BEAUTY + WELLNESS
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AIDS WRITTEN BY
Jessica Lynn Nichols ILLUSTRATED BY
Alexia Carcelli
27 | VINDICATOR
April is an important month for raising HIV/AIDS awareness, highlighted by two national days of recognition. Learn more about the communities affected by this disease, and ways for Ohioans to stay healthy.
T
he month of April includes two days of HIV/
Latino. Furthermore, 44 percent of Black trans women
AIDS awareness, recognized by the Centers
and 26 percent of trans Latinas are HIV positive. The
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
CDC has found that young people, transgender people
National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was
and people of color are all less likely to receive medical
April 10, followed shortly by National Trans-
care for prevention, testing and treatment. This dis-
gender HIV Testing Day on April 18. It is essential to
parity could be caused by a combination of sociological
recognize the impact of HIV/AIDS on communities
factors, including discrimination and lack of financial
who are disproportionately affected when compared
means.
to other demographics. According to the CDC, 21 per-
It is also worth noting one of several notable gaps
cent of people diagnosed with HIV in 2017 were young
in the available statistics. The CDC acknowledges that
people ages 13 to 24. The CDC also estimates that 14
their data regarding HIV risk, diagnosis and treatment
percent of transgender women have HIV. Within these
among transgender men is limited. Trans men have
subgroups of age and gender, communities of color
not been the subject of extensive HIV/AIDS study and
are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Of all gay and bi-
issues of sexual health among trans men have often
sexual men under the age of 24 who were diagnosed
been overlooked. The available data demonstrates that
in 2017, 51 percent were Black and 25 percent were
trans men of color are vulnerable to HIV infection at
