Plus 138 September October 2020 by Equal Pride

THE NEXT PRESIDENT: WHAT YOUR VOTE MEANS FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV BECAUSE YOU’RE MORE THAN YOUR STATUS

BOOMER BANKS

MEET TRAVIS L’HENAFF, DRAG RACE’S NEW POZ CREW MEMBER

THE FASHION DESIGNER AND PERFORMER ON UNDETECTABILITY, RACISM, AND SURVIVING HOMELESSNESS PHOTOGRAPHED BY OTTERJ

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BECAUSE YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE MORE THAN YOUR STATUS

TRUMP, REAGAN AND PANDEMIC PARALLELS

SCIENTIST IN CHIEF

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI FIGHTING COVID-19 AND HIV IN 2020

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 hivplusmag.com

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Access to safe housing is sometimes all that stands between transgender people and violence.

The TRUMP ADMINISTRATION is trying to undo protections for trans people but we can stop them.

Go to

HousingSavesLives.org to take action now.

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contents

I S S U E 13 8

ON THE COVER 32 BANK ON IT Fashion designer and adult film star Boomer Banks gets candid about experiencing homelessness, getting his start in adult film, being outed as HIV-positive, and why it's OK for LGBTQ+ folks and people of color to be loud and angry.

FEATURES 24 THE DOCTOR IS IN America's most trusted medical expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, on fighting two pandemics: HIV & COVID-19. 40 THE BI BURDEN Activist and author Khafre Abif gets real about the biases that bisexual men still face.

COVER: Boomer Banks photographed by Otterj BONUS COVER: Dr. Anthony Fauci,photographed by Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images ABOVE: Boomer Banks, wearing a hoodie from his fashion label BANKKS, photographed by Greg Endries

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contents

COU RTESY T YLER H U RT (4 6); ALE X BAILE Y/ T WENTIE TH CENTU RY FOX ( 14); SH UT TERSTOCK ( 13)

14 BUZZWORTHY

WELLNESS

DAILY DOSE

10 TAKE IT TO THE BALLOT BOX Now more than ever, an election could change, or even save, your life.

14 DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION Here's what to read, listen to, or watch, whether you're on lockdown or relaxing at home.

48 IT'S MY PRIVILEGE Health is a social justice issue. Access to care shouldn't be.

12 STUCK ON YOU New challenges and help for staying on PrEP.

44 FREE YOUR MIND Our mental health expert offers 8 easy tricks to help squash your worries.

13 BATH TIME'S BACK San Francisco green-lights the return of the city's legendary gay bathhouses. 13 STIGMA GETS SNIPPED One woman fights back after a cosmetic surgeon turns her away for being poz.

TREATMENT 20 THE ANTI-RESISTANCE Could this be the answer to drug resistance? 22 HYPE OR HOPE? Did scientists just cure someone?

U=U 46 THE BIG HURT HIV activist Tyler Hurt fights stigma around the kink community and offers resources in Orlando.

BACK TALK 42 START YOUR ENGINES Meet Travis, the poz pit crew member who takes us behind the scenes of Canada's Drag Race.

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chief executive officer & editorial director DIANE ANDERSON-MINSHALL

