In response to reports that Alexis Arquette, an actor and longtime advocate for transgender equality, died from complications related to AIDS, Mary Beth Maxwell, Senior Vice President for Programs, Research and Training at HRC, released the following statement:
“Alexis was a fierce advocate who lived proudly and openly despite the many barriers transgender people face. We are saddened to learn that Alexis died from complications related to AIDS, a disease known to disproportionately affect transgender people, especially women. But Alexis’ strong voice for equality will never be forgotten. Our condolences to Alexis’ family and friends.”
According to the CDC, there are more than one million Americans living with HIV and approximately 50,000 new infections every year. While data on the transgender community remains scarce, HRC in a recent report, HIV & the LGBTQ Community, said that studies have shown extremely high rates among transgender women, who are nearly 34 times more likely to have HIV than other women.
Last year, the HRC Foundation, in collaboration with AIDS United, released, What Do I Do? A Handbook to Understanding Health & HIV, a resource designed to provide easy-to-read, up-to-date and actionable information about HIV prevention, treatment and care.
For more HRC resources on HIV prevention, treatment and care, click here.
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