National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

September 27th, 2020

On this National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we would like to emphasize the importance of working together to end HIV. The Latino community continues to be disproportionately affected by HIV, with Latinos accounting for the second highest number of new cases in the United States. That is why LULAC is working closely with fellow organizations, as a PACT Partner with the Center for Disease Control (CDC), to assist communities in learning about prevention and the importance of testing. Today, we expand that message to align with the CDC’s focus on “direct[ing] attention to the continu[ed] and disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on gay and bisexual men in the United States.”

Men accounted for 90 percent of new HIV infections within our Latino communities in 2016, and 88 percent of those cases were among Latinos who identify as gay or bisexual. In addition, people between the ages of 25 to 34 years old accounted for the largest number of new infections among Latinos, according to the CDC. We continue to see a heavy risk among Latinos, especially as “1 in 5 Latino gay and bisexual men” are projected to be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime.

LULAC awknowledges that our community members who identify as LGBTQ+ often face challenges that include stigma, homophobia, and discrimination in all races/ethnicities. Our community members are at risk for multiple physical and mental health problems, because of these obstacles. This often affects whether they seek and are able to receive high-quality health services, including HIV testing, treatment, and other prevention services. Ending this epidemic, is a unified effort within our community.

LULAC invites you to work with us on bringing awareness to HIV prevention and treatment by participating in our HIV awareness outreach or sharing our materials like this email. Let’s work together to comfort and empower our familia in this journey together. LULAC strives to bring resources to our community through awareness, de-stigmatization of HIV, and opportunities for direct care and treatment.

Remember, getting tested for HIV is the only way one can be sure of their status. Take action today and get tested with your partner, family, or friend! It’s easy to find a testing site near you: www.lulac.org/salud

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.