen how people feel about HIV. 20 something years ago, more people seemed to take it seriously. They either knew somebody that had it or had passed away from it. I remember when Ryan White was the poster child for HIV/AIDS. Times have changed, and people need to realize that HIV is very serious, and not something that "oh, if I get it, I can just take my cocktail and punch it to the club later."

[Ealan75]

I know a lot of ppl supported the ads, but I think they'll do more harm than good. We need to find another way to get the message of AIDS/HIV prevention out there.

[FREELEO]

The pharmaceutical companies probably got in GLAAD's ear and encouraged them to speak out against the ad. Some one must have thought it would have some impact on the fight against AIDS.

After all, if people start exercising better judgement and stop contracting preventable diseases, they will loose money and a lot of people will loose their jobs.

[Jim]

FREELEO, it’s only Tuesday, but you’ve already won this week’s contest for “Most Cynical Comment.”

I’m not quite as cynical as you are, but I am cynical enough to believe that the drug companies would not welcome an actual cure.

[Greg G]

Judgmental much Freeleo?
Because that rant was truly worthy of the Republican Party or Focus on the Family.

We're 30 years into the HIV/AIDS crisis. And given the sky high HIV rates among black people, especially black gay men, none of us have any right to point fingers.

The ad is misleading and the anal cancer porn doesn't save lives. Especially in the black community and among black gay men. If it did, we would have had radically less infections in the 80s and 90s when we saw images like that and the entire country sounded like Freelelo,. Instead, white gay men began using more condoms... and black gay men and black straight men even less so.

The ad doesn't even mention or show condoms. And some poor and ignorant folks already think gay men "get cancer in the booty" just from being gay or having anal sex.

[Carl]

I love this AD campaign. HIV/AIDS Activist, Community Groups, Gay Advocacy Groups, the porn industry, Government Groups, medical groups have all played Political Correctness for far too long on this subject. The numbers of new HIV/AIDS cases aren't dropping they are INCREASING. Handing out pieces of paper and a quick 10 sec commercial with a celebrity is dead.

There isn't anything in the Ad that isn't true. You might not like the tone of the Ad but the message is what it is. Most people still think that as long as you take a "single" pill and a shot you are OK. When people die of AIDS they don't even mention that it was AIDS. There is a whole young generation that don't even connect to HIV/AIDS due to this WHITEWASHING. Not to mention that the past HIV/AIDS Campaigns over the past 15 years fall short to getting peoples' attention.

Get over yourself and take responsibility especially with the renewed trend of Barebacking and drugs as if their is a cure for AIDS. To pull this Ad campaign is irresponsible. What we need are more and broader reaching campaigns. Ones that shock and those (like the ones complaining) that appeal to the faint at heart.

[FREELEO]

Excellent points Carl. I totally agree.

[Rowan]

Oh geee G, how do you think pharmacitucals make there money? Go on? How does a business work? How do shareholder get there return?

Think about it. These companies are not non profits but ltd companies so therefore, they only have one bottom line profit to keep theree shareholders...lined! If people stopped being I'll and more careful......how will they make money?