BP Adams Releases Statement On World AIDS Day

Press release from the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President:

December 1 2020

“We join the international community in observing World AIDS Day, an opportunity to remember, reflect, and renew our collective spirit. The dramatic declines in the number of those dying from HIV/AIDS and historic lows in New York City diagnoses are a testament to the hard work of our community partners and evidence-based actions we have taken like expanding access to prevention services and addressing the social determinants of health that impact infection rates.

“While we rightly recognize our progress, we cannot ignore the challenges still at hand. Black, Latino, LGBTQ+, and lower-income New Yorkers continue to contract and die from the disease at a higher rate than their wealthier, heterosexual, and White counterparts. A significant part of the challenge we face comes from a persistent culture of shame and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. Every one of us has a role to play to stop the stigma, to encourage everyone we know to get tested; more than ever, we should appreciate the importance of knowing the status of our health. Combating stigma must also involve our engaged advocacy to dismantle prejudicial policies that have stemmed from this crisis, notably the FDA’s blood donation guidelines that shamefully discriminate against sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Nearly 40 years since the first clinically reported case of AIDS, our fight against this epidemic continues. Let us all recommit to uplifting the memories of the thousands of New Yorkers we have lost, to improving our care for those living with HIV/AIDS in our communities, and to supporting the righteous effort to find a cure.”

This press release was produced by the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President. The views expressed are the author's own.