“The rhetoric that DaBaby used is inaccurate, hurtful, and harmful to the LGBTQ community and the estimated 1.2 million Americans living with HIV,” DaShawn Usher, associate director of communities of color for GLAAD, said in a statement released on Twitter. “It is critical that DaBaby and his fans learn that people living with HIV today when on effective treatment, lead long and healthy lives and cannot transmit HIV.”
“While DaBaby has made haphazard attempts to ‘apologize,’ actions need to be taken for full accountability and changes to do better in the future. It further confirms what GLAAD reported last year in the State of HIV Stigma Study that stigma and misinformation around HIV are widespread, and there is much work to be done to educate the public, including entertainers,” the statement continued.
“If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases, that’ll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cellphone lighter up. … Fellas, if you ain’t sucking d— in the parking lot, put your cellphone lighter up,” DaBaby told the crowd.
Dua Lipa, Questlove, Elton John and Demi Lovato are a few celebrities who’ve voiced their displeasure with DaBaby’s remarks as well.
