Those of us living with or affected by HIV have a common goal in mind, to eradicate transmission of HIV. So, why are HIV transmission rates on a steady rise with each passing year?
There is a key marginalized population often forgotten in the discussion of public health and HIV. A 2009 report from the National Institutes of Health found that "nearly a third of transgender Americans are HIV-positive. The study also indicated that many transgender women may not know their HIV status, due to a series of cultural, social, and economic barriers." According to The Well Project,
From 2007 to 2011, 99 percent of new HIV diagnoses in the transgender community occurred among transgender women. Of these newly-diagnosed transwomen, 90 percent were African-American or Latina, and over half were in their twenties.
The trans* community is a key demographic in the fight to end new HIV transmissions, yet there are several barriers that prevent trans* people from being tested for HIV and keep us from accessing medical care.
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