Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness schools ‘dumb f**k’ Marjorie Taylor Greene on the reality of HIV
Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness and Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene (Getty)
Queer Eye‘s Jonathan Van Ness stepped in to school Marjorie Taylor Greene after she attempted to draw comparisons between anti-vaxxers and those living with HIV.
The infamously dreadful Republican congresswoman took to Twitter on Thursday (14 October) after learning that NBA athletes who refuse the COVID vaccine will be banned from playing.
Among those who refused the vaccine was the Brooklyn Nets basketball player Kyrie Irving, who recently had his request for a “religious exemption” denied by the NBA.
In an attempt to defend Irving, Marjorie Taylor Greene recalled the former NBA superstar Magic Johnson – but only succeeded in proving how little she knew about both HIV and COVID.
“The NBA won’t let Kyrie Irving play for refusing a vaccine,” the congresswoman tweeted, “But yet, they still let Magic Johnson play with HIV.”
The fascist NBA won’t let Kyrie Irving play for refusing a vaccine.
But yet they still let Magic Johnson play with HIV.
— Marjorie Taylor Greene ?? (@mtgreenee) October 14, 2021
Her misguided tweet was wrong on several levels, as Jonathan Van Ness was happy to explain.
“What a dumb ass,” he tweeted. “HIV is sexually transmitted not a respiratory virus, not to mention HIV+ folks who take ART and are undetectable [and] untransmittable.
“Dumb, dumb, dumb f**ks at it again. Learn about HIV y’all. Enough with this fear-mongering.”
What a dumb ass. HIV is sexually transmitted not a respiratory virus not to mention HIV+ folks who take ART and are undetectable are untransmittable. #UequalsU https://t.co/dOhvqTuHrw
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) October 15, 2021
Dumb dumb dumb fucks at it again. Learn about HIV yall. Enough with this fear mongering. https://t.co/dOhvqTuHrw
— Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn) October 15, 2021
The Queer Eye star has been a strong advocate for HIV education since he came out as HIV positive in 2019. Like many people living with the virus he manages it with antiretroviral therapy, a single daily pill which means he’s unable to infect anyone else.
Even if that weren’t the case, HIV is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids like blood and semen, whereas COVID-19 is passed through airborne respiratory droplets.
Marjorie Taylor Green has also conveniently forgotten that Magic Johnson actually retired from the NBA in 1991 after testing positive for the virus.
He briefly returned for a number of special and international games – in close consultation with doctors, unlike some of the unvaccinated players the congresswoman defends – but some of his fellow athletes refused to play him, claiming he could infect them if he was wounded.
Unfortunately these discriminatory stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS still exist today, thanks in part to uneducated tweets like Marjorie Taylor Green’s.
