Marjorie Hill, PhD Re-Engaging LBGT Community

CEO Marjorie Hill, PhD joins National Leadership to Commit To Re-Engaging LGBT Community in the Fight Against HIV and AIDS

While the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community has made some incredible achievements for full equality, the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to rage forward in this community. Nationally, gay and bisexual men recently account for 63% of all new HIV infections, a 22% increase among those between 13 and 24 years old. These trends are more pronounced among gay and bisexual men of color, with young black gay and bisexual men having a higher rate of HIV infection than any other population in the country. In NYC, 68% of new HIV diagnoses are among men who have sex with men. Studies also show that 28% of transgender women are HIV positive in the United States, with rates over 50% for African American transgender women.

On June 3, as LGBT Pride Month starts, CEO Marjorie J. Hill, PhD joined 34 other executive directors of LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations throughout the country, to release a joint letter and accompanying video, recommitting themselves and re-engaging the broader LGBT community in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The video opens with a quote from Dr. Hill, “Science and policy have aligned like never before to make it possible to envision and AIDS-free generation.” However, as Paul Kawata, Executive Director of the National Minority AIDS Council stated, “this will not happen without the full engagement of those most impacted by the disease, and no community has been more heavily affected than the LGBT community.”

The letter and video encouraging everyone to make the pledge to join the fight can be viewed online at: www.wethelgbt.org.