evp, group publisher & corporate sales JOE VALENTINO

editor in chief NEAL BROVERMAN

vp, branded partnerships & associate publisher STUART BROCKINGTON

EDITORIAL managing editor DAVID ARTAVIA editor at large TYLER CURRY senior copy editor TRUDY RING assistant editor DONALD PADGETT contributing editors KHAFRE ABIF, MARK S. KING mental health editor GARY MCCLAIN contributing writers JOHN CASEY, CHARLES STEPHENS, DR. JUSTIN B. TERRY-SMITH ART executive creative director RAINE BASCOS interactive art director CHRISTOPHER HARRITY art associate DESIRÉE GUERRERO PRIDE MEDIA EDITORIAL editors in chief, the advocate DAVID ARTAVIA & TRACY E. GILCHRIST digital editor in chief, advocate.com NEAL BROVERMAN digital director, out.com MIKELLE STREET editor in chief, out traveler JACOB ANDERSON-MINSHALL editor in chief, pride RAFFY ERMAC deputy editor, pride TAYLOR HENDERSON digital director, pride & senior editor, advocate.com DANIEL REYNOLDS director of podcast & special projects JEFFREY MASTERS SALES & MARKETING executive directors, integrated sales EZRA ALVAREZ & PATTY AGUAYO director, branded partnerships JAMIE TREDWELL creative director, branded partnerships MICHAEL LOMBARDO senior manager, branded partnerships TIM SNOW junior manager, advertising & branded partnerships DEAN FRYN senior director, ad operations STEWART NACHT manager, ad operations TIFFANY KESDEN DIGITAL vice president technology & development ERIC BUI digital media manager LAURA VILLELA social media manager CHRISTINE LINELL social media editor JAVY RODRIGUEZ PRINT PRODUCTION print production director JOHN LEWIS production editors JACOB ANDERSON-MINSHALL & DESIRÉE GUERRERO CIRCULATION director of circulation ARGUS GALINDO FINANCE/ACCOUNTING vice president, finance BETSY SKIDMORE accounts receivable controller LORELIE YU accounting manager PAULETTE KADIMYAN ADVERTISING & SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone (212) 242-8100 • Advertising Fax (212) 242-8338 Subscriptions Fax (212) 242-8338 EDITORIAL Phone (310) 806-4288 • Fax (310) 806-4268 • Email editor@HIVPlusMag.com

FREE BULK SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR YOUR OFFICE OR GROUP Any organization, community-based group, pharmacy, physicians’ office, support group, or other agency can request bulk copies for free distribution at your office, meeting, or facility. To subscribe, visit HIVPlusMag.com/signup. There is a 10-copy minimum. FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS Plus magazine is available free to individual subscribers—a digital copy of each issue can be delivered to the privacy of your computer or reader six times per year. We require only your email address to initiate delivery. You may also share your digital copies with friends. To subscribe, visit HIVPlusMag.com/signup. NEED SUBSCRIPTION HELP? If you have any questions or problems with your bulk or individual magazine delivery, please email our circulation department at Argus.Galindo@pridemedia.com. Plus (ISSN 1522-3086) is published bimonthly by Pride Publishing Inc. Plus is a registered trademark of Pride Publishing Inc. Entire contents ©2020 by Pride Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

BY N E AL B ROVE R MAN

or bi men, I vividly recall the first time I heard about HIV or AIDS. I was sitting in the booth of a Friendly’s restaurant with my mother and one of her friends and they were discussing in hushed tones a disease gay people got — and died from, miserably. This was in 1986 or ’87 and I was about 8 years old. I had an inkling I was gay, even back then, so not only was I ashamed of that fact, but my mother’s conversation made me think my personal “defect” was going to kill me. Moving through high school and college, the idea that I was queer became more real and less shameful. Yet, the fear of dying from AIDS never subsided. As much as I desired men, I was terrified of sex with them. It really wasn’t until I moved to Los Angeles in the early 2000s that I understood how to have safe sex and that even if I became HIV-positive, with modern antiretroviral treatment, it wouldn’t kill me. The internet became an invaluable resource about sex and HIV, and life as a gay man became less frightening and more thrilling. The reality for gay and bi men who are about 10 years older than me was markedly different. They didn’t have Google as a resource and they sexually matured in a time when HIV was truly a death sentence. The trauma for gay and bi men who lived through the 1980s and ’90s remains to this day. While the way queer men live with HIV has evolved since the days my mother whispered over coffee and grilled cheese, we have stagnated in other ways. National Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day, held September 27, is an important reminder that HIV still effects our community disproportionately. As of 2017 (the most recent data) adult and adolescent gay and bisexual men made up 70 percent of the 38,739 new HIV diagnoses in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s 27,000 new queer men diagnosed each year. In this issue, several gay and bi men share how HIV impacted their lives — and in some cases, improved them. Our cover star, Boomer Banks, nearly died from AIDS-related complications two decades ago. But the

