Trump just issued his first World AIDS Day proclamation and it rather pointedly makes no mention of the lopsided impact of HIV infection on gay men, trans people, or people of color. Trump does, however, single out “adolescent girls and young women.”
For comparison, here’s a bit of Obama’s 2016 message:
In the United States, more than 1.2 million people are living with HIV. Gay and bisexual men, transgender people, youth, black and Latino Americans, people living in the Southern United States, and people who inject drugs are at a disproportionate risk. People living with HIV can face stigma and discrimination, creating barriers to prevention and treatment services. Let us strive to support all people living with HIV/AIDS and rededicate ourselves to ending this epidemic once and for all. Together, we can achieve what once seemed impossible and give more people the chance at a longer, brighter, AIDS-free future.
And oh yeah, this just happened.
Secretary Tillerson had been scheduled to speak at an event this afternoon marking World AIDS Day. He just canceled. https://t.co/AJ28NOEQHj
— Ian Koski (@iankoski) November 30, 2017
The Trump-Pence administration again failing to lead on World AIDS Day — vital day for #LGBTQ and allied people around the globe to remember those we’ve lost to HIV and to recommit ourselves to ending the AIDS epidemic once and for all. #WAD2017 https://t.co/fsg0tnQUcW
— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) November 30, 2017
Not a single mention of LGBTQ people in the White House’s proclamation of World AIDS Day. https://t.co/qh4FAKpeTe
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) November 30, 2017