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Health

Discover the Health section of The Advocate, where readers can find the latest news on medicine, fitness, mental and physical wellbeing, scientific developments, and diseases that affect the LGBT community. Read the most recent on gay health, AIDS and HIV news, pregnancy and sex from experts like doctors and researchers. Learn about news related to health insurance, statistics, changing laws and government policy, and tools that can be used in preventing and curing illnesses in the United States and beyond.

Trump guts $258 million in funding for HIV vaccine research

“For HIV vaccine design and development, we've begun to see light at the end of the tunnel after many years of research,” Dennis Burton, an immunology professor at Scripps Research, said.

Ariana Grande & Pedro Pascal among 100 celebrities asking Congress to save LGBTQ+ youth 988 hotline

Over 100 celebrities are calling on Congress to secure funding for a hotline that supports LGBTQ+ youth considering suicide.

Transgender teens sue Kansas over 'harmful' gender-affirming care ban

Kansas' gender-affirming care ban "impermissibly infringes" on parents' "fundamental right to the care, custody, and control of their children," a new lawsuit asserts.

Democrat Adam Schiff to be the first U.S. senator to participate in California's AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride

This will be the final year for the seven-day AIDS/LifeCycle fundraising ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Schiff previously participated when he served in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Utah Republicans ignore study supporting gender-affirming care for trans youth. It's research they demanded

In 2023, the state legislature banned care for transgender youth “pending research.” The research is in — and inconvenient for Republicans.

Below the belt: My experience with InjectorChris and girth enhancement

Chris Bustamante of Lushful Aesthetics has earned a reputation as InjectorChris, but what’s all the hype about, and is this even worth it?

Here's what queer, transgender, and intersex people should know about prostate cancer after Biden's diagnosis

After President Joe Biden's stunning cancer diagnosis, The Advocate asked medical experts what the LGBTQ+ community should know about this disease.

Rachel Levine led fights against HIV & STIs at HHS. Now Trump’s undoing that progress, and she’s speaking out

The former assistant secretary for health is breaking her silence on the damage Trump's HHS is doing.

HHS deletes mental health report on Utah's transgender children

The Department of Health and Human Services has deleted crucial reports on the mental health of Utah's transgender youth, ignoring their struggles and erasing their existence. One expert says that might be Trump's goal.

Project 2025 vowed to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. Here's everything Trump has done so far

Donald Trump claimed on the campaign trail that he had "nothing to do" with Project 2025 — but now that he's in office, he's implementing it.

Her partner of 45 years developed Alzheimer’s. She's sharing their story to 'take away fear'

Sue began showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease about ten years ago. Since then, Janice has had to balance her work with caring for the love of her life.

Spokane City Council passes measure protecting LGBTQ+ rights and gender-affirming care

The Spokane City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday to pass gender-affirming care protections while rejecting proposed anti-trans amendments.

People in states with abortion bans are twice as likely to die during pregnancy

The risk is greatest for Black women in states with bans, who are 3.3 times more likely to die than White women in those same states.

Trump administration to defund suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth starting in October

A leaked budget draft shows the federal government's plans to eliminate all funding for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services.

After backlash, Planned Parenthood Arizona resumes gender-affirming care

“After a brief pause, we are pleased to announce the continuation of our Gender Affirming Care services,” the organization said.

Federal government to remove gender dysphoria from protected disabilities list

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will remove gender dysphoria from disabilities protected under federal law.

Trump quietly purges presidential HIV advisory council, sparking public health fears (exclusive)

“We have all the tools to end HIV. It just makes me sad to see a lot of this infrastructure being systematically dismantled across the country," one advisor told The Advocate.

Hundreds protest Pittsburgh hospital for caving to Trump and denying trans youth gender-affirming care

Almost 200 people alone showed up at UPMC’s hospital in Pittsburgh, home to the largest gender clinic in Southwest Pennsylvania, and continued to make their voices heard even as rain poured on the rally last week.