B R ADFORD ROG N E

L I K E M O S T G AY

long-term survivor has since grown into an activist, fashion designer, and adult film star. Librarian and archivist Khafre Abif has long advocated for people living with HIV and he spoke to me about how bisexual men like him are often left out of conversations about the virus. And we also connected with Travis L’Henaff, a pit crew member from Canada’s Drag Race (the Canadian version of RuPaul’s Drag Race). A performer living with HIV, Travis is much more than a pretty face. After finally arriving at a place where HIV is a manageable condition, with new treatment options regularly approved and refined, gay and bi men like Frankie, Khafre, and Boomer are now adjusting to life with a new pandemic and figuring out what that means for their health. In his Daily Dose column, Tyler Curry expresses how his privilege as an employed white man has kept the most dangerous aspects of COVID at bay. Meanwhile, the nation’s leading infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, explains the similarities and differences between HIV and the novel coronavirus. Amid all the tumult of the world, we also have a national election fast approaching. Managing editor David Artavia lays out how a President Joe Biden administration, or a second term of President Donald Trump, could affect health care for people living with HIV. (Please register to vote, or confirm your registration info, at USA.gov/Register-to-Vote). I often think of the longterm effects of living through this time — so filled with uncertainty and anxiety, and many of us cut off from friends, family, and loved ones — but I hope that unlike 35 years ago, we lead with science and empathy, not rumors, stigma, and fear. Be well,

NEAL BROVERMAN EDITOR IN CHIEF

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IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you

have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems,

including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not

known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.  Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:  Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-

counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

BVYC0197_BIKTARVY_A_7-875X10-5_Plus-DEva_r1v1jl.indd All Pages 18998 Gilead Biktarvy Plus 136 May June keep shining.indd 2

GET MORE INFORMATION  This is only a brief summary of important information

about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5  If you need help paying for your medicine,

visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP SHINING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2020 © 2020 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0197 03/20

3/17/20 5:18 PM

D’EVA LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2009 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

KEEP SHINING.

Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.

BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. See D’Eva’s story at BIKTARVY.com. Featured patient compensated by Gilead.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

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buzzworthy

VOTE FOR YOUR HEALTH THERE IS MUCH AT STAKE THIS NOVEMBER FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV, ESPECIALLY ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.

THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION holds the key to health care for the millions of Americans already living with HIV and the nearly 40,000 people newly diagnosed each year. Whoever the next president is will also bear the unique challenge of managing federal efforts to control COVID-19 and responding to the ensuing economic crisis. Looking to the years ahead, without changes the country’s health care system will continue to leave marginalized people especially vulnerable. Maintaining health insurance protections for preexisting conditions is a top issue for many people living with HIV. Despite Donald Trump’s promise of ending HIV by 2030, those living with chronic health conditions will likely bear heavy repercussions as it pertains to long-term health care coverage if he remains in office. Republicans ran hard on promises to end the Affordable Care Act, which has given more than 20 million people access to health coverage. When Republicans took control of the House, Senate, and White House in 2017, the Trump administration made it very clear that its intention was to “repeal and replace” the law. In June of this year, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to strike down the ACA (dubbed “Obamacare”), telling the court that “the entire ACA must fall.” This argument came as hundreds of thousands of people are turning to ACA health coverage after becoming unemployed due to the pandemic. Repealing Obamacare would leave over 23 million people without health care insurance, according to the Center for American Progress. Furthermore, 39 states have opted to expand Medicaid — a government health program that covers one in five Americans — largely due to the federal government paying the greatest share of the cost under an ACA provision. Uncle Sam covered 100 percent of the expansion costs for the first two years, then gradually lowered that percentage; as of 2020, it is 90 percent and will remain there indefinitely. Still, there are some states, mostly GOP-majority ones, that rejected the expansion. Trump opposes it as well. In January, the Trump administration offered to let states withdraw from part of the Medicaid funding program and instead receive a fixed annual grant with flexibility in money disbursement. However, much of the new changes negatively impact the poorest populations, especially those living with chronic illnesses. Although Medicaid has historically covered all federally approved prescription medications, Trump’s plan would allow states to decide which drugs are covered and impose higher copays. Another, rather invisible, consequence of his plan is that in states that opt in, the federal

