Study: Transgender Women Nearly 50 Times More Likely to Have HIV

A new study spanning 15 countries, including the United States, has highlighted that transgender women are nearly 50 times more likely than the general population to be at risk of an HIV infection while another has cited a dearth of HIV-surveillance data on women with surgically created vaginas.

The first study, conducted by Dr. Stefan Baral, director of the key populations programs in the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and colleagues, and reported in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, examined data from 15 countries with male-predominant HIV epidemics. The countries included the U.S., six from the Asia-Pacific area, five in Latin America, and three in Europe. The findings come after nearly four decades of grappling with the AIDS epidemic.

"Our findings suggest that transgender women are a very high burden population for HIV and are in urgent need of prevention, treatment, and care services," said Dr. Baral and his team in the discussion of their findings.

"… The meta-analysis of HIV infection rates are remarkable for the severity and consistency of disease burdens across these populations. This was true in all regions including Europe, Central and South America, Asia-Pacific, and the USA," added the researchers.

According to this report, since the start of the AIDS epidemic, transgender women were never classified as a separate case-reporting category and were perhaps lumped with the data collected on homosexual men. As a result, they were also rarely, if ever identified as a separate risk category for HIV surveillance.

"These arbitrary decisions have long masked the burden of HIV infection in transgender women and have had a negative effect on prevention, research and programming," noted the report.

It further pointed out that postoperative transgender women who did not practice anal intercourse have also been excluded from participation in biomedical HIV-prevention trials.

"A history of neovaginal intercourse (ie, intercourse involving the surgically created vagina) was not sufficient for enrolment in any of the antiretroviral chemoprophylactic HIV-prevention studies that have been done in men and women around the world so far," said the report.

"… Our present knowledge of the prevention of neovaginal acquisition and transmission of HIV infection in the event of pre-exposure prophylaxis, post-exposure prophylaxis, and antiretroviral treatment for prevention is almost non-existent," as a result, explained the report.

For Baral's study, transgender women were defined as people who were born male but identify as women.

"As of 2012, there remains a poor understanding of the burden of HIV among transgender women because of the limited inclusion of these populations in national HIV surveillance systems. In the few countries where epidemiological data for transgender women have been obtained, results have shown a disproportionate risk for HIV infection," noted Baral and his team.

In an interview with The Christian Post on Monday Baral explained that he hopes the findings of his study will be a catalyst for better research projects and better HIV-surveillance on transgender women whose population is currently estimated as one out of every 1,000 men born in the U.S.

"I think from our perspective transgender women have really been excluded out of the whole sort of HIV agenda in many ways. They are a more hidden population in many ways … the issue is that from a surveillance perspective we're not learning a lot about their needs as they don't identify as men. We haven't learned a lot about what their needs are," he explained.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/study-transgender-women-nearly-50-times-more-likely-to-have-hiv-93462/

Montana Rep. Dave Hagstrom Says Gay Sex Is 'Deviate,' But Says He's Not 'Homophobic'  

 
A Montana lawmaker said Tuesday that he will vote no on decriminalize gay sex in his state because he thinks homosexuality is "deviate."

"To me sex is primarily purposed to produce people," said state Rep. Dave Hagstrom (R-Billings), according to a video shot by local news outlet KXLH-TV. "Sex that doesn't produce people is deviate."  

Hagstrom noted the word "deviate" isn't necessarily a bad thing. "Deviate simply means it's not normal, it's not typical," he said. Hagstrom also claimed that he has homosexual friends, "so there's no homophobic issues going on here with me."

Hagstrom made these remarks in an attempt to explain why he was voting against Senate Bill 107, a measure that would erase language from Montana law classifying homosexual sex as "deviate sexual conduct," thus making gay sex a felony offense.  

The bill, which was passed by the state Senate in February, won a majority of votes in the Montana House on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. The only lawmakers to vote against the measure were Republicans who said their religion prevented them from endorsing it, KXLH reported.  

