"I've never taken comfort in the phrase, "HIV isn't a death sentence anymore." Yes, the phrase is meant to honor the hard-won victories achieved by HIV activists so that current generations of newly HIV-positive people could live long and fulfilling lives without fear, but the slogan is only as true if we have access to medication and social services. The truth is that 4,496 U.S. residents died of HIV-related illnesses in 2023."
"Our cover story this month will look back at the history of Black HIV activism through an anti-racist lens with the assistance of Dr. Aishah Scott, a professor of Black studies and health sciences who is writing a book about the AIDS epidemic in urban Black America. A cultural piece will examine groundbreaking films about Black people living with HIV and why they remain culturally significant today."
Access to medication and social services is essential for HIV to be a manageable condition rather than a death sentence. In 2023, 4,496 U.S. residents died of HIV-related illnesses; 24% were women, 30% were over 55, 43% were Black, and 56% lived in the South. Homophobia, lack of sex education, and poverty drive regional disparities. The current political situation threatens to increase deaths. Lessons from past HIV activists remain vital. Efforts include examining Black HIV activism through an anti-racist lens, analyzing films about Black people living with HIV, and elevating Black voices and experiences during Black History Month.
Read at LGBTQ Nation
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