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BY DAVID ARTAVIA

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buzzworthy

government will have less oversight of the private health insurance companies hired by states to run their programs. Private companies cover nearly two-thirds of those on Medicaid. In regard to the ACA as a whole, Trump has vowed to maintain health coverage protections for people with preexisting conditions, like HIV, as required by the current law. But the administration has not said how this will be accomplished if the ACA is repealed. A “better” replacement for the current law has yet to be unveiled. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, who advocated for the ACA alongside President Obama, has vowed to continue fighting against discrimination in health care. “The reason President Obama and I fought so hard for the Affordable Care Act was to make sure that the peace of mind provided by health insurance is a right for all, not a privilege,” Biden said in his 2020 plan for HIV, shared via a questionnaire by AIDS United. “As president, I will fight to defend and build upon the Affordable Care Act to ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care.” “President Trump is trying to walk back this progress,” he continued. “For example, he has proposed to once again allow health care providers and insurance companies to discriminate based on a patient’s gender identity. I will defend the rights of all people — regardless of HIV status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity — to have access to quality, affordable health care free from discrimination. My plan takes a number of steps to build on Obamacare and achieve universal health care, including allowing Americans who are uninsured or who don’t like their coverage to buy into a Medicare-like public option. My plan also increases premium tax credits so more people will have lower premiums and lower deductibles.” Learn how you can register to vote at Vote.org. H IVPLUS MAG .CO M

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BUZZWORTHY

ADHERENCE IN THE AGE OF COVID

The pandemic is causing innumerable problems, including challenges to HIV prevention.

What do you see as the biggest challenges to PrEP adherence now? The framework for PrEP’s success is really a three-legged stool — you need uptake, adherence, and retention. COVID is threatening all three. People are struggling with uptake because people are having less in-person doctor’s visits to see if they’re good candidates for PrEP. They’re not having the ability to talk to providers about barriers to adherence. When you can’t go out to the pharmacy, refilling that prescription is more difficult. There are employment issues, health insurance issues, hoops to jump through when you don’t have insurance. Is telemedicine a solution? There definitely are great tools with telemedicine. The issue is it doesn’t seem to be enough. There’s been a huge drop-off in the number of PrEP prescriptions getting filled, both new starts and recurring prescriptions. Are the people going to come back [after COVID] or have we lost those people indefinitely? A recent study of an injectable version of PrEP found it more effective than the pill version. Will this solve many adherence issues? Any time we can expand the number of options in the PrEP tool kit, it’s great. Where we may be missing the mark is when it’s described as a panacea for adherence issues. One of the great things about oral PrEP is similar to contraception; you have a lot of flexibility. You can come on and off of it. That’s not as possible with an injectable because you have the 48-week tail. If you don’t keep re-upping the injection, you’ll have some amount of that drug in your system, but it won’t be enough to prevent HIV — however, it could be enough to cause viral resistance if you were to seroconvert. Could PrEP ever be available over the counter? There have been states that have tried different things like pharmacy-prescribed PrEP. I can’t imagine it ever being over the counter, but I could see a model where a pharmacist can prescribe it or a medical professional. You won’t have to see, say, an infectious disease specialist where the wait may be weeks or months to get in.— N E A L B R OV E R M A N 12

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADA! The Americans With Disabilities Act, which bans discrimination based on a variety of disabilities, including an HIVpositive diagnosis (see next page), was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in July 1990, after having passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support. The law did not enumerate every disability covered but said a qualifying condition would be one that substantially limited at least one major life activity. In 1994 a woman who had HIV but no symptoms was denied care by a dentist, and the lawsuit she filed established that people with asymptomatic HIV were entitled to the law’s protections. A 2008 amendment to the act made it easier for people with HIV to show they are covered.

