Many guys on PrEP are not getting regularly tested for STIs

Many guys on PrEP are not getting regularly tested for STIs

PrEP tablets
People take PrEP to prevent them from acquiring HIV

Two recent studies have highlighted how many men taking PrEP are not getting themselves regularly screened for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Less than half (43%) of the gay and bi men taking PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) in Baltimore, MD, were fully screened for the most common STIs (syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia) when they started the medication.

The US study followed 290 men in the US city over a course of 30 months.

Of those surveyed, 7.8% tested positive for syphilis when they started PrEP. Participants also tested positive for rectal (11.1%), throat (7.5%) and urogenital (5%) gonorrhea, and rectal (11.7%), urogenital (5%) and throat (1.5%) chlamydia.

At biannual check-ups, researchers found that STI screening was lower and positivity for syphilis and rectal gonorrhea/chlamydia was higher. They said that whether the men reported having anal or oral sex impacted whether they had tests for certain STIs. This led them to call for greater clarification on STI screening guidelines for PrEP users.

Related: Facebook and Instagram accused of running false ads and spreading misinformation about Truvada

PrEP, when used correctly, can minimize the likelihood of someone acquiring HIV.

However, many health organizations recommend those taking it to undergo regular check-ups. If PrEP users engage in condomless sex, they could be at an increased risk of picking up other sexually transmitted infections.

The US has seen a significant increase in the rates of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea over the past five years.

Related: Scientists ‘optimistic’ about HIV vaccine – possibly even by 2021

A separate study from Germany discovered that one in nine PrEP users have not been tested for HIV or further STIs whilst being on PrEP. The results were discussed at the recent 17th European AIDS Conference and reported by AIDSmap.

Besides not being tested for other STIs, those one-in-nine users had also not had kidney function tests. Because the medication can have side effects in some people, it’s recommended to have a kidney function test regularly if you’re taking PrEP (the drugs are not recommended for people with certain kidney conditions).

Of those who did go back for tests, around 15% had an HIV test less frequently than every three months, and 8.5% went longer than the recommended six months before getting tested for STIs.

More concerning still, one in 25 of PrEP users had not had an HIV test before commencing their PrEP course. Anyone thinking of starting PrEP should always ensure they’re not already HIV positive – as the medication can cause the virus to develop resistance and become harder to treat.

Germany recommends PrEP users are tested for HIV and kidney function every three months and for other STIs at least every six months.

In the US, those on PrEP are advised to have an HIV test every three months. The CDC has previously recommended those on PrEP should have kidney function tests every six months.

Related: Gay men increasingly accept HIV undetectable = untransmittable

Dr Will Nutland, of the UK-based organization PrEPster, told Queerty, “Regular STI tests – and HIV tests if someone doesn’t have HIV – are recommended for everyone who is sexually active, regardless of whether they are using PrEP or not.

“International guidelines make strong recommendations about having HIV and kidney function tests before or shortly after starting PrEP. If someone already has HIV when they start using PrEP, they are, in effect, taking sub-optimal HIV treatment and could be passing on HIV to their sexual partners.

“A very small number of people develop kidney problems when they use PrEP. A simple kidney function test will spot any problems and determine if it’s safe to use, or continue using PrEP.”

www.queerty.com/many-guys-prep-not-getting-regularly-tested-stis-20191211?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

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WATCH: Do you benefit from straight-passing privilege?

WATCH: Do you benefit from straight-passing privilege?

(Photo: YouTube)

The latest comedy YouTube video from Michael Henry touches on a slightly more serious topic: Is life easier for gay men who pass as straight? Or do those who are more easily identifiable as gay have some advantages over their ‘straight-acting’ brothers?

In the video, Henry brings up the subject with two friends – one of whom, Darren, is straight-acting while the other, Tonatiuh, is more… well, camp.

“Do you think it’s easier to be a gay person if you could come across as straight?” asks Henry, leading Tonatiuh to say that straight-passing gays have benefits – to the surprise of their more traditionally masculine-appearing friend, Darren.

What sort of benefits are there to passing as straight, Darren asks.

“You probably don’t get called f*ggot in the streets,” offers Henry. “And some gay men might find you more attractive because you come across as straight.” He also mentions potential career advancement benefits.

“You get to reveal your gayness when you feel like it, when you’re ready for it, and when you feel safe. Some queer people don’t get the same privilege,” adds Tonatiuh.

However, Darren counters that Henry and his other pal have enjoyed some benefits from being “clearly gay.”

He says it’s a burden to have to constantly come out and explain to people his sexuality – something that people who are “clearly gay” have to do less often.

Related: WATCH: Why the sexiest gay men are often the most lonely

Henry agrees that he, “never even had to come out – everybody just knew who I was before I knew who I was.”

Darren replies that his parents were shocked when he came out as they had no idea. He also says that those who appear straight-acting may be pretending, depressed, or envious of those who can behave in a way many perceive as more obviously gay.

However, he concedes he’s never been mocked or called names such as “sissy” or “fairy”.

The discussion is undercut with plenty of comic moments, but at its heart is a real message: being your authentic self can come with all sorts of challenges.

Related: WATCH: Michael Henry’s new video about drinking is hilarious until you realize how true it is

www.queerty.com/watch-benefit-straight-passing-privilege-20191211?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

16-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg is TIME’s Youngest-Ever ‘Person of the Year’

16-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg is TIME’s Youngest-Ever ‘Person of the Year’

Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, has been selected as TIME’s 2019 ‘Person of the Year’, making her the youngest person ever bestowed with their honor.

