Cody Henry had been taking HIV prevention medication for years when he realized the daily pill no longer fit his lifestyle. His sex life had changed, and after switching to an on-demand dosing schedule tied to sexual encounters, the 28-year-old said, he occasionally put himself at risk by taking a dose at the last minute […]
HIV
Posted inHealth
Georgia Advocates Fight for HIV Care for Black Trans Men
South Georgia native Octavia Lewis works with Positively Trans (T+), a program within the Transgender Law Center designed to fight stigma and discrimination. Like much of the U.S., Lewis said, when it comes to the transgender community, there are the “haves and the have-nots,” who are mostly Black and brown. Due to rejection from family, […]
Posted inHBCUs, Health, LGBTQ
As HIV Knowledge Lags Among Gen Z, Morehouse Event Pushes Education
With plates of food in hand and laughter echoing throughout the building, Atlanta University Center students gathered at Morehouse College on Wednesday night for an important community dialogue about sexual health and HIV, a conversation many admitted they don’t have often enough. The evening, hosted by the LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD and biopharma company […]
Posted inHealth, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Black LGBTQ Advocates Press Georgia Lawmakers on Civil Rights
Christian Benoit was one of dozens of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Georgians from across the state who traveled to the Capitol on Tuesday morning to take part in the Pride to the Capitol rally. “We have to stand in solidarity for those that won’t or can’t stand and represent themselves,” Benoit said. “We […]
Posted inHealth, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy
If PrEP Coverage to Combat HIV Disappears, Black Communities Could Be Hit Hard
Cullen Smith takes an HIV preventative medication every day for “added security” and “peace of mind” after he thought he may have contracted the disease from a partner last year. “Once that situation came up, if I wanted to keep my current health, I needed to take other actions,” said Smith, an Atlanta resident. “I […]
Posted inHealth, Public Services
Where to Find Free HIV Testing in Atlanta as the South Faces a Crisis
As the South marks Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day today, local health organizations are sounding the alarm on a persistent public health crisis often overshadowed. “We’re still very much in an HIV epidemic,” Justin Smith, director of the Campaign to End AIDS at Positive Impact Health Centers, told Capital B Atlanta. “A lot of people assume […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy
Former CDC Official Warn Budget Cuts Could Deepen HIV Crisis for Black Women in Georgia
A former official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that funding cuts outlined in the proposed fiscal year 2026 federal budget could endanger the health of Black communities. And especially in Georgia, where HIV rates are some of the highest in the country, he warned that Black women are extra vulnerable to […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy
CDC Reinstates HIV Prevention Staff Months After Controversial Layoffs
After undergoing layoffs earlier this year, hundreds of previously fired staff at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now being asked to return to work. Employees who worked for the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention; the National Center for Environmental Health; the Immediate Office of the Director; […]
Posted inHealth, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy
From HIV to Hormone Therapy, Medicaid Cuts Threaten Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ Residents
As lawmakers push for sweeping cuts to Medicaid, fear weighs heavily on Tori Cooper. Cooper, a trans woman who serves as the director of strategic outreach and training for the Human Rights Campaign, told Capital B Atlanta that for her and other Black trans residents, these cuts will have a detrimental impact on their lives. […]
Posted inHealth, Politics & Policy, Public Services
CDC Cuts HIV Communications, Leaving Vulnerable Black Georgians in the Dark
As infectious diseases like measles, salmonella, and hepatitis quietly spread across the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has gone largely silent. Of particular concern for Atlanta residents is the CDC’s lack of communication about HIV. According to the CDC, Georgia had the second-highest HIV diagnosis rate and the second-highest rate of HIV […]
