There are statistics about HIV that our community needs to know about in order to combat the problem. To acknowledge it with action. One of the most important statistics is that Black women make up about 67% of all new HIV cases among women in the U.S., yet we comprise only 13% of the female population. The whole of the Black population accounts for 42% of new cases, but only 12% of the national population. And in Philadelphia alone, Black individuals made up more than 60% of new HIV cases in 2021. For those of us who have been hearing about “health disparities” for decades, these numbers probably come as no surprise.
The Black community has a historical basis for distrusting the medical community — especially when that community doesn’t look like us and appears to be fully disconnected from our challenges, needs and concerns. We need to feel safe with the advice, and the medicines, recommended for our health. This isn’t something that just happens overnight. That’s why the city of Philadelphia has taken a huge step toward getting our community to where we need to be. In its “Ending the HIV Epidemic” plan, the city has set a goal to increase use of PrEP — a once-daily pill that prevents HIV — to 50% by 2025. And one of the most significant ways the city has taken action on this is through its “Keep On Loving” initiative. The program offers free and confidential HIV testing, free PrEP and other resources — and everything is confidential, with conversations happening by phone or online, and the option for discreet delivery or pickup.
To me, making these resources available to Philadelphians — confidentially and for free — demonstrates that the city really cares for our people. They understand the concerns about HIV testing, and they will make the necessary investments to keep us safe and alive.
With this as our foundation, I encourage my brothers and sisters in Philadelphia to do what is necessary and meet the city in the middle. This is what “Keep On Loving” is all about. The resources and opportunities have been offered to us, and we have to place our trust in the medical professionals and PrEP. Whether we are Black, white, gay, straight, bi, trans, older or younger, we need to shed the hesitancy of generations before us and embrace the alternatives that exist to stay healthy and safe.
I have a few more statistics for you. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health estimates that approximately 8,200 people in our city are candidates for PrEP, which means they are at high risk for HIV. But in 2019, only 37% of high-risk individuals took PrEP. Herein lies the hope, as 63% of at-risk individuals stand to be safer if they trust and take PrEP. More hope lies in the evidence that PrEP reduces the risk of HIV from sexual transmission by nearly 99%, and from drug injection by at least 74%.
PrEP works. And we can get it for free.
Lastly, I emphasize that PrEP isn’t just for members of the LGBTQ+ community. PrEP is for everyone who has sex. It’s the key to allowing all of us to “Keep On Loving” safely, confidently, and freely — no matter how we choose to practice sex, from bi and gay relationships to polyamorous ones.
Although HIV and AIDS may not capture the headlines and “ink” they did in the 1980s and 1990s, the threat of both hasn’t gone anywhere. What has changed is the presence of better science and technology, which allows us to better care for ourselves today. I applaud the city of Philadelphia for making this so accessible to all of us, and I encourage you to learn more at PhillyKeepOnLoving.com.
Sug Daniels — a queer woman of color — is a singer-songwriter, storyteller and producer, using her music to share truth and inspire personal change. She resides in Philadelphia.