LA Times on HIV-exposure penalty cut vs. surging STDs

■ The pieces

• LA Times (Essential Politics): Knowingly exposing others to HIV will no longer be a felony in California (Oct 6, 2017)https://www.latimes.com/politics/essential/la-pol-ca-essential-politics-updates-gov-brown-downgrades-from-felony-to-1507331544-htmlstory.html
• Washington Times: coverage of the LA Times report that officials blamed racism and stigma for rising STDs (May 7, 2018)https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/7/los-angeles-officials-blame-systemic-racism-for-ri/

■ What they show

In October 2017 the LA Times reported that California had reduced knowingly exposing others to HIV from a felony to a misdemeanor. In May 2018 it reported that STD rates in Los Angeles County were soaring and that officials thought racism and stigma might be partly to blame. Placed together, the stories raise the question of which causes coverage chose to emphasize.

■ The other side

The HIV law change was backed by public-health groups, who argued that felony penalties discouraged testing. Most of the STD increase involved syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia rather than HIV.

■ Why it's here

This exhibit is filed under Subversion, not graded as a lie. What subversion means →