: The most universally accepted and respectful term.
The HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s decimated the gay male community, but it also ravaged trans communities, particularly trans women who engaged in sex work. Yet, trans activists were on the front lines of ACT UP and other advocacy groups, demanding research and treatment. Their fight taught the broader LGBTQ culture how to navigate medical discrimination and how to mourn publicly through art (e.g., the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt). shemales asian