Plenaries


Plenaries

“Sex is natural, sex is fun.” The politics of sex and pleasure in the age of pandemics 

Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:00 am

Biomedical HIV prevention and treatment reignited conversations about and changed how we have sex. In the beginning, the AIDS movement fought for the right to enjoy sex, preserving the erotism of the experience and keeping it pleasurable and safe. Learn the historical perspectives on the politics of sex positivity during the last four decades of the HIV pandemic to the present days of COVID and MPOX. We will discuss how pleasure-centric interventions can help make informed choices about which biomedical HIV prevention tools to use without compromising desire, pleasure, and human connection. Discussions will include kinks, barebacking, fetish, BDSM, Chemex, group sex, bathhouses/sex clubs, porn, consent, and more.

Victoria Von Blaque
Victoria Von Blaque, Contract Manager, Transgender Equity Consulting
Demetre Daskalakis, MD MPH
Demetre Daskalakis, MD MPH, Deputy Coordinator National Mpox Response, The White House (on assignment from Director for the Division of HIV Prevention role at CDC)
Justin Davis aka JD Blackstone
Justin Davis aka JD Blackstone, a sex positive content creator
Rod McCoy
Rod McCoy, Research Assistant, Community Health Educator and sex-positive Leatherman
Dondre Moore
Deondre B. Moore, GLAAD Award Winning activist or HIV Plus 2022 person of the year
Michelle López
Michelle López, Einstein CFAR
Moupali Das
Moupali Das, MD, Executive Director, Clinical Development, Gilead Sciences

Tennessee and Beyond. The Fallout of Refusing Federal Aid

Tuesday, April 11, 2023, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Tennessee is following a disturbing trend of attacks on people at risk of HIV. At the core of these attacks is an agenda to limit the privacy rights of LGBTQ Americans. Equally troubling is the Braidwood Management case in Texas, which, if affirmed, will gut preventative care from the Affordable Care Act. These attacks are deliberate and calculated – not sound policy, political, and are dangerous.

Toni Newman
Toni Newman, Director of The Coalition for Justice and Equality Across Movements
Sharon Hurt
Sharon W. Hurt, Executive Director, Street Works
José Abrigo
José Abrigo, HIV Project Director, Lambda Legal
Cecilia Chung
Cecilia Chung 鍾紹琪, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives and Evaluation, Transgender Law Center
Kelley Robinson
Kelley Robinson, President, Human Rights Campaign

Taking control over our bodies: Black women, sex, violence, and HIV

Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 8:30 am – 10:00 am

Black cisgender women are disproportionately affected by HIV, with a rate 11 times higher than that of white women. Also, nearly two-thirds of African American/Black transgender women are living with HIV. Economic disparities, oppressive social systems, and other structural inequalities all contribute to the health disparities that Black women face. We will look at the intersections between HIV, systemic racism, sexism, intimate partner violence, and the sexual oppression of Black women which fuels generational stigma. Join us to discuss the role of each of these determinants as it relates to women’s ability to enjoy their sexuality and make healthy decisions about their own bodies.

Gabriella Spencer
Gabriella Spencer, Program Manager, NMAC
Jamilia Stockman
Jamila K. Stockman, PhD, MPH, University of California, San Diego
Danielle Campbell
Danielle Campbell, Clinical Social Worker, University of California San Diego

Kayla Moore, Wellness Services Manager, Oakland LGBTQ Community Center

The 2023 PrEPpy Awards and a National PrEP Program

Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

A comprehensive National PrEP Program (NPP) could provide a domestic infrastructure to fund, implement, and coordinate the federal response to PrEP. A proposal for a National PrEP Program is on the table. PrEP advocates are building a coalition to effectively advocate for a program that serves all and bridges the gaps that exacerbate health disparities. What are the pillars of a National PrEP Program? How do we ensure equity and intentionality in the conceptualization and implementation strategies? What advocacy needs to happen from community members and leaders to strengthen our case for a national program for PrEP? How are we going to reach a NPP and protect and advocate for this critical tool for preventative health and LGBTQIA+ health?

JP Cano
JP Cano, BSN, RN, Director of Prevention Services, Resource Center
Vignetta Charles
Vignetta Charles, PhD, CEO, Education, Training and Research (ETR)
Joe Huang-Racalto
Joe Huang-Racalto, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Policy, NMAC
Jeremiah Johnson
Jeremiah Johnson, Acting Executive Director, PrE4All
Amanda Reed
Amanda Reed, MD, DO, Clinical Director, Council Oak Comprehensive Health, Hepatitis C and HIV Program, Muscogee (Creek) National Department of Health
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