HIV/AIDS

Now that I´m about to finish this project and my whole journalism program, I´m tiding things up. I had a class in which we reported on HIV/AIDS in DC and I was very into it, did lots of extra research on my own. I might launch a project on HIV once I get back home in Chile.

Whatever, the thing is that I have been thinking about how transgender man can protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. Let’s be serious, but honest: the body of a transgender man is different from the one of a genetic male. I don´t think there are condoms for a transgender man. Then, how do they protect themselves? They have penetrative sex, so they are at risk. Should they rely on their partners’ responsibility? Bad idea. Just go and ask African-American women and Latinas about trusting their partners and the HIV/AIDS rates they have been getting lately. If I learned something during my class is that, if you want to stay away from the virus, you need to take care of your own business. Yep, that means being a girl who carries condoms in her purse.

Back to transgender men: how do they protect themselves? And if you are a girl dating a transgender man, how do you protect yourself? Do you assume that, because he is trans, he doesn´t get much action and therefore you are safe? Sounds risky to me. Also sounds like looking down at him.



I guess trans men would have to ask their female partners to use a female condom, but those aren´t easy to find. Or they would have to cut a condom to “create” a latex barrier. If they have sex with another man, it´s easier: the other guy can wear a condom. But what if it´s the transgender man the one who wants to penetrate?

And there is also the huge issue of lack of self-confidence: if this is a person who feels insecure because of his penis size and because of being trans, chances are he won´t do anything regarding safe sex. If you go around thinking your body is gross and that no one will want to sleep with you, are you going to carry dental dams, condoms or female condoms in your wallet? Of course not, you won´t be prepared for action. That´s the most risky behavior when it comes to HIV: not being prepared, thinking “no, I´m not in the mood for anything like that, I´m sleeping in my bed tonight.” I strongly believe this is the way of thinking that is behind the spread of the virus, even though, as a Chilean, shy, and conservatively-raised girl, I feel very hypocritical pointing this out.

A voice in the back of my head tells me they, trans guys, probably don´t even think about this issue. Maybe if they are African-American. Maybe. Maybe if they are gay -- any race/ethnicity. But a straight, white, trans man? I doubt it.