Fast Facts
HIV rates in gay men are higher than in all other groups. Learn about the biological, sexual, social, and psychological causes of this disparity. Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Why Are Gay Men At Higher Risk for Getting HIV?
Learn why gay men, bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men are more likely than average to contract HIV. Find strategies for reducing the risk. HIV is both preventable and treatable, but stigma and discrimination allow the virus to continue to thrive. Gay men are 28 times more likely to contract HIV than heterosexual men and transgender women are 14 times more likely to contract HIV than other adult women. HIV Is a Story First Written on the Bodies of Gay and
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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Gay, bisexual, and other men who reported male-to-male sexual contact are disproportionately affected by HIV. 
The AIDS epidemic’s lasting impact on gay men
In addition, gay bars and businesses were involved in a range of HIV activism, including safer sex education and fundraising to cover the daily living and funeral costs of gay and bisexual men dying from AIDS. While the human immunodeficiency virus HIV does not discriminate in its transmission when an individual comes into contact with it, data suggest that HIV has a disproportionate impact on the queer community, especially young, queer people of color in the South. According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated 1.
Why Is the Risk of Contracting HIV Higher in Gay Men?
Due to its early prevalence in the gay community, gay men bore much of the brunt of abuse and stigmatization. By , over 3, individuals in the United States had been diagnosed with AIDS and nearly 1, had died. Though numbers were markedly increasing, AIDS was not acknowledged by the Reagan administration until The impact of this crisis cannot be overstated. The prevailing societal attitudes towards homosexuality at the time were often negative, with many associating the disease primarily with gay and bisexual men. Why LGBTQ+ People Remain At Heightened Risk of Contracting HIV
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. . 
HRC
Gay men are 28 times more likely to contract HIV than heterosexual men and transgender women are 14 times more likely to contract HIV than other adult women. Despite some global progress around health equity, being gay or transgender is still criminalized in many countries. .
HIV and Gay and Bisexual Men
Remember the impact of the HIV epidemic and honor the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community. This guide explores the history, struggles, and ongoing efforts in the fight against HIV, celebrating the strength and advocacy within the queer community. .