Hagstrom also compared gay sex to a pen that he held for House members to see. "This pen has two purposes," he said. "The first purpose, of course, is to write. The second purpose is to retract, so that it doesn't leave a stain on your shirt or your purse. One is primary and the other is secondary. To me, sex is primarily purposed to produce people. That's why we're all here."  

The bill must be voted on again in the state House before it can be sent to Gov. Steve Bullock to be signed into law.  

Click the video above to watch Hagstrom's remarks.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/10/dave-hagstrom-gay-sex-deviate_n_3054834.html

While the post about the HIV rates among ts is interesting to know it'd be a bit more interesting to see a breakdown by country. The overall article seems to give an overall/worldwide view which doesn't tell all that much since having the USA grouped with some Asian and South American cultures where there is high poverty and less education which typically goes hand-in-hand with higher HIV rates.

Meningitis Spreading Via Gay Sex: Officials  

 Health dept. urges men to get vaccinated  

 (Newser) – New York City's health department is warning men who engage in anonymous, gay sex to get vaccinated against meningitis, ABC News reports. An outbreak has already killed seven New Yorkers and sickened 22, spreading mostly through men who meet at bars, parties, or online. "I urge all men who meet these criteria—regardless of whether they identify as gay—to get vaccinated now and protect themselves from this disease before it is too late," says the city's health commissioner.  

 It's not known which websites and apps are linked to the outbreak, but more than half of infected men have HIV—which weakens the immune system and more easily leads to severe infections. Bacterial meningitis infects the membranous lining of the brain and includes symptoms like fever, vomiting, and headaches; it can lead to brain damage or death if left untreated. (Read about an outbreak that killed at least 15 people and sickened more than 200 last year.)  

http://www.newser.com/story/164951/meningitis-spreading-via-gay-sex-officials.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=united&utm_campaign=rss_3_2  

gay porn community and HIV  

 
Bareback porn is killing our community and you're to blame  

 Bareback porn is killing porn stars.  
 Chad Noel's March 17 death was reported on at GayPornGossip on March 26. The posting read, "Chad Noel age 25, a former 'twink genre' gay porn performer using the stage names of Donny Price & Craven Cox passed away in New York City, on March 17, 2010 following a brief illness associated with complications of HIV." The article also noted that Noel had worked for an adult entertainment company that makes videos of men barebacking--a euphemism for unprotected anal sex. Noel had also performed under the names Craven Cox and Donny Price. Noel was a native of Laramie, Wyoming, the town outside of which Matthew Shepard was beaten and left to die. A notice of Noel's death was also published in the Laramie Boomerang on March 23.  

 It is likely that starring in bareback porn starting at 18 will lead to HIV/AIDS, but is the glorification of unprotected sex through the porn industry also leading to an increase in HIV/AIDS related diagnosis among young gay men throughout the country?  

 Chad Noel's untimely death is symptomatic of a growing problem in our community. HIV is on the rise for young people, and the glorification of unprotected sex in gay porn is part of the problem.  

 When did porn stars start shedding their condoms for riskier bareback sex? Most of the major labels like Titan, Bel Ami, Lucas Films, and Chi-Chi-La Rue all require their actors to wear protection during production. They understand that not only are their films entertainment, but they are educational.  

 Proper sex education is lacking in our schools. It has been ever since George W. Bush replaced sex education with "Abstinence Only" education. Fortunately I was taught about sex pre George W. Bush. My mom was a sex education teacher and helped design the curriculum in the school system I attended. Every student learned about condom use, and was shown an awkward demonstration about how to put a condom on a banana.  

 Most free gay porn sites are full of bareback sex porn -- the kind of porn that killed young Chad Noel. Why are these sites promoting bareback sex? Because that's what people are looking for...  

 The glorification of bareback porn is a dangerous development  
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/04/is_bareback_porn_killing_our_community.php

Study puts HIV rate among gay men at 1 in 5  

 
 One in five gay men in the United States has HIV, and almost half of those who carry the virus are unaware that they are infected, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.  
 The study tested more than 8,000 men in 21 cities in 2008, making it the most comprehensive such research by the CDC. It found that young, sexually active gay men and those in minority groups are least likely to know their health status, even as infection rates are climbing among men who have sex with men, while the rates of other at-risk groups - heterosexuals and intravenous drug users - are falling.  