MARK CL AUS/U NSPL ASH (FACEMASK ); SH UT TERSTOCK (B IRTH DAY )

While the world was consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Giffin Daughtridge got some much-needed good news. The Harvard University-based startup the doctor cofounded, UrSure Inc., was purchased in late May by HIV testing company OraSureTechnologies. UrSure initially found success with its development of urine tests that detect adherence levels for people on pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Much less invasive than previous adherence tests, UrSure’s tools help ensure people at high risk of seroconverting remain HIV-negative. Daughtridge recently spoke to Plus about the challenges to PrEP adherence, especially during the pandemic, and the complications of an injectable version.

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buzzworthy

SWEAT IT OUT

HIV STIGMA SHUT DOWN SAN FRANCISCO’S LEGENDARY BATHHOUSES, BUT NEW RULES COULD BRING THEM BACK. BY N E A L B R OV E R M A N

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in July to remove crippling restrictions on city bathhouses, passing an ordinance that repeals requirements for businesses to monitor sexual activities and prohibit private rooms and locked doors. Officials declared the bathhouses a “public nuisance” in 1984 as AIDS ravaged the city. The City and County of San Francisco filed a lawsuit to close the venues, claiming many of the gay and bi patrons were engaging in unsafe sex practices. Court rulings left open the possibility for such businesses to remain open, but only if they employed monitors watching

over the sex practices of customers and removed any private rooms, booths, or cubicles. The ruling led to the closure of all the city’s bathhouses, and in 1997, the city’s Department of Health upheld the ’80s-era guidelines. Many have called for the rules to be updated as HIV can be effectively prevented and treated through PrEP and antiretroviral regimens, respectively. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman championed the end of the old restrictions, saying it will help bathhouses and gay sex venues play a part in San Francisco’s post-COVID economic recovery. “During the 1970s and early ’80s bathhouses were a focal point of gay social life in San Francisco and were important community meeting places where friends would gather to share stories, dance to the latest disco hits, or watch a live show,” Mandelman, who is gay and represents the Castro District, said in a statement. “With many businesses closing due to COVID-19, I hope this legislation will make the operation of adult sex venues more feasible and will encourage the opening of new businesses that will aid in our economic recovery when it is safe to do so.” Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, welcomed the news, saying the city has taken enormous steps to slow the spread of HIV. The city recorded 197 new HIV cases in 2018, a 58 percent decrease from 2011. In a press release, he noted, “Whether it be breakthroughs like PrEP or U=U, members of our community now have more prevention options than when bathhouses were closed, and it is time for these outdated restrictions to be revised.” Whether and when adult businesses will take advantage of the new options is unknown. Ken Rowe, one of the owners of Eros, a San Francisco gay sauna and sex club open since 1992, previously told the Bay Area Reporter it would not be opening private rooms.

PLASTIC SURGERY GONE WRONG

SH UT TERSTOCK

HIV discrimination is illegal, even when it comes to elective procedures. T H I R T Y Y E A R S A F T E R the Americans With Disabilities Act outlawed medical discrimination against people with HIV, the law is still frequently utilized to fend off just such bias. The latest example is in Illinois, where a plastic surgeon recently denied a procedure to a 47-year-old woman seeking a breast reduction. Dr. George Kouris, operating in suburban Chicago, refused to perform the operation, claiming in his treatment note, “The patient is HIV-positive and has been so for 25 years, according to her. She is interested in bilateral breast reduction. Given the nature of the breast reduction surgery, degree of exposure to blood and bodily fluids for myself and the surgical team, I explained to the patient that I will not take on her elective case.” The woman, not named in media reports, sought help from the federal government, and in late July she won a $25,000 settlement from Kouris. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s investigation revealed that Midwest Plastic Surgery’s actions were not based on, or consistent with, current medical knowledge,” according to a

statement from the Justice Department. “Moreover, an individual’s HIV status is not a legitimate or lawful reason to refuse to treat a patient seeking medical care.” The doctor and his staff at Midwest Plastic Surgery also consented to ADA and antidiscrimination training as part of the settlement and, moving forward, are required to provide a written reason to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for denying service to a potential patient. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois negotiated on behalf of the woman — it was the second time in a handful of months the office had responded to HIV discrimination, having negotiated a $10,000 settlement in December with a Chicago-area tattoo parlor that refused to serve an HIV-positive woman. “These settlements should send a clear message that individuals living with HIV are entitled to the same services as everyone else,” U.S. Attorney John Lausch Jr. said in a statement.— N B H IVPLUS MAG .CO M

