Sero Project Releases Documentary on Tennessee Sex Offender Registry and HIV Criminalization
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2026
Media Contact:
Eric Pfleider
Sero Project
Sero Project Releases Documentary on Tennessee Sex Offender Registry and HIV Criminalization
NASHUA, IA, February 28, 2026 — In recognition of the fourth annual HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day (#HINACDay), the Sero Project announces the premiere of To Be Free, a new documentary produced with funding from Gilead Sciences. (View trailer at https://bit.ly/2BeFreeDoc)
To Be Free explores the lived experiences of Tiffany, Michelle, and Lashanda, three Tennessee women who were criminalized based on their HIV status and placed on the state’s sex offender registry. After years of advocacy, including repeated engagement with state lawmakers, the Tennessee legislature removed the requirement that individuals convicted under certain HIV-related statutes register as sex offenders, including provisions related to “Aggravated Prostitution” and “Criminal Exposure to HIV.”
“I am honored to help share these women’s powerful stories of strength, resilience, and unwavering determination,” said Eric Pfleider, the film’s director and editor. “Their experiences are only a glimpse into the far-reaching impact of HIV criminalization in Tennessee and throughout the country.”
Nathan Cisneros provides expert legal analysis of Tennessee’s HIV criminal laws and their impact on people living with HIV. In June 2022, the Williams Institute released Enforcement of HIV Criminalization in Tennessee, a report examining HIV-related criminal cases from 1991 to 2022. The report found that 154 individuals remain listed on the state’s sex offender registry due to HIV-related convictions. Advocates believe many individuals may now be eligible for removal but may not yet be aware of the legal changes or the process required to seek relief.
To Be Free can currently be viewed on Here
About Sero Project
Sero Project centers the leadership of people living with HIV (PLHIV) to end HIV criminalization, mass incarceration, racism and social injustice by supporting inclusive PLHIV networks to improve policy outcomes, advance human rights and promote healing justice. Sero is focused on ending inappropriate criminal prosecutions of PLHIV, including for non-disclosure of their HIV status, potential or perceived HIV exposure or HIV transmission and on building and supporting PLHIV networks.
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