TRANSform Your Closet with PHNTX

Prism Health North Texas (PHNTX) invites members of the Dallas-Fort Worth transgender community to celebrate National Transgender HIV Testing Day with a clothing swap, free HIV testing, and refreshments on Saturday, April 23, 2022 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

April 18, National Transgender HIV Testing Day, is an observance designed to recognize the importance of regular HIV testing, status awareness, and continuing to promote HIV prevention and treatment efforts among the transgender community.

According to research by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it is estimated that approximately 1.4 million adults in the United States identify as transgender. Of those 1.4 million individuals, transgender women are at high risk of exposure to HIV, especially transgender women of color. PHNTX healthcare providers will be facilitating free HIV tests, as well as providing information about access to PrEP and other healthcare during the April 23rd event.

“Preventative HIV care is important for the Trans community not only because Trans women are at a higher risk of acquiring HIV, but because there is so much stigma around both HIV and the Trans community,” PHNTX Behavioral Intervention Services Team Lead Feliz Ruiz said. “Everyone, no matter how or who they identify as, needs to have access to all forms of healthcare no matter what. In addition to access, the healthcare setting needs to be a space where they feel comfortable, safe, and confident to access the services they need, including hormone therapy, HIV/STI testing, or PrEP. I am excited for this event in hopes that it gives individuals of Trans experience a chance to see what options they have for preventative services, ask all the questions they want to ask, and connect with their community and its allies!”

Held at the PHNTX Worth Street Health Center on the Baylor University Medical Center Campus at 4004 Worth Street in Dallas, the organization invites attendees to bring their own new or gently used clothing items to exchange with others, while also making use of the donated supply of clothing provided by PHNTX.

“For individuals of trans experience, having nice, gender affirming clothing is a part of you stepping into a new season of you. As you are embracing who you are even more, an item of clothing can change everything, it can make you feel better and it can make your life be uplifted,” PHNTX Policy, Advocacy, & Community Engagement Coordinator Sattie Nyachwaya said. “As a community accomplice, PHNTX needs to always be there waiting with resources like for this community as they have been stepped on and overlooked so many times.”

Those interested in participating may RSVP here.

“Trans individuals exist, and they thrive,” Nyachwaya added.