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Positive Women's Network - USA A membership body of trans & cis women & gender diverse & trans folks living with HIV organizing for our liberation!
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Positive Women’s Network – USA is a national membership body of cis & trans women & gender diverse & trans people living with HIV and our allies that exists to strengthen the strategic power of all people living with HIV in the United States. Founded in 2008 by 28 diverse leaders living with HIV, PWN-USA develops a leadership pipeline and policy agenda that applies a gender and racial justice lens to the domestic HIV epidemic grounded in social justice and human rights.

It’s National Latine AIDS Awareness Day.Latinas account for 20% of all women in the US, but 31% of all women who were di...
10/15/2026

It’s National Latine AIDS Awareness Day.

Latinas account for 20% of all women in the US, but 31% of all women who were diagnosed with HIV in 2022.

We don’t know how many Latinx transgender women are living with HIV because the CDC has not reliably collected this information. But according to the CDC’s estimates from 2019, out 625 HIV diagnoses among transgender women, 35% were Latinx.

These numbers betray huge care gaps & we do not believe they reflect the actual number of Latinas currently living with undiagnosed HIV. The reason: ICE activity has reportedly pushed Latine people out of care and testing, regardless of their status.

In JAMA’s article, “US Patients Getting ICEd-Out of Health Care,” Dr. Janna Gewirtz O’Brien shared that her patients are skipping appointments out of fear.
They’ve told her: “No, we don’t have enough food. Yes, we know people who’ve been detained. Yes, we’re fearful of coming into the hospital.”

National Latine AIDS Awareness Day is about more than immigration. But we have to acknowledge how ICE tactics are affecting HIV care. It’s creating a chill on treatment access and attempts to seek protection from abuse.

Please join us in calling for health policies that allow treatment and care regardless of your status. Especially for the most vulnerable.

KFF HIV Rates About Latine People Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/data-research/facts-stats/transgender-people.html

CDC Source on HIV Rates among Transgender People:
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/data-research/facts-stats/transgender-people.html

Sources on ICE affecting healthcare:
JAMA; https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2845182
LA Times: //www.latimes.com/science/story/2026-10-05/er-visits-foreign-born-patients-fell-ice-raids-study
https://www.latimes.com/science/story/2025-06-20/how-ice-raids-are-disrupting-public-health-in-southern-california

10/13/2026

In our October newsletter, our Comms Director wrote: There’s been no research on menopause & HIV. He was incorrect. He should have written: “There have been no longitudinal medical studies on addressing the elevated pain of menopause for people living with HIV.”

There have been too few studies on HIV and menopause and no serious money invested into overcoming its burden for our people. Horrifically, this is true of menopause in general.

Fortunately, our friends at The Well Project & Phoenix Health Movement shared research pieces on HIV and Menopause with us (we’ve included them in our video slides).

Notably, The “HoT” study is currently recruiting to address whether transdermal estradiol (with or without oral progesterone) can help resolve hot flashes, night sweats, and bone loss during menopause.

If you are interested in participating or learning more, please visit: tinyurl.com/HoTtrialHIV

And if you ever see something in our newsletters or social posts that need correcting, please let us know!


10/12/2026

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom!”

We’re leading with the energy of the Assata Shakur chant on Indigenous Peoples' Day (and every day).

Marnina Miller summoned the chant during our visit with PWN Alabama and their Summer of Freedom convening.

As the chant reminds us, “We have nothing to lose but our chains.” And as today reminds us: No person is illegal on stolen lands.

Let’s fight for our freedom, win, love and support each other, and lose our chains!

10/10/2026

How HIV Criminalization Laws Enable Domestic Violence.

Abusers often tell women living with HIV who try to leave, that they will call the police and say: “You didn’t share your HIV status before we had s*x.”

This is a problem because 32 states criminalize HIV non-disclosure before s*x. Overcoming prosecution can hinge on proving your word against your abuser’s.

Many survivors of abuse who are living with HIV have been harmed by this dynamic. This is one reason why escaping abuse can be complicated for women living with HIV.

If you’re facing this situation, resesources from these organizations can help:
Center for HIV Law & Policy
TheSEROProject
National Network to End Domestic Violence
The Well Project
RAINN
National Domestic Violence Hotline

Whatever your situation, please remember that you are not to blame. No one deserves abuse.

10/08/2026

We're live on our Medicaid Reporting Medicaid!

Medicaid is the backbone of HIV care in the US, Rachel Klein says. She explains that it pays for the care of over 50% of all people living with HIV in the US, even more than Ryan White funding.

What made it ground breaking is that is based on income — #300 of the federal poverty line instead of only offering care to people who are parents or have other identifiers.

The new Medicaid work and volunteer requirements imposed by HR1 are very confusing. Healthcare is critical to people liv...
10/08/2026

The new Medicaid work and volunteer requirements imposed by HR1 are very confusing. Healthcare is critical to people living with HIV and 46% of us rely on Medicaid. So we worked with U.S. PLHIV Caucus and The AIDS Institute on creating a toolkit that makes it easier to understand what you need to maintain your Medicaid coverage.

Our “Medicaid Work Hours Toolkit” explains everything what you need to know in advance, what the requirements are, who is exempt, and how we’re supporting members.

Access it here and follow along:
tinyurl.com/PWNmedTC

If you have questions, be sure to join our “Simplifying Medicaid Volunteer Hours & Work Reporting Requirements” webinar tonight with Rachel Klein, Michael Elizabeth, Mark Misrok, LaDawn Tate CHW, and Barb Cardell.
Register here: tinyurl.com/PWNmedic26

If you can’t join the webinar, please know that we’ll be post the replay on YouTube AND you’ll have the toolkit to help you no matter what!

10/06/2026

During our visit with PWN-Alabama, 5 national staffers held 3 trainings with 15 members from 6 counties. Our members held:

ONE all day convening with community members, accomplices, and agencies
ONE MIPA organizational assessment
TWO organizational tours
THREE in-district legislative and (one Senate meeting).

While supporting member leadership, we patronized 3 Black-owned businesses during two dinners and one party. This is what freedom looks like. This is how it looks to support women living with HIV. PWN-USA is proud to empower all women (cis and trans), gender diverse, and transgender people living with HIV!

10/05/2026

"It takes a strong mind to overcome the negativity that the abuser puts into your head."

Wanda Brendle-Moss reminds survivors of domestic abuse that they deserve love.

"Whomever you are, wherever you are, you are a worthy human being. You deserve to be treated with respect... And it may sound crazy as a part of this conversation, but we got to get out and vote."

Safety and empowering survivors of abuse is a voter's issue. We don't care how you vote. We just want you to know what you need to protect your health.

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