Those working on the frontlines are keen to make sure the varying experiences of women, of all intersectionalities, are better understood. Howard tells R29: “I do think there is an attitude among heterosexual and bisexual women that HIV isn’t something that will impact them”. She adds there’s “little information about the needs and interventions surrounding lesbians and bisexual women”, too, affecting how represented these factions of society feel when we talk about HIV. Asia Sullivan, a medical practitioner who advocates for better education around HIV in the U.S., thinks public perceptions of HIV often forget women. “Public messaging has largely targeted gay men since the start of the epidemic, but as the data shows, HIV is not uncommon among women,” Sullivan says. “Healthcare providers may sometimes overlook HIV testing in women, underestimating their risk. I think primary care providers, urgent care and emergency providers, and OB-GYNs need to become more comfortable talking to women about this.” She encourages women to get tested regularly, every three to six months.
