HIV and Women's Health is a Social Justice Issue!

HIV is not just a health issue: it's an issue of social justice. When women don't have access to stable housing, when they struggle to put food on the table each day, when they don't see a doctor and have other, pervasive healthcare issues like Hepatitis C, diabetes, mental health and substance abuse issues, they are at greater risk for HIV. Complex worlds demand complex solutions.

At Iris House, we've been working with HIV+ women of color since 1992, and we have a few ideas of what might really be at the core of this issue. In 2014, 75% of Iris House's HIV+ clients were virally suppressed: 250% higher than the national average. Our clients are healthier, stronger and more able to invest in building a strong and independent life for themselves. It's a critical time to help women in need. Women's health, in general, is under attack from conservative forces who do not believe in the importance of gender-specific or culturally competent programs, and we have to reverse this trend and do it now.

If you agree that women's health is a social justice issue and that we need to do more for women at risk for or who are living with HIV, join with Iris House and pledge your support to keep these critical programs at the forefront of the conversation, and in the communities where they are desperately needed.