The Factsheet highlights the intersectional forms of discrimination, abuse and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, actual and perceived HIV status, socioeconomic status, race age and/or other diversities diminish the ability of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals to realise their human rights, including their right to health care. It also speaks to the various factors that increase the likelihood of acquiring HIV for people from different LGBTI communities.

Everyone has a sexual orienta on and a gender iden ty (SOGI), both of which may shi and change during the course of a life me. People across the world face discrimina on, abuse and violence because of their gender expression, who they love, who they have sex with and how they look.

Intersectional forms of discrimination, abuse and violence based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, actual and perceived HIV status, socioeconomic status, race, age and/or other diversitites, diminish the ability of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals to realise their human rights, including their right to access health care. Limited or no access to appropriate health care services makes LGBTI persons particularly vulnerable in the context of HIV.

This can result in an increased likelihood of acquiring HIV.5 Transgender people, for example are 49 times more likely to acquire HIV compared to the general population, with a global es mate of 19% of transgender women living with HIV.6 Living with HIV can, in turn, exacerbate violence and mental health issues respectively for those whose SOGI does not conform to the norms of mainstream society.