Where We Are Today

The AIDS crisis is over, but the AIDS epidemic is still with us. HIV is now a survivable disease, thanks to advanced treatment options. But with over 80 new HIV diagnoses in the United States every day, we need to take care of our community. HIV changes your life forever - you have to work hard to survive.

"I don't know if my community is surviving or being killed off."

-Marc Byrd, 2017
A page from a booklet, describing symptoms and treatment of HIV. Each section has a header with a drawing in ASL and there are illustrations depicting some of the symptoms.

"Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections Guide for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community." Coalition Sida des Sourds du Québec/Réseau de la Santé Sexuelle des Sourds du Québec. 2015.

Deaf people still face barriers to understanding HIV and accessing care. Organizations have published comic book style pamphlets to visually communicate about HIV, but hearing doctors continue to serve as barriers to treatment because they do not understand deaf patients’ needs. Nationwide, one in five HIV diagnoses are in patients ages 13-24, and 80% are queer men. Over half of new diagnoses are members of the Black community. But we don’t know how many deaf people are diagnosed with HIV, because no one is keeping track - only one state, Maryland, collects data on hearing status during the HIV testing process.

Pages of a comic book explaining STIs and how HIV/AIDS affects the body. There are several drawings of black children in school uniforms signing to each other.

"Are Your Rights Respected?" Comic book produced to educate deaf students in South Africa about HIV and AIDS. DeafSA/Gay and Lesbian Archives of South Africa. 2006.

If you or someone you care about is concerned about HIV, there are now deaf-friendly support networks nationwide.

Where We Are Today