RENWL

ABC and The View show us what to focus on.

Here’s what ABC had to say in response to the protest regarding the dangerous misinformation on HIV/AIDS infection in the black community that was shared on The View’s June 22 episode in which both D.L. Hughley and Sherri Shephard made some very irresponsible statements concerning the spread of HIV to black women.

D.L. Hughley and the hosts of the daytime ABC show were discussing an FDA rule that bans gay men from donating blood because of HIV. During the discussion, Hughley said, “When you look at the prevalence of HIV in the African-American community, it’s primarily young women who are getting it from men who are on the down low.”

Shepherd described that the “down low is black men who’ve been going out. They are having sex with men and they’re not telling their girlfriends or their wives that they’re gay…” and added that it’s “very prevalent.”

After GLAAD published a full page advertisement in Variety magazine this week urging ABC and “The View” to make an on-air correction, here’s ABC’s response:

ABC responded with this statement to CNN:

“On June 22, during a discussion about blood donation and the transmission of HIV/AIDS, a guest moderator on the show expressed his interpretation of data about one way the virus can be transmitted.  The topic of HIV/AIDS has been raised many times over the show’s 13 years, with many voices and opinions contributing to a conversation that we expect to continue as long as The View is on the air.”

Well, wow.  Okay. Well, fuck you too, ABC.

The Chart: Down low’ TV comments raise HIV controversy