Shoppers aren’t the only ones craving fresh stories , audiences are noticing an absence. GLAAD’s new State of HIV Stigma report finds most Americans haven’t seen people living with HIV in films, TV or social media, and that gap matters for testing, treatment and stigma reduction.

Essential Takeaways

  • Visibility gap: 72% of Americans say they did not see stories about people living with HIV in the past year, up from 66% in 2024.
  • On-screen scarcity: Only one LGBTQ TV character with HIV appeared in the 2024–25 season and won’t return; just one major studio film featured an HIV character.
  • Information shortfall: 44% of Americans don’t accept Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U), despite evidence that suppressed viral loads prevent sexual transmission.
  • Real-world stakes: About 1.2 million people in the U.S. live with HIV; roughly 13% are unaware of their status, so media representation can influence testing and treatment uptake.

Why this silence in media feels loud , and why it matters

The first hit is emotional: when you don't see people like you or people you care about reflected on screen, it creates distance , and discomfort. GLAAD’s research points out that most Americans haven’t seen a single story featuring someone living with HIV in the last year, and that absence fuels misunderstanding. According to GLAAD’s report, seeing contemporary, realistic portrayals helps normalise testing and modern treatment. That’s not ivory-tower commentary; it’s practical public-health sense.

On TV and film: token appearances and missed chances

Look at the numbers and they’re stark. GLAAD’s Where We Are on TV data found only one LGBTQ character living with HIV during the 2024–25 season, and that character isn’t returning. Out of 225 major-studio films analysed, only one , set during the early epidemic , included an HIV storyline. That keeps HIV stuck in the past on screen, rather than showing it as a manageable, preventable condition today. Producers and writers have an opportunity , and a responsibility , to write contemporary HIV experiences into shows and films if they want audiences to learn and empathise.

Social media and podcasts: small mentions, big potential

The report also flags social platforms and audio storytelling. Just 15% of Americans recalled seeing an HIV story on social media, and 0.09% of podcast episodes mentioned HIV. These channels are where people learn informally and quickly, so the low mention rate is a missed education moment. Creators, influencers and podcasters can fold accurate, lived experiences into conversations without preaching , and that casual visibility could change perceptions faster than a single glossy drama.

What people misunderstand , and how U=U should be shouted from the rooftops

Nearly half of Americans don’t accept Undetectable=Untransmittable, the science-backed concept that effective treatment reduces viral load to undetectable levels and prevents sexual transmission. That confusion has direct consequences: people avoid testing, treatment or relationships because of fear. Public-health bodies such as the CDC provide clear data on prevalence and care objectives, and media storytelling that shows people leading healthy lives while on treatment would make that science accessible and human.

Practical steps media and advocates can take now

There are straightforward moves that would shift the dial. Hire consultants and writers with lived experience, partner with HIV organisations for accuracy, and include storylines that show modern prevention (like PrEP) and treatment. Public-health leaders and policymakers should seize pop culture moments to push facts, while studios should commit to recurring, contemporary HIV characters rather than one-off period pieces. Small changes in scripts and casting can deliver big returns in public understanding.

It's a small change in writers’ rooms and scheduling meetings that can make every story about HIV feel less like a history lesson and more like real life.

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