POZ Examines Growing Push Among HIV-Positive Transgendered People for Better Health Care, Equal Rights

The August issue of POZ magazine examines the growing movement among HIV-positive transgendered people for better health care and equal rights. Transgendered status and HIV are "deeply, sometimes lethally linked," and one 1999 study reported HIV prevalence rates as high as 63% among black male-to-female transgendered people in San Francisco, compared with 31% among men who have sex with men and 12% among injection drug users in the city, POZ reports. Care for HIV-positive transgendered people can be complex because, like highly active antiretroviral therapy, the hormone therapy used to transition from one gender to another can affect the heart, liver and blood. Taking both therapies at the same time has the potential to cause adverse interactions. In addition, many transgendered people face stigma in medical settings, and there are few doctors or guidelines for treating transgendered HIV-positive people, POZ reports. However, some groups are beginning to fight for equal rights for transgendered people and are teaching caregivers how to interact with transgendered HIV-positive people. In addition, a growing network of advocacy groups are training transgendered HIV-positive people how to address the issues of care and equal rights with their health care providers, POZ reports (Minnich, POZ, August 2004).