 A CDC official called for a sharper focus on testing. "This study's message is clear: HIV exacts a devastating toll on men who have sex with men in America's major cities, and yet far too many of those who are infected don't know it," said Kevin Fenton, director of the agency's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention  

 Cities in the study include Baltimore, where the prevalence rate among men who have sex with men was highest at 38 percent, and Atlanta, where it was lowest at 6 percent.  
 In the District, where the general HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is about 4 percent, more than 16,000 adults, one of the highest numbers in the nation, has the virus, according to the city Department of Health. According to the CDC study, the District had a 14 percent prevalence rate among men who have sex with men.  
 A CDC spokeswoman said the recent study's findings were similar to those of a National Health Behavioral Study conducted between June 2004 and April 2005, when one in four gay men tested positive for the virus. But the percentage of minorities who tested positive changed dramatically in the three years since the previous study.  
 Back then, 46 percent of gay black men tested positive in the smaller study, compared with 40 percent in the larger 2008 study. Black gay men outpaced white and Hispanic men in both studies.  
 In the earlier study, Hispanics represented 18 percent of the infected compared with 23 percent in the most recent study. White men comprised 21 percent of the infected in 2004-05 and 20 percent in the more recent study.  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/23/AR2010092306828.html

And the trend is not confined to the United States: researchers in the U.K. and Europe have also noted the increase, reported British newspaper The Guardian on Sept. 7. "By investigating the genetic profile of the virus in more than 500 newly screened patients over nine years, scientists in Belgium have identified clusters of people with type B virus--not the one that is most prevalent in Africa," The Guardian reported. "Those infected are almost all white, male, gay and young," the article continued.  

 The researchers noted that, "Members of this cluster are significantly younger than the rest of the population and have more chlamydia and syphilis infections," the article said.  

 
 "Those infected are almost all white, male, gay and young," the article continued  

 
 The AIDS crisis that ravaged the gay community in cities like New York and San Francisco may be less visible, but it is still raging, health experts earn--and a new wave of HIV infections may be about to crest.  

 For some time, researchers have noted that despite efforts to promote safer sex, HIV rates are climbing among young gay men. So are rates for other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis; unfortunately, individuals already infected with one STI may be at an elevated risk for contracting others, including HIV.  

 While some of the blame may rest with younger gays not having access to safer sex messages, a perception among young MSMs (men who have sex with men) that AIDS is no longer a serious health concern may also be driving the increased incidence in HIV. Most serious of all, however, is a tendency toward unsafe sex and other risky behaviors, such as drug use, which affect judgment and may lead to more unsafe sex-and a higher rate of HIV infection.  

 Chicago specialist in HIV/AIDS, Dr. James Sullivan, said recently

part #2

When I was growing up my school taught abstinence, not safe sex. The first time I saw a condom when I was a teen I got so nervous I wasn't able to perform. That was years ago and now I use one every time, but it was scary because no one had ever taught me what it was, what it meant, or even what it looked like.  

 I got my first HIV test at my university's student health center. They drew blood and it took four days to get the results. I had to wait all weekend to find out I was negative, and though I knew I was, the general uncertainty was nerve-wracking. I didn't tell any of my friends I'd been tested until after I got the results. The doctor was cold, as if he resented me for testing. It was a horrible experience, and I waited four years until my next test.  

 I just got an HIV test last week, and I had no idea how fast and easy it was. It wasn't awkward, it didn't hurt because it was the swab, and it took less than an hour for the mini counseling session and the results. It was extremely reassuring. But this time I went to a local AIDS task force that was extremely gay friendly. I didn't know going to my school's health center would be so awful, or that testing could be so easy, and, dare I say it, almost fun.  

 According to the research, despite increased awareness in Western countries, HIV infections continue to rise yearly, regardless of the slump in recent years. That means my generation will have higher rates of HIV than the community has now, but we don't even know what that means. Yet.  

