You Are Never Too Young For HIV

Queer youth in the United States are especially vulnerable to HIV infection. Of the estimated 50,000 Americans that are infected with HIV each year, approximately 34% are adolescents or young adults aged 13–29 years. Young men who have sex with men (YMSM), especially black YMSM, are at highest risk.

As support for LGBT equality grows, many young people are coming out earlier!

And that’s awesome!

What's not is that queer youth are facing alarming rates of HIV infections.

In fact, new infections among all gay and bisexual men 13 to 24 increased 22% between 2008 and 2010.

Young black gay men face the highest rate of new HIV infections...period.

The largest number of new infections among black/African American gay and bisexual men (45%) occurred in those aged 13 to 24. From 2008 to 2010 new infections increased 20% among young black/African American gay men aged 13 to 24.

Much of this has to do with lack of comprehensive sexual health education.

Still others assume that they are not at risk because of their age or relative inexperience.

But they are wrong.

Good news is...there’s a pill that can help reduce the risk of contracting HIV!

Via cdc.gov

PrEP is short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. It is a new HIV prevention method in which people who do not have HIV take a daily pill to reduce their risk of becoming infected. When used consistently, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection among adult men and women at very high risk for HIV infection through sex or injecting drug use.

Unfortunately, it’s only approved for people over 18…

BUT a group called Project PrEPare is enrolling young people into a study to explore the potential benefits of expanding the use of the pill!

We should be doing everything we can to empower young people to protect their health!

Because our queer youth are FABULOUS!

And the deserve it!