IN THE LIFE INVESTIGATES LAWS CRIMINALIZING HIV AND AIDS:
Special Report On Positive Women Stigmatized & Prosecuted
February 1, 2012 - Tonight, public television stations across the country will begin airing Perpetuating Stigma, an episode from the award-winning documentary series IN THE LIFE. This special
report investigates the injustices that arise when a person's HIV status becomes a crime, with a focus on how women have been stigmatized and prosecuted under these laws.
Thirty-six US states and 2 US territories have laws that criminalize HIV exposure or failure by an HIV positive person to disclose their status. Perpetuating Stigma features HIV positive women whose personal stories challenge the theory behind HIV criminalization laws and expose the reality of their impact. Congresswoman Barbara Lee introduced the "Repeal HIV Discrimination Act" in September 2011, sparking new conversation about these laws. Congresswoman Lee says,
"Many states are very extreme; they are very right-wing in how they see people who have HIV and AIDS."
Last season, IN THE LIFE reported on laws criminalizing the exposure and transmission of HIV, focusing on the stories of positive men. The program titled Legalizing Stigma led public education efforts, beginning with the first ever Congressional Briefing on this issue.
"IN THE LIFE's decision to continue coverage of HIV criminalization, specifically with a report on women, is motivated by the lack of a fair media perspective on this issue," states Michelle Kristel, executive director of In The Life Media.
In The Life Media continues its coverage of HIV and AIDS discrimination online, with the web exclusive
short, Rose v. Cahee: HIV Discrimination in Medical Care. When Melody Rose was diagnosed with gallbladder disease, her doctor told her she'd have to find someone else to treat it. The reason: Rose is HIV positive.
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ABOUT IN THE LIFE MEDIA:For twenty years, In The Life Media has been a leading media organization for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movement. One of the nation's most honored and influential LGBT groups, In The Life Media creates social and political change by examining issues critical to LGBT individuals and providing audiences with powerful ways to advance equality within, and beyond, their communities. Produced by In The Life Media, the Emmy-nominated series, IN THE LIFE, was the first-and remains the only-LGBT issues-oriented show on public television. IN THE LIFE is a two-time Emmy Award nominee, a Lambda Legal Liberty Award honoree, a Seigenthaler Award recipient from the
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association and a Ribbon of Hope Award recipient from The Academy
of Television Arts & Sciences: www.ITLMedia.org
ABOUT AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION:
IN THE LIFE is distributed by American Public Television. APT has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to America's public television stations since 1961. In 2009, APT distributed 56 of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles. Among its 300 new program titles per year are prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramatic series, how-to programs, children's series and classic movies. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. In 2006, APT launched Create® - the TV channel featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. APT is also a partner in the WORLDT channel expansion project including its web presence
at WORLDcompass.org . For more information about APT's programs
and services, visit APTonline.org . For more information on Create, visit CreateTV.com .
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