Homophobia: A Giant Hurdle in Prevention

Hello, my name is Javier Rios and I work in Albuquerque, New Mexico coordinating the MPowerment Project for New Mexico AIDS Services. I have been working for NMAS for almost 5 years with MPower Albuquerque. I am very excited to be attending the HIV Research Catalyst Forum in Baltimore. I am a gay native New Mexican and very proud to represent my communities, having the opportunity to share and collaborate with others from across the United States.

For my first blog I would like to write about homophobia and how I believe it is one of the greatest barriers to HIV prevention in the United States. From my experience working with young gay, bi, and transgender men in my community, prevention messages are not being delivered to or being received by the people most at risk. In New Mexico MSM, men who have sex with men, make up the largest percentage of HIV cases. They are the highest risk group in New Mexico like other parts of the United States and have the least access to appropriate prevention messages. I believe that homophobia, gay stigma, and HIV/AIDS stigma has caused a double speak where MSM risk for HIV is acknowledged, money is provided to target MSM and yet the messages are censored.

We don't see television, newspaper, radio or general media marketing that appropriately and specifically targets gay, bi and transgender men. The prevention messages for MSM are censored or not visible. Young MSM need these messages at earlier ages in school because by the time they are 18 many have been sexually active for several years. Gay, bi, and transgender men have to seek out these messages through gay publications, media, blogs, and agencies like NMAS or they are not received. Gay, bi and transgender men are everywhere in this country and have been forever. We know that MSM are the highest risk group so why are we not openly using the words Gay, Bisexual and Transgender in our prevention marketing in main stream messages across the country? And why is MSM sex education omitted from sex education in many schools when we already know MSM are the highest risk group for HIV?

I am closing here for my first blog entry. I have lots more to say on this topic but will leave that for another time. Thank you.