 I don't know the answers on how to reach out to young people. I practice safe sex, and I'm on a schedule to get tested often now regardless of my sexual activity, because I want to be aware and I know how easy and painless it is. There are many young white gays out there like me. But there are so many like how I used to be: undereducated, confused, scared, invincible.  

 People need to talk to each other. Older gay men need to talk to younger gay men about sexual health, and young gay men need to know how easy it is to get tested. Sounds like common sense, but even living an active life in the gay community, so rarely is it discussed in day-to-day conversation.

In a Sept. 3 release from New York-based Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), Dr. Marjorie Hill, the group’s CEO, warned, "A new wave of HIV infections is about to hit New York and we had all better get ready for it," and went on to echo that one major concern is the number of people living with HIV who have not gotten tested, and so don’t know that they have it.  

 However, Dr. Hill continued, a new state law requiring routine HIV testing is likely to lead to a sharp uptick in reported new cases. "Previously, patients were required to sign a separate written consent form in order to get tested for HIV," explained Dr. Hill. "Now, if you agree to a quick swab test, you will only have to give oral consent.  

 "When undergoing routine medical procedures or check-ups, you will be offered a standard HIV blood test to sign off on along with the battery of tests that most patients receive. Once you give your consent, it stays in effect for all your future blood tests," Hill added, going on to cite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as projecting an estimate that says "100,000 people in New York City alone are currently living with HIV infection, but more than 25,000 of them do not know it."  

 Added Hill, "Most of these unknowing carriers of HIV feel and look healthy and are, in most respects. But they are missing out on treatments that could prevent them from progressing to AIDS. Plus, they are in danger of transmitting the virus to others, continuing to fuel the epidemic."  

 One crucial benefit of testing is that the sooner HIV+ individuals know their status, the sooner they can begin taking medication to keep the virus in check. Though there is no cure for HIV, modern treatment regimens can help many HIV+ people keep their viral loads down to undetectable levels, meaning that they have a better chance at a normal life span. But early treatment is the key, a Chicago specialist in HIV/AIDS, Dr. James Sullivan, said recently

A new study out of Belgium has found that reckless sexual behavior among young white gay men is contributing the the spread of HIV in the UK and Europe. The study out of Ghent University looked at the genetic makeup of the HIV virus in more than 500 newly-diagnosed HIV-positive patients between 2001 and 2009 and found a majority of the group was young, white, male, and gay.  

 But why? What is wrong with these young white gay males?  

 For starters, I've been out for almost 10 years and have a considerable number of gay friends across the country, but I don't know a single person who is HIV-positive. It makes the risk seem a lot less real, even reading and reporting on stories like this one every day.  

 Secondly, those of us born in the '80s and '90s are still young enough to think we're invincible  

 And safe sex isn't sexy. It takes time, ruins the moment, costs money. They don't use condoms in the movies or on TV, and wrapping it up destroys the moment, especially with someone new. Just like young girls who end up pregnant after having unsafe sex, sometimes you like a guy and he doesn't want to use a condom, or he doesn't have one, and you don't have the strength to put it off. Or maybe you want it as bad as he does. It's no excuse, but it's common.  

 Not to mention we're generally uneducated. Gays who are active in the community have the benefit of constant AIDS walks and posters telling us to be safe and get tested, but what about people who are closeted, on the down low, or just not active in a gay scene?  

 When I was growing up my school taught abstinence, not safe sex. The first time I saw a condom when I was a teen I got so nervous I wasn't able to perform. That was years ago and now I use one every time, but it was scary because no one had ever taught me what it was, what it meant, or even what it looked like.  

 I got my first HIV test at my university's student health center. They drew blood and it took four days to get the results. I had to wait all weekend to find out I was negative, and though I knew I was, the general uncertainty was nerve-wracking.  
 I just got an HIV test last week, and I had no idea how fast and easy it was. It wasn't awkward, it didn't hurt because it was the swab, and it took less than an hour for the mini counseling session and the results. It was extremely reassuring.  
 

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Sex that doesn't produce people is deviate? Than god he's in Montana. Oh yeah another surprise he's a republican!