Open Door Resource Center, Inc. - Gay. Bisexual, Lesbian & Transgender (GBLT)

Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to account for the largest number of people reported with HIV/AIDS each year. According to CDC, in 2000 alone, 13562 HIV/AIDS cases were reported among MSM, compared with 6530 among men and women who acquired HIV/AIDS heterosexually. Data show that number of infections among young gay and bisexual men is substantially increasing. Even though female-to-female transmission of HIV/AIDS appears to be a rare occurrence among women who have sex with women (WSW), some groups of WSW have relatively high rates of high-risk behaviors, such as injection drug use and unprotected vaginal sex with gay/bisexual men. With an increasing population of gay/lesbians/bisexuals and the continuance of high-risk behaviors among them, prevention services must reach both uninfected and infected.

HIV/AIDS is not always a priority issue in the transgender community because so many other basic survival issues outweigh it. A 2003 CDC review of an outbreak of tuberculosis among a group of 26 transgender persons in Baltimore and New York City found that 62 percent were HIV/AIDS infected. Although HIV/AIDS risk behaviors may be reportedly high among transgender persons, many transgender persons self-identify as having low risk. Transgender people face stigma and discrimination, which exacerbates their HIV/AIDS risk. The stigma of transgender status is associated with lower self-esteem, increased likelihood for substance abuse and lessened likelihood of safer sex practices. There are few transgender-sensitive HIV/AIDS prevention activities. In addition, access to care for HIV/AIDS disease may be limited due to low socio-economic status, lack of insurance, fear of one’s transgender status being revealed, provider lack of knowledge about caring for transgender persons, and provider discrimination.