As newly-minted Champions, Cox and Riley will lead nationwide push to modernize outdated HIV Laws
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) observes today as the annual HIV IS NOT A CRIME Awareness Day, a major nationwide push to modernize the outdated 1980s-era laws that still treat a health status as a crime in over 30 states.
ETAF is proud to announce that cultural icons Laverne Cox and Amber Riley have joined as the newest ETAF Champions, using their voice and platforms to lead this bipartisan reform effort and bring attention to the devastating human cost of HIV criminalization. Their powerful voices and commitment to justice will help advance our mission to end HIV stigma and promote policy modernization nationwide. We are honored to welcome these trailblazing advocates to the HIV IS NOT A CRIME movement.
“In over 30 states, laws born from the fear and misinformation of the ’80s are still destroying Black and trans lives today,” said Laverne Cox. “Under these laws, people living with HIV can be imprisoned and branded criminals for actions that carry effectively zero risk. The law should never be used to punish people for simply existing with a virus that science has made treatable and untransmittable.”
Thanks to scientific advancements, HIV is no longer a death sentence, and with the right medications there is no risk of transmitting HIV sexually. Despite this remarkable progress, people living with HIV in more than 30 states are being charged and branded as criminals because of their status, even when there is no risk of HIV transmission.
The CDC has reported that these laws discourage HIV testing, increase stigma, and exacerbate disparities, noting they are outdated and do not reflect the significant advances to treat and prevent HIV transmission, such as effective therapeutics that can suppress the virus to the point of it being virtually undetectable, and therefore untransmittable (U=U). The HIV IS NOT A CRIME continues to work hard at educating lawmakers of the outdated and unfair laws unnecessarily still on the books.
“HIV criminalization targets our friends, our family, and our neighbors,” said Amber Riley. “I’m proud to join The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation as a Champion and help stand up for the families and communities being torn apart by laws that have no basis in modern science. This campaign is about reclaiming the narrative from stigma and fear, and replacing it with a story about the dignity every person deserves.”
With support from Gilead Sciences, Inc. and the collaboration of the Health Not Prisons Collective, ETAF has made the HIV IS NOT A CRIME campaign its priority advocacy initiative within the organization. To learn more about HIV IS NOT A CRIME and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, please visit https://elizabethtayloraidsfoundation.org/
About The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF):
Working tirelessly on the AIDS crisis throughout the 1980s, Elizabeth Taylor established The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991 to carry out her vision for an AIDS-free world. ETAF works to provide the direct care needed for people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Emphasizing Elizabeth’s voice, commitment and concentration on marginalized communities, ETAF in partnership with Gilead Sciences, Inc. works to modernize the criminal laws and penalties that affect people living with HIV. ETAF’s programs have also expanded to ensure that HIV prevention education and access to treatment is available through domestic and international initiatives.
For more information, visit ETAF.org or contact Jake Arman, ETAF at jarman@etaf.org.
About Gilead Sciences, Inc:
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer and inflammation. In 2025, Gilead announced a planned $32 billion investment to further strengthen its U.S. footprint to power the next era of discovery, job creation and public health preparedness – while continuing to invest globally to ensure patients everywhere benefit from its scientific innovation. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, Calif.
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SOURCE The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation
