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ElectionsMatter on National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day!

Annually on September 27, we pause and focus on what our communities can collectively do to reduce the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) as part of National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 2% of the the US population identifies as gay and bisexual men, but this demographic makes up more than half of the 1.2 million people living with HIV and two-thirds of all new diagnoses, annually, in our nation. If the current trends of new diagnoses continue, 1-in-6 gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime, including 1-in-2 Black gay and bisexual men. We must act now to change this alarming trend in our communities!

 

Estimated New HIV Diagnoses Among the

Most-Affected Subpopulations, 2014-United States (CDC)

 

However, there is hope and these epidemic rates are not set in stone. There are many ways gay and bisexual men can protect themselves and those they care about from HIV. More importantly, we all can can take action to help ensure that the gay and bisexual men in our lives know what options and resources are available to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. Today and moving forward, we must hold each other accountable to Start Talking. Stop HIV. In addition, we must make sure that our elected officials and those seeking public office are aware that adequate HIV/AIDS funding and resources to the most impacted communities is in fact an election issue that matters in 2016.

 

On NGMHAAD, Take Action To End HIV/AIDS In Our Communities!

 

  • Know Your Status: You should test for HIV at least every six (6) months in order to know your status. Need help finding somewhere to get tested? Visitwww.hivtest.org  to find testing sites in YOUR local community.

     

  • Know The Latest In Prevention: A new weapon in the fight against the HIV epidemic–Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP–has emerged as a method of providing another layer of protection to those who are HIV-negative and has proven to dramatically reduce new HIV infections.  In order to see the full effectiveness of PrEP as a part of comprehensive HIV prevention, communities most impacted must be educated and engaged around finding strategies that will improve PrEP uptake. Click HERE to learn more about PrEP.

     

  • Find A Doctor & Stay In Care: If you test positive for HIV, get in care ASAP! Find a provider you can trust and develop a treatment plan in order to take control of your health. If you test negative for HIV, you still need to be in touch with a primary care physician. Click HERE to find a list of providers in your community.

     

  • Have Conversations to End Stigma & Build Hope: Speak out about HIV/AIDS with your family and friends, in your community, and on social media. Let's have a real and authentic conversation about how we can ALL end the HIV epidemic in our nation. Key to this conversation, and ultimately ending the epidemic, is confronting the hurtful stigma that is still associated with HIV/AIDS by so many in our world. We all deserve justice and love, which means we must ALL be a part of the fight to end HIV.

 

September 27 is also National Voter Registration Day

 

As part of NGMHAAD and also National Voter Registration Day (NVRD), NBJC is promoting awareness of  the impact of HIV/AIDS on Black gay and bisexual men on our social media platforms, while also making sure our families and communities are registered to vote! It is important to advocate for HIV/AIDS and other important health disparities that impact Black communities are election issues that all candidates must be focused on solving.

 

  • Why NVRD? In 2008, Six (6) million Americans didn't vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn't know how to register. In 2016, we want to make sure no one is left out. On September 27, 2016, volunteers, celebrities, and organizations from all over the country will "hit the streets" for National Voter Registration Day. This single day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts will create pervasive awareness of voter registration opportunities, allowing us to reach tens of thousands of voters who we could not reach otherwise. Register to vote or help someone to register HERE!

 

By

The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) is a civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and same gender loving (LGBTQ/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS.