March 30, 2023 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

“F*uck w/out Fear” campaign raises awareness of PrEP

A billboard on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.
A billboard on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

BY JEFF TAYLOR  |  While incredible progress has been made in the fight against HIV/AIDS since the early days of the epidemic, it is still that, an epidemic. More than 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the United States alone, with one in eight unaware of their status, according to the Center for Disease Control.

In 2015, there were nearly 40,000 newly diagnosed cases of HIV in the U.S.

According to the most recent available statistics from the California Department of Public Health, Los Angeles had nearly 20,000 people living with HIV in 2013, more than three times the county with the second highest number of those living with HIV in the state, San Francisco.

In response to this crisis, the Los Angeles LGBT Center has launched a new campaign, called “F*ck w/out Fear,” to raise awareness for, and help provide access to, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as a safe and effective tool to prevent HIV infection.

PrEP involves taking a medicine in pill form once daily, and when done correctly has been shown in studies to be even more effective than condoms at reducing the risk of contracting HIV. Better yet, it can be used in conjunction with condoms.

A recent study by APLA Health of young gay and bisexual men revealed that Latino and African-American youth are the least likely to know about PrEP and less than 10 percent are using it, showing the need for an awareness-raising campaign.

Without immediate intervention, the CDC estimates that one in two gay or bisexual black men and one in four gay or bisexual Latino men will be infected with HIV at some point in their lives.

“It’s widely believed that a two-pronged approach is what will be most effective at ending the transmission of HIV in the U.S.,” said Robert Bolan M.D., Los Angeles LGBT Center chief medical officer, in a statement. “Quickly linking newly diagnosed HIV positive people to care can reduce or eliminate the risk they can transmit the virus; it’s the same treatment effect for people who have been living with HIV for a while or a long time. Then if HIV uninfected people who are most at-risk of infection successfully protect themselves from the virus, we can effectively end HIV transmission here. Because the availability of condoms alone hasn’t been enough to stop HIV, we’re excited about the promise of PrEP.”

The Center’s says it chose to use “raw, real language to get people’s attention and spur conversation.”

truvada

PrEP is now covered by most insurance plans, and those who are uninsured can get help making it affordable through patient assistance programs, which the Center will facilitate. They offer a free PrEP consultation, which can be scheduled online at PrEPHere.org, and most will be able to walk out with a prescription. They are also offering transportation assistance to those who live far from the Center’s facilities in Hollywood and West Hollywood.

“We’ve got the tools to not only end the fear of HIV, but to end it as an epidemic. Those at risk have to know about the tools, though, and they need honest information about them,” said Center Chief of Staff Darrel Cummings. “Our campaign provides the truth about PrEP, the information and support to help people get a prescription, and a reminder that condoms are necessary to prevent other sexually transmitted diseases.”

seThe campaign will include various events and grassroots advertising, in Spanish and English, to reach those most at risk, including:

  • Outreach through: community events, Center programs that particularly serve transgender women and young men of color, and the Center’s Mi Centro facility in Boyle Heights.
  • Geo-targeted digital advertising and print ads
  • “Paint the Town Blue” – On January 8th the Center will launch the campaign in partnership with bars in West Hollywood and Hollywood. Dozens of staff and volunteers will circulate through bars providing patrons with information about PrEP. The blue theme of the night hints at the blue color of the PrEP pill.
  • Banjee Ball sponsorship – A vogue dance and runway event with live music performances. A cultural movement birthed out of the Black LGBT community, Banjee Ball has become a cherished space for young gay and bisexual men and transgender women of color.
  • Andrew Christian “Fearless F*cker” T-Shirts – An Andrew Christian-designed “Fearless F*cker” t-shirt will be available for purchase at his flagship boutique in West Hollywood. All net profits from the sale of the $25 t-shirt support the Center’s PrEP services.
in AIDS, NEWS
Related Posts

Long Beach Businesses with LGBTQ Flags Vandalized

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

By Susan Payne Three businesses in Long Beach have reported windows smashed in with one common denominator: visible LGBTQ symbols. ...

Newsom Calls Huntington Beach City Council Decision ‘Rank’

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

By Susan Payne Huntington Beach garnered disapproval from Governor Gavin Newsom on its recent decision to ban the flying of...

California’s Affordable Housing Crisis Disproportionately Impacts LGBTQ Adults, UCLA Study Finds

March 24, 2023

March 24, 2023

New Report by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research highlights the connection between lack of affordable housing, delayed access...

Santa Monica Place Invites LGBTQIA+ Artisans to Apply for Made With PRIDE Marketplace

March 21, 2023

March 21, 2023

Partnering with Streetlet, the marketplace will take place each weekend in June and showcase local goods made in Southern California....

Gus Kenworthy’s Gay Kiss Scene in ‘80 for Brady’ Cut Out

March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

By Susan Payne “80 for Brady,” a 2023 comedy/drama film that follows a group of longtime friends who want to...

Abbey Founder Declares Drag is Not A Crime

March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

By Susan Payne “Drag is not a crime.” In solidary with drag performers, David Cooley, founder of The Abbey Food...

Grants Available for Long Beach LGBTQ-Owned or Allied Restaurants

March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

By Susan Payne LGBTQ-owned or allied restaurants in Long Beach are invited to apply for Grubhub’s Community Impact Grants ranging...

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Moves to Ease Restrictions on Blood Donations from Gay and Bisexual Men

March 9, 2023

March 9, 2023

The City of West Hollywood is getting the word out that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued proposed...

Board of Supervisors Approves Motion to Fly Progress Pride Flag in LA County Offices

March 9, 2023

March 9, 2023

Flags will be flown at Los Angeles County facilities where American and California flags are flown each year ​​Los Angeles...

Donatella Versace Visits the Los Angeles LGBT Center

March 9, 2023

March 9, 2023

Hosts master class with CFDA designers This week, the Los Angeles LGBT Center welcomed Donatella Versace, the Chief Creative Officer...

Versace Partners With CFDA on LGBTQ-Focused Initiative

March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023

By Susan Payne Donatella Versace is launching a masterclass at the Los Angeles LGBT Center on March 6 in partnership...

Suspect Pleads Guilty to Killing Los Angeles-Born Gay Man in 1988

March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023

By Susan Payne Last month, an Australian man pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 1988 death of an American who...

Bill Introduced for K-12 Statewide Gender-Neutral Restrooms

March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023

By Susan Payne A bill to require K-12 schools in California to provide appropriate and equitable access to gender-neutral restrooms...

UCLA’s New Volleyball Coach’s Gay Journey Reaches Full Circle

March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023

By Susan Payne Playing volleyball in a West Hollywood gym is where Alfred Reft became comfortable with his sexuality, alongside...

Girl Scouts Make Sales at WeHo Bars

March 1, 2023

March 1, 2023

By Susan Payne A Glendale, California Girl Scout has found a new market for cookie sales in West Hollywood.  In...