Yeah. I suspect that putting across a message of “sexual distancing” would be incredibly difficult for public health authorities, because of the offence it would cause the LGBT community. Even if that is objectively what needs to be done. I suspect the LGBT community would be so offended by it that the advice would completely backfire.
Er, no. Calls for condom use were fine, but any suggestion that people should have less sex were regarded as homophobic and to be avoided at all costs.
Oh the political environment will go bananas if that happens, and they will go bananas if it doesn't happen. Of course the political environment going bananas is basically a day that ends in y, so :shrug:
We will probably see many reminders that it is not just a gay illness as well, which is right, correct and important but at the same time is likely to make gay sex seem less dangerous.
I think there’s a real risk of that. I see friends in the LGBTQ+ community who are extremely sensitive to public health messaging directed at us. Most aren’t, but some are.
On the bright side, I’d say that gay men in major cities who are probably most at risk of contracting monkeypox are increasingly savvy and willing to seek out a vaccine or treatment in situations like this. I know few people in my friend group who aren’t on PreP to prevent HIV, and equally few who didn’t rush to get a monkeypox vaccine as soon as the information on where to get one became available.
