Inclusion as illusion: erasing transgender women in research with MSM

We were excited to the see the publication of the JIAS Supplement entitled, “Engagement of African men and transgender women who have sex with men in HIV research.” We agree with the supplement editors that attention to these populations are long overdue. The title of the supplement suggested that African transgender women would be highlighted in this special issue; and we were eager to read studies about this highly under-served and under-studied population. However, as we read each article, we were deeply disappointed to find that none of them focused exclusively or even primarily on transgender women.