Elon Musk’s Words Have Consequences: How to Fight Back for HIV/AIDS Care
Understanding the Impact and Taking Action to Protect Global Health Initiatives
Understanding the impact and taking action to protect global health initiatives
This week, Elon Musk called USAID a “criminal organization” on his social media platform, X. His message magnifies broader efforts in the USA to dismantle USAID and the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid to programs like PEPFAR that provide HIV testing and treatment.
These actions have significantly impacted USAID’s HIV/AIDS global treatment and prevention efforts.
I’ve lost count of how many messages and voice notes I’ve received. Clients, activists, and friends living with HIV in the U.S. and North Africa are terrified.
This isn’t just another reckless tweet from Musk.
For the LGBTQ+ community, it’s a gut punch with life-threatening consequences. And it doesn’t stop at HIV/AIDS relief.
Programs tackling malaria, tuberculosis, maternal health, and clean water access are at risk, and many have already been shut down.
🏥 The Reality of HIV/AIDS in the LGBTQ+ Community
In 2019, I lost my friend Miguel to AIDS-related complications. He was 23. His last words to me still echo: “Help others avoid this.”
That promise fuels my work as a therapist for the LGBTQ+ community.
HIV/AIDS isn’t a past issue. It remains a significant public health issue.
Gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and Black and Latinx queer communities still face disproportionate risks. Yes, treatments exist. But what good are miracle drugs if people can’t access them?
That’s where USAID steps in.
Their programs aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet — they’re lifelines.
On Monday, a colleague in South Africa sent me a voice note. Her HIV program, reliant on U.S. funding, had to shut down. And it’s not just HIV/AIDS programs being affected.
Nutrition assistance, tuberculosis treatment, and maternal health care — services millions rely on — are being stripped away.
“Without these programs,” she told me, “people will die.”
That’s reality, not exaggeration.
This is what Musk’s decision means: Real people losing access to life-saving care.
⚠️ A Pattern of Attacks on LGBTQ+ Health
Yesterday, I saw another resource disappear from the CDC website while helping a new client process his new HIV diagnosis.
This isn’t an isolated event. It’s a trend.
Just as the Trump administration erased HIV and transgender health information from government websites, Musk’s move is part of a broader effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights and resources.
We’re not talking about conspiracy theories.
It’s a simple playbook: erase, defund, and ignore.
We’ve seen this before and we know the outcome.
✊ How We Fight Back When Healthcare Gets Weaponized
We’re facing a crisis where healthcare access is treated as a political tool rather than a human right.
But history has shown us that when we organize, we win.
Here’s how we turn anger into action:
1. Channel Support Where It Matters Most
These organizations need our backing now more than ever:
AIDS Healthcare Foundation: The largest nonprofit HIV/AIDS provider, delivering free or low-cost care to millions globally.
UNAIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS): Coordinating efforts to end the epidemic by 2030 through prevention, treatment, and advocacy.
GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis): Providing counseling, medical care, and legal support for those affected by HIV/AIDS.
These aren’t just names on a list.
I have supported these organizations throughout my career because, while we live our lives, they save lives daily.
2. Demand Systemic Change
Silence lets them win. Action stops them.
Contact your representatives about protecting HIV/AIDS funding.
Support initiatives that expand telehealth access for rural LGBTQ+ communities.
Join local LGBTQ+ health advocacy groups.
Don’t know where to start? Google it. Ask AI. Talk to your community.
Even small actions, when multiplied, create massive impact.
3. Focus on Solutions, Not Spectacle
When clients feel overwhelmed by the endless cycle of bad news, I tell them this:
Redirect your energy into constructive action.
Instead of doom-scrolling Musk’s latest controversy, share resources on:
LGBTQ+ health services in your area.
Telehealth options for those in need.
Community support groups.
Every post, share, and conversation makes a difference.
💪 Why This Fight Is Personal
As a gay therapist, I’ve spent years working with LGBTQ+ individuals with HIV.
I’ve seen how access to treatment transforms lives and how stigma and lack of resources destroy them. When billionaires treat global health crises like a game, they erase real people’s struggles. But here’s what Musk doesn’t understand:
Our community has fought back before, and we’ve won.
From the ACT UP protests of the 1980s to today’s advocacy for PrEP access, LGBTQ+ activists have never backed down.
This time is no different.
And we won’t let them win.