In the USA, by , one gay man in nine had been diagnosed with AIDS, one in fifteen had died, and 10% of the 1,, men aged who identified as gay had died. The AIDS epidemic’s impacts on this generation of gay men, now aged , are still being explored.
Gay, bisexual, and other men who reported male-to-male sexual contact are disproportionately affected by HIV. Social and structural issues—such as HIV stigma, homophobia, discrimination, poverty, and limited access to high-quality health care—influence health outcomes and continue to drive inequities. Addressing these barriers and encouraging safe and supportive communities can help.
Ronald Reagan has a lot to account for: the early AIDS epidemic unleashed more stigmatization of gay men than any other event in the history of gay life in America, and Ronald Reagan presided as president over the first seven years of that slaughter. Three years into the epidemic, we had already seen 7, reported AIDS cases and 5, deaths.
AIDS continues to pose a threat of unprecedented magnitude to gay men in the United States. Though representing approximately 2% of the population aged >13 years, men who have sex with men (MSM), including those who inject drugs, comprise a majority of new HIV infections (64% in ) and represent nearly half of all persons living with HIV. The rate of new HIV diagnoses among MSM is more than.