Abstract

Four decades after the first reported case of HIV, the stigma surrounding an HIV diagnosis remains a significant challenge. This persistence, even amid numerous destigmatization efforts, has posed a puzzle for both scholars and policymakers. In this study, we explore the concept of morality attached to HIV status to shed light on this ongoing stigma. Utilizing data from the 2021 and 2022 waves of the General Social Survey, we examined the relationship between comfort in proximity to people with HIV (PWH) and moral beliefs associated with HIV status. Our findings suggest that individuals who ‘strongly agree’ that PWH engage in immoral activities are over 13 times more likely to reject proximity to PWH compared with those who ‘strongly disagree’. This finding is robust, even after taking to account factors such as the individual’s moral belief that same-sex sexual activity is wrong, and their awareness of discrimination against PWH. Overall, our results suggest that stigmatization is more likely when immorality is associated with the stigmatized status. We encourage destigmatization campaigns to consider these findings and integrate the dissociation of morality from HIV status into their messaging frames.