Homophobia

Homophobia is a significant barrier to HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, and is a critical public health issue. Homophobia and heterosexism interfere with health care access and services for LGBT individuals, feed support for counterproductive abstinence-only-until-marriage programming, fuel antigay social policies and other violence, and otherwise marginalize queer people of all ages. Studies consistently demonstrate that homophobia contributes to the spread of HIV and that internalized homophobia increases HIV risk.

This HIV Policy Resource Bank category includes materials on issues related to homophobia and HIV, including discrimination, stigma, sexuality education, and access to care.

Highlighted Resources

Homophobia

Community-Based HIV Prevention Interventions that Combat Anti-Gay Stigma for Men Who Have Sex with Men and for Transgender Women, Sean Cahill, Robert Valadéz, and Sabina Ibarrola, Journal of Public Health Policy (2012)

HIV/STD Risks in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Do Not Disclose Their Sexual Orientation, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 52 MMWR 81 (2003)

Baughman v. Commonwealth, Amicus Brief, VA Sup Ct, The Center for HIV Law and Policy (2020)

Perceptions and Impact of HIV Stigma among High Risk Populations in the US Deep South, Susan Reif, Elena Wilson & Carolyn McAllaster, Journal of HIV and AIDS (2018)

Administrative Directive: Regulations Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment in Child Welfare and Youth Programs, 16-OCFS-ADM-02, New York State Office of Children and Family Services, Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Development (2016)

Velasquez-Banegas v. Lynch, 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 981 (7th Cir. Jan. 19, 2017)

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and HIV-Affected Hate Violence in 2015, National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (2016)

Unjust: How the Broken Criminal Justice System Fails LGBT People, Center for American Progress and Movement Advancement Project (2016)

NHAS 2020: Stakeholders Call For Concrete Plans to End HIV Ignorance and Criminalization of PLWHA, Sex Workers, People Who Inject Drugs

Statement on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States: Updated to 2020, The Center for HIV Law and Policy (2015)

Public Comment Re: Revised Recommendations for Reducing the Risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission by Blood and Blood Products; FDA-2015-D- 1211, The National LGBTQ Task Force (2015)

Social Discrimination and Resiliency Are Not Associated with Differences in Prevalent HIV Infection in Black and White Men Who Have Sex with Men, John L. Peterson et al., Journal Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (2014)

Matter of Anthony (Board of Immigration Appeals 2014): Brief of The Center for HIV Law and Policy, Lambda Legal and Immigration Equality

Marginalization and Mobilization Within the LGBT/HIV Community (2014)

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and HIV-Affected Intimate Partner Violence in 2012, National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) (2013)

Matter of Anthony (Board of Immigration Appeals 2013): Brief of The Center for HIV Law and Policy, Lambda Legal, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, the National Assoc of Social Workers; the National Assoc of Social Workers, CT Chapter

Community-Based HIV Prevention Interventions that Combat Anti-Gay Stigma for Men Who Have Sex with Men and for Transgender Women, Sean Cahill, Robert Valadéz, and Sabina Ibarrola, Journal of Public Health Policy (2012)