‘It's really a hard life’: Love, gender and HIV risk among male‐to‐female transgender persons

Abstract

Scientific studies demonstrate high rates of HIV infection among male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals and that stigma and discrimination place MTFs at increased risk for infection. However, there is little research examining how gender roles contribute to HIV risk. This paper reports on in-depth interviews with 20 MTFs attending a community clinic. Data reveal that stigma and discrimination create a heightened need for MTFs to feel safe and loved by a male companion and that in turn places them at a higher risk for acquiring HIV. Male-to-female transgender individuals appear to turn to men to feel loved and affirmed as women; their main HIV risk stems from their willingness to engage with sexual partners who provide a sense of love and acceptance but who also may also request unsafe sexual behaviours. A model illustrating how HIV risk is generated from stigma and discrimination is presented.

Interpersonal Relationships and Social Support in Transitioning Narratives of Black Transgender Women in Detroit

“…In one study, a third of African American MtF youth reported hearing "almost daily" that transgender persons were abnormal (Nemoto et al, 2011). Given the rigidity of masculine hegemony, and the perceived relinquishing of social power associated with transitioning from male to female, MtF transition is thought to be particularly challenging and socially stigmatized (Melendez & Pinto, 2007).…”

Hazardous alcohol use among transwomen in a Brazilian city

“…In most countries, transgendered individuals have limited job opportunities and may have difficulty fitting into the formal sector of the economy, so that prostitution remains one of the few viable options 34,35,36 . Independent of their transgendered status, sex workers constitute a risk group for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases 37,38,39,40,41 .…”

Understanding the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Transgender Women of Lima, Peru: Results from a Sero-Epidemiologic Study Using Respondent Driven Sampling

“…The risks for HIV infection among transwomen are linked to high rates of sex work and drug abuse, which are themselves linked to extreme marginalization and lack of other options for survival [13][14][15][16]. Social exclusion and violence are factors that also contribute to increased vulnerability [6,17,18].…”