Indya Moore, best known for her depiction as Angel starred in FX’s Pose, has taken to her Instagram to address the DaBaby’s homophobic remarks during his performance at Rolling Loud. In her response, the 26-year-old actress directly confronted the stigmas of HIV/AIDS, the false tropes of masculinity, and also shared her own personal experience.
On her Instagram live on Monday, Moore pointed out the uncanny penchant for rappers like DaBaby to purport the false notion that sexually-transmitted diseases derive solely from sexual promiscuity, yet “brag about having sex without protection in their rap songs.” She added, “I find it so interesting that DaBaby was using his stage and his platform, to marginalize, and particularly to set his fans aside.”
On stage set at the Miami concert, the Rockstar rapper exclaimed to throngs of fans, “If you didn’t show up today with HIV, AIDS, or any of them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two to three weeks, then put your cellphone lighter up.” He followed up his insensitive remarks with crude comments regarding female vaginal health and oral sex between men.
The swelling controversy regarding the 29-year-old largely decries the misinformation, stigma and glaring homophobia embedded in his sentiments. While socially exiling those who are living with HIV/AIDS, the comments reasserts the false notion that the ultimate prognosis for those living with HIV/AIDS is death. For decades, medications have been available to prolong the lives of HIV/AIDS patients. Moreover, DaBaby’s startling statements echoes the long-standing beliefs that HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases only occur via sexual promiscuity.
Debunking this narrative, Moore intimately reveals,, “I was raped when I was eighteen years old and I was infected with two sexually transmitted diseases, one of which was life-threatening.” She continued, “This is the first time I’m speaking publicly about it and I’m going to because it struck a very personal chord for me.”
In an effort to morally align herself to the public and distance her work from DaBaby’s hotly-contested sentiments, Dua Lipa also took to her Instagram story to proclaim her alliance with the LGBTQ+ community and the fight to eradicate the stigma affixed to HIV/AIDS. The pop songstress wrote, “I’m surprised and horrified at DaBaby’s comments. I really don’t recognize this as the person I worked with.” She continued, “I know my fans know where my heart lies and that I stand 100% with the LGBTQ community. We need to come together to fight the stigma and ignorance around HIV/AIDS.”
