Spotlighting a problem, not a relic: Shoppers of stories and viewers alike are still seeing HIV as an ’80s-era tragedy rather than a manageable condition today. GLAAD’s 2026 State of HIV Stigma report shows shrinking visibility and gaps in knowledge across generations, and it matters for public health, empathy and for people living with HIV.

Essential Takeaways

  • Visibility is low: Most people didn’t see news, TV or film portrayals of people living with HIV in 2025, leaving current lives and science out of sight.
  • Misinformation persists: Nearly half of respondents disagreed with Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U), despite a decade of scientific consensus.
  • Younger people feel less informed: Only around a third of Gen Z report feeling knowledgeable about HIV, even as the generation is the most openly LGBTQ+.
  • Entertainment still leans on old narratives: Of hundreds of major films released in 2025, only one included an HIV character, and that story was set in the past.
  • Comfort levels dropped: Fewer people in 2025 said they felt comfortable around family or professionals living with HIV compared with 2024.

Why representation still looks stuck in the 1980s

GLAAD’s survey finds that when people do encounter HIV in media, it’s often a period drama or a tragic arc, not someone living well with the virus today. That one 2025 film portrayal that included an HIV-positive character was set decades ago, reinforcing dated fears and images. Media shapes how we feel about other people; if stories keep treating HIV as a death sentence, audiences will keep reacting with fear. Editors and showrunners can change that by commissioning contemporary, everyday storylines that normalise treatment, relationships and careers for people living with HIV.

The science is settled, so why don’t people believe U=U?

Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) has been part of medical consensus for more than ten years, yet about 44% of survey respondents disagreed with it. That gap isn’t just academic; it affects dating, workplace dynamics and willingness to seek care. Public-health communicators need to push clear, repeatable messages into the places people already visit, news sites, social platforms and podcasts, so the science becomes familiar rather than surprising. Simple explainers, testimonials from clinicians and people living with HIV, and routine inclusion of U=U in sexual-health reporting would help.

Young people say they’re less informed, what that means

Gen Z reported the biggest drop in feeling knowledgeable about HIV, with only about 31% saying they felt informed. That’s striking given Gen Z’s high digital literacy and openness about sexuality. Part of the problem is signal: there’s a glut of content, but little reliable visibility of modern HIV realities. Schools, youth clinics and social creators have an opening here, bite-sized, factual content that meets young people where they scroll could build comfort and correct myths before they calcify.

Newsrooms and entertainment are missing beats, and reputations

GLAAD’s analysis found sharp declines in news and entertainment depictions in 2025: most people hadn’t seen a news story or TV depiction about someone living with HIV. Podcasts barely mentioned HIV at all. News outlets and commissioners who care about accurate public understanding should consider dedicated beats or recurring segments on sexual health and lived experience. Journalists can also avoid sensationalist framing and seek out diverse voices, people living with HIV who can speak to work, family life and long-term health.

Practical steps editors, creators and readers can take today

Creators should cast consultants living with HIV and include modern health realities in scripts and interviews. Newsrooms can embed U=U and prevention updates into routine health reporting. Clinicians and clinics should offer clear patient-facing facts and encourage patients to share their stories if they wish. And readers can help by amplifying accurate depictions and correcting misinformation when they see it, sharing an explainer or a lived-experience piece can chip away at stigma more than you might expect.

It's a small change in storytelling and facts that can make every conversation and decision safer and kinder.

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