While the franchise has a long record of recognizing the power of young people, the editors have never before selected a teenager #TIMEPOY t.co/1YHRSq3a9i

— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2019

Writes TIME: “While the franchise has a long record of recognizing the power of young people, the editors have never before selected a teenager. Before 2019, the previous individual to hold the record for youngest Person of the Year was the first Person of the Year in TIME’s history: 25-year-old Charles Lindbergh, selected as most influential man of 1927. … Her message is one the Boomers would have recognized in the 1960s: Our elders have sold us out. The system isn’t working. The time to act is now. Perhaps even more drastically than it did in 1966, the world is changing, and the young are the ones who see what’s happening. And in 2019, as millions of people across the planet joined her, history was made by the vision of one young person in particular.”

ABC News reports: “In a speech peppered with scientific facts about global warming, the Swedish 16-year-old told negotiators Wednesday at the U.N.’s climate talks in Madrid that they have to stop looking for loopholes for their countries’ actions and face up to the ambition that is needed to protect the world from a global warming disaster. ‘The real danger is when politicians and CEOs are making it look like real action is happening, when in fact almost nothing is being done, apart from clever accounting and creative PR,’ said Thunberg, who later Wednesday was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year .”

The post 16-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg is TIME’s Youngest-Ever ‘Person of the Year’ appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


16-Year-Old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg is TIME’s Youngest-Ever ‘Person of the Year’

#AM_Equality: December 11, 2019

#AM_Equality: December 11, 2019

THE DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL SHOULD HAVE ENDED THE TRUMP-PENCE ADMIN’S DISCRIMINATORY TRANS TROOP BAN: HRC joins leading LGBTQ organization to express disappointment that the final FY20 National Defense Authorization Act does not include the Speier/Brown amendment, which would have codified non-discrimination and ended the administration’s ban on transgender service members. “It is unconscionable that thousands of honorably serving transgender service members and their families will continue to live under the threat of discharge simply because of who they are,” the joint statement said. More from HRC.

Transgender troops served openly and honorably without incident for three years before this reckless ban on their service was put into place by the Trump-Pence administration. #ProtectTransTroops t.co/xdRuFzOJ35

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) December 10, 2019

WHAT WE’RE READING WEDNESDAY — MARRIAGE EQUALITY PLAINTIFF JIM OBERGEFELL CALLS ON SCOTUS, LAWMAKERS TO DO MORE TO PREVENT ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION: “[E]veryone should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of who they are — and that means ensuring no one faces unfair treatment because of their LGBTQ+ identity,” writes Obergefell. More from AZ Central.

HRC ENDORSES HOUSTON MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER FOR RE-ELECTION: “From his time in the legislature to his current tenure as mayor, Sylvester Turner has worked to advance the rights of LGBTQ Houstonians,” said HRC President Alphonso David (@AlphonsoDavid). More from HRC.

HRC FOUNDATION’S WELCOMING SCHOOLS OFFERS BOOK-BUYING TIPS FOR CHILDREN FOR THE HOLIDAYS: With authors ranging from actors and athletes to a Supreme Court justice. See the full list from HRC.

TRANSGENDER UTAHNS ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING A STATE SUPREME COURT RULING ON CHANGING GENDER MARKERS: “I love people saying to me, ‘Angie, the courage and the grace that you’ve had through this [legal process] is amazing,’” said Angie Rice, who asked the Utah Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling preventing her from changing the gender marker on her legal documents. “But they don’t see the hurt and the sacrifice behind the scenes.” Read more from The Salt Lake Tribune.

HRC PRAISES SENATE INTRODUCTION OF THE GLOBE ACT: “While the Trump-Pence White House refuses to speak out against anti-LGBTQ attacks worldwide, it is essential that the U.S. Congress defend the human rights and protections of all people — including LGBTQ people,” said HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy. More from HRC.

TRUMP’S LGBTQ PRIDE MERCH “IS MONUMENTALLY HYPOCRITICAL AND INSULTING” TO LGBTQ AMERICANS:  It’s “also part of a long list of attempts to grab media attention that momentarily makes Trump appear as an ally of LGBTQ people,” writes Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) on NBC.

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

PANTENE SHARES A MESSAGE OF RESILIENCE AND HOPE FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE JOURNEYING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS : The series shares the stories of four transgender people going home for the holidays. “While every LGBTQ+ person has their own unique story about going home for the holidays, everyone is seeking the same thing — to be surrounded by people who love and accept them,” said Procter & Gamble, the parent company of Pantene, in a statement. More from CNN.

NFL’S MATT GAY SHOWS SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ COMMUNITY, JOINS ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN: Gay (@MGtweetymonster) talks about the bullying he and his family faced because of their last name. More from PinkNews.  

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

DESPITE PROTESTS BY TRANS PEOPLE AND ALLIES, INDIAN PRESIDENT RAM NATH KOVIND SIGNS BILL INTO LAW: Advocates argued that the bill is harmful to the trans community and asked the President not to approve it. More from The News Minute.

HUNDREDS MARCH IN HUNGARY’S FIRST-EVER TRANS PRIDE, CALL FOR RIGHT TO LEGALLY CHANGE THEIR NAME & GENDER ON DOCUMENTS: More from PinkNews.

MISS MYANMAR, THE FIRST OPENLY LGBTQ MISS UNIVERSE COMPETITOR, SPEAKS OUT FOR LGBTQ ACCEPTANCE: More from Washington Blade and Glamour.

CAMBODIA TO TEACH LGBTQ ISSUES IN SCHOOLS TO TACKLE ANTI-LGBTQ BULLYING AND DISCRIMINATION: “We want our children to be aware of these issues and know that no one should be discriminated against in school or any part of life,” Yung Kunthearith, deputy director of the education ministry’s department of health studies told Reuters. Read more from Matt Blomberg (@BlombergMD) at Openly.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

GoMag spotlights Anti Violence Project Executive Director Beverly Tillery (@BeverlyTillery) as New Yorker of the Year

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

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