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This kind of outrageous misinformation and the weaponization of HIV is dangerous and perpetuates stigma, advocates say.
In the latest example of disinformation circulating before the 2024 election, a false claim about U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s health has gone viral on social media. A parody account on X, formerly Twitter, falsely claimed on Tuesday that Buttigieg revealed he is HIV-positive, a post that has been amplified by MAGA pundits and seen by hundreds of thousands.
“BREAKING: Pete Buttigieg reveals that he is HIV-positive,” the post read.
Far-right conspiracy theorist Stew Peters shared the tweet with the comment, “You don’t say,” a post that has since garnered 849,000 views. Peters, notorious for spreading disinformation and hate-filled rhetoric, has amassed a large online following. According to the Anti-Defamation League, Peters is a Christian nationalist who frequently promotes antisemitic, white supremacist, and anti-LGBTQ+ views through his digital media network, the Stew Peters Network.
Some made conspiratorial allegations in reaction to the falsehood.
“He released this while the Longshoremen are striking & WW3 in peoples mind’s is lurking… but I’m glad that Pete is honest about him having HIV,” wrote one.
Another reacted to the false information with sympathy. “I actually feel really sad for Pete Buttigieg and I want to pray for him because I make fun of him but it must be an absolutely horrible feeling to realize you have HIV heartbreaking. If he was my son I would be devastated,” the person wrote on X.
The fake news about Buttigieg highlights the persistent issue of misinformation within the MAGA media sphere as political tensions rise in the lead-up to the election. Tim Miller, a gay contributor to The Bulwark, expressed concern about this disinformation in a post on X, sharing that a MAGA commentator had credulously spread the claim about Buttigieg, generating 500,000 views. Miller, who has regularly criticized the MAGA movement, noted, “Pretty concerning view into MAGA info space pre-election,” underscoring how disinformation is being weaponized to shape public opinion.
Miller also mentioned another striking example of how disinformation permeates the MAGA space: an AI-generated image of former President Donald Trump wading through floodwaters during Hurricane Helene relief efforts, shared as if it were a real photograph. Miller said that his husband’s high school friend had shared the manipulated image, questioning why mainstream media was not covering Trump’s supposed involvement in relief efforts.
Chasten Buttigieg, Pete Buttigieg’s husband, responded to Miller’s remarks with a pointed call for honesty and action. In a repost on X, Chasten urged people to resist the spread of lies and instead focus on grassroots efforts to connect with voters. “This is not how you win hearts and minds,” he wrote. “Stay the course, folks. Keep telling your stories, having the hard conversations, and knocking doors. They’ve got lies, we’ve got momentum.”
Disinformation has become a central concern in the 2024 election cycle, with social media platforms like X significantly amplifying false information. Under Elon Musk’s ownership, the platform has faced mounting criticism for its reduced moderation efforts, which have allowed fake accounts and fake news to flourish unchecked. The viral post on Pete Buttigieg, viewed nearly 1 million times at press time, did not receive a “Community Note,” X’s tool for crowd-sourced fact-checking, allowing the misinformation to spread freely.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis condemned the post, calling it harmful and irresponsible. “Using HIV to diminish any person is revolting, and dangerous to everyone’s health and safety. Rhetoric like this drives the stigma that fuels HIV, full stop. This kind of rhetoric reveals the need for accurate information about HIV — it is preventable with a pill, treatable to the point of undetectable and untransmittable (U=U), and people living with HIV go on to live long and healthy lives,” Ellis said in a statement to The Advocate.
Ellis pointed out that GLAAD research shows Gen Z to be the least knowledgeable about HIV.
“We need everyone to use their voices, talents, and all available platforms to speak the truth about HIV, instead of using HIV as a political weapon. HIV can be defeated if we work together to elevate these truths, eliminate stigma, and treat people with respect and dignity,” Ellis said.
This particular incident highlights the risks that high-profile LGBTQ+ figures like Buttigieg face in the digital age. False claims about HIV, especially when weaponized against a gay public official, reinforce harmful stigmas and invoke dangerous narratives about the LGBTQ+ community.
This disinformation comes amid a broader context of political and cultural battles over access to accurate sexual health education. GLAAD’s report on HIV stigma this year highlighted how politics is impacting HIV education for Gen Z, the generation that continues to be the least knowledgeable about the virus. Despite the generation's diversity and visibility as heavily LGBTQ, only 37 percent of Gen Z adults feel knowledgeable about HIV, a statistic that has remained steady over five years, according to GLAAD’s research.
The report emphasized the critical need for media to tell accurate, stigma-reducing stories about people living with HIV.
Discussions around sexual health, including HIV and AIDS, are increasingly under threat in states like Iowa and Florida, where recent legislation has restricted access to this type of education in schools.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include a tweet from Stew Peters.
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