Jordan J. Edwards remembers the precise second his life modified. It was 2013, and at simply 21 years outdated, he obtained the information that he was HIV-positive.
A wave of concern washed over him.
“It felt like I used to be in a film, ready for somebody to yell ‘lower,’” he remembers.
He had desires and aspirations—ones that he feared could be misplaced right away. Greater than the virus itself, it was the stigma that weighed on him, protecting him remoted and uncertain of the place to show.
Now, 12 years later, Edwards is a long-term survivor and the deputy director at The Regular Anomaly Initiative, a Houston-based group devoted to empowering Black, queer people by way of schooling, advocacy and group help.
He’s utilizing his voice to shift the narrative about HIV in Houston’s Black group, the place stigma and misinformation stay boundaries to prevention and remedy twelve months a yr.
HIV continues to disproportionately have an effect on Black communities in Houston and throughout the nation. In accordance with the Houston Well being Division, Black residents make up almost half of latest HIV diagnoses within the metropolis, regardless of being solely about 23% of the inhabitants. Black homosexual and bisexual males are at significantly excessive danger, as are Black girls, who make up a rising share of latest circumstances.
About 12% of Texans are Black, and in 2022, 38,547 Black individuals had been recognized with HIV, accounting for greater than one-third of all Texans dwelling with the virus.
Addressing stigma
Marlene McNeese, deputy assistant director on the Houston Well being Division, says HIV isn’t restricted to at least one group. If persons are sexually energetic, they will purchase HIV. The aim is to work towards misinformation and guarantee folks perceive their danger and the significance of testing.
“Many individuals nonetheless consider that HIV is a demise sentence or that it solely impacts sure communities,” she says. “The reality is, HIV is manageable with correct remedy, and there are prevention instruments like PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) that may considerably cut back the chance of transmission.”
Regardless of developments in medication, boundaries to care persist.
“Many individuals don’t understand that there are inexpensive, even free, providers out there for testing and remedy,” McNeese says. “We work carefully with group organizations to make sure these providers attain these most in want.”
Jai the Gentleman, host of the Expensive Black Homosexual Males podcast, has an identical mission, however his journey to advocacy began in an sudden method. What started as a podcast to share relationship experiences amongst Black homosexual males shortly reworked right into a platform for deeper discussions about id, relationships, and well being.
“The primary episode of my podcast was as a result of I bought stood up for a date,” Jai says. “I simply needed to speak to Black males like me about relationship, however the conversations naturally shifted over time. Individuals began opening up about their struggles, together with HIV.”
By his podcast, Jai found a obvious concern: a scarcity of accessible, and relatable conversations about HIV inside the Black homosexual group.
“I noticed that many Black homosexual males both didn’t know sufficient about HIV or believed that it was an inevitable a part of being a sexually energetic Black man,” he says. “That’s the mindset I’m working to vary.”
Jai additionally says the cultural and societal pressures that gas stigma. For lots of Black males, masculinity is tied to how we’re perceived in our communities.
“For those who even convey up HIV, some folks assume issues about your sexuality, your price, and even your worth as a associate,” he says. “We now have to interrupt by way of that concern and have actual conversations about well being.”
Group-led options
Organizations like The Regular Anomaly Initiative are addressing these gaps. They supply free testing and advocate for coverage adjustments that sort out social determinants of well being, resembling housing and meals insecurity—components that instantly influence well being outcomes.
The Houston Well being Division’s Ryan White Program gives HIV-related providers for low-income people, and the Legacy Group Well being clinics supply inclusive look after LGBTQ+ people.
“Too usually, folks don’t even know what’s out there to them,” stated Jai. “I’ve had listeners react with shock after they find out about new HIV remedies or prevention choices.”
Edwards stresses that decreasing HIV charges is not only about medical developments but additionally about group engagement.
“This isn’t nearly sexual well being. It’s about social well being. It’s about feeling protected sufficient to hunt assist, about having steady housing and entry to meals. If somebody is fearful about their subsequent meal, they’re not serious about an HIV check.”
As a part of their continued efforts, The Regular Anomaly Initiative is internet hosting the Black Queer AF Music Pageant in Could, celebrating Black queer artistry and resilience.
“When now we have hope and pleasure, we make motion,” Edwards says. “We create areas the place folks really feel empowered and know they belong.”
