Biden & Science Win; Trump & Stigma Lose

By: Brandon M. Macsata, CEO, ADAP Advocacy Association

On Saturday, November 7th at 11:25 AM Eastern Standard Time, people living with HIV/AIDS breathed a collective sigh of relief as the Associated Press called the 2020 Election, and recognized Joseph R. Biden, Jr. as the 46th President-Elect of the United States. In that very moment, science bested stigma. The electoral landslide turned the page on a dark chapter in this nation's history. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization the ADAP Advocacy Association stayed neutral during the election for obvious reasons, but we welcomed the news with open arms!

Soon to be gone are Donald J. Trump's constant attacks on vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS - such as the LGBTQ community, Muslims, racial & ethnic minorities, and immigrants. They will be replaced by compassion, empathy, and a keen understanding that sound public health policies are rooted in science.

Since 2016, HIV-related stigma was fueled by government sanctioned healthcare discrimination, eliminating most non-discrimination protections, and the discharge of military service members living with HIV/AIDS, only naming a few. Not to mention there were numerous misguided public health changes harmful to the HIV community driven by politics rather than sound policy, such as drug importation, pro-insurance co-pay accumulator regulations, raiding Ryan White funding for immigrant deportation, and proposed budget cuts. And don't forget how Trump’s anti-FDA Tweets undermine public health!

And that doesn't even consider the nearly 250,000 deaths due to COVID-19 resulting from Trump's lack of presidential leadership. But our nation's poor response to the coronavirus didn't come as any surprise considering that Trump tapped anti-LGBTQ, anti-science Vice-President Mike Pence. After all, Pence was the same guy who, as Indiana's Governor, oversaw one of the Hoosier State’s worse HIV outbreaks in the state's history.

But all of that darkness is about to change...

Starting on January 20, 2021, a brighter future awaits the LGBTQ community under the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to advance equality. This change alone is significant, considering how new HIV-infections continue to disproportionately impact much of the LGBTQ community. Since the 1990s, President-Elect Biden has been a strong supporter of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and its AIDS Drug Assistance Program, as well as a staunch ally of President George W. Bush's President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). 

Jirair Ratevosian, M.P.H., who served as the Legislative Director for HIV/AIDS Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Barbara Lee, summarized Biden's support for HIV-related causes (The Body, 2020):

"The vice president’s prioritization of HIV/AIDS programs continued after his Senate career. The Obama-Biden administration delivered major advances in prevention and treatment efforts for people living with HIV. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) assisted Americans living with HIV by eliminating preexisting conditions and provided them with much-needed health insurance. In addition, the Obama-Biden administration eliminated the entry ban for tourists and immigrants living with HIV; ensured HIV testing would be covered under the ACA; implemented a comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy; and directed federal agencies to examine the intersection of HIV with violence against women and gender-related health disparities. The programs under ACA had an important impact on addressing HIV prevention and treatment in communities of color."

Biden has made his intentions clear: "You deserve a partner in the White House to fight with conviction and win the battles ahead. Together we’ll pass the Equality Act, protect LGBTQ+ youth, expand access to health care, support LGBTQ+ workers, win full rights for transgender Americans, recommit to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2025, advance LGBTQ+ rights around the globe, not just at home" (Artavia, 2020). 

Women - especially women of color - will also have a brighter future under the Biden-Harris Administration. Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris will be well-positioned to ensure more is done for African American women and Latina women, who as we all know are disproportionally impacted by HIV/AIDS in the United States.

Biden's record on public health isn't perfect, but it is far better than what we've witnessed the last four years. The ADAP Advocacy Association stands ready to aid the Biden-Harris Administration's efforts to return our nation's HIV epidemic response to science-based policies.

References:

• Artavia, David (2020, September 25). Joe Biden Recommits to Ending HIV, Passing Equality Act, LGBT+ Rights. Out. Retrieved online at https://www.out.com/politics/2020/9/25/joe-biden-recommits-ending-hiv-passing-equality-act-lgbt-rights. 
• Ratevosian, Jirair (2020, July 27). Joe Biden Is Our Strongest Option to End the HIV Epidemic. The Body. Retrieved online at https://www.thebody.com/article/joe-biden-strongest-option-to-end-hiv-epidemic.

Disclaimer: Guest blogs do not necessarily reflect the views of the ADAP Advocacy Association, but rather they provide a neutral platform whereby the author serves to promote open, honest discussion about public health-related issues and updates.