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wellness

BOREDOM BUSTERS THESE BOOKS, FILMS, TV SERIES, AND PODCASTS ABOUT LIFE WITH HIV WILL KEEP YOUR MIND BUSY WHILE THE WORLD WEATHERS THE PANDEMIC. BY TRUDY RING

A LOT O F us remain on lockdown or are at least limiting our activity due to the pandemic. But there are plenty of books, movies, TV shows, and podcasts to help us fill the time, and many are of particular interest to people living with HIV. Here are our recommendations, including stories of musicians, writers, and others living with the virus, tales of dedicated volunteers and medical professionals, and information about treatment and prevention.

Bohemian Rhapsody The 2018 hit is graced by Rami Malek’s Oscar-winning turn as bisexual Queen front man Freddie Mercury as well as the band’s great music. It’s been criticized as downplaying Mercury’s sexuality, but its portrayal of his courage in facing AIDS is praiseworthy, and Malek’s performance and the concert scenes are riveting. On DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming services. 14

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MOVIES AND TV

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wellness

5B This 2019 documentary tells another story of heroism — in the nation’s first AIDS ward, which opened at San Francisco General Hospital in 1983, a time when some doctors and nurses wouldn’t go near anyone with the disease. It profiles the patients, their loved ones, and their caregivers, who created practices based on humanity and holistic well-being. It also introduces such impressive figures as Hank Plante, a San Francisco TV reporter who chronicled the epidemic as an out gay man. It’s directed by Dan Krauss and Paul Haggis and features the original song “A Human Touch” by Jackson Browne and Leslie Mendelson. Available on DVD and streaming services including Amazon Prime.

COU RTESY OF 5B FILM (5B); COU RTESY OF DISN E Y (HOWARD); COU RTESY OF AB D (RIC AMOR A)

Conrad Ricamora as Oliver Hampton

Howard This documentary looks at the life and work of Howard Ashman, the great gay lyricist who wrote for films such as animated Disney hits Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, in addition to the stage musical version (and eventual film version) of Little Shop of Horrors. Ashman had a stellar career even though his life was cut short by AIDS complications; he died at age 40 in 1991. Directed by Don Hahn; streaming on Disney+.

How to Get Away With Murder The TV series How to Get Away With Murder, starring Viola Davis as a brilliant law professor who, with her students, gets involved in a twisted murder plot, is rare among entertainment media in recognizing that HIV is still with us in the 21st century. Conrad Ricamora plays HIV-positive law student Oliver Hampton, and the series is also rare in its depiction of a serodiscordant relationship, in Oliver’s romance with and eventual marriage to Connor Walsh (Jack Falahee). The series concluded this year after six seasons, but you can binge it on DVD, Blu-ray, or a variety of streaming services.

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WELLNESS

BOOKS

Lyrics of My Life: My Journey with Family, HIV, and Reality TV by Branden James (Cleis Press) Operatic tenor Branden James became a finalist on the eighth season of America’s Got Talent in 2013, captivating the judges and the audience with his gorgeous singing voice. But life wasn’t always easy for James, as he reveals in this justpublished memoir. He grew up in a conservative Christian family in Orange County, Calif., and feared he would face not only family rejection but eternal damnation for being gay. The book chronicles how he ultimately accepted his sexuality and his family accepted him — and how he’s dealt with his HIV diagnosis. He’s now making music with his husband, cellist James Clark; they have toured extensively and recently released an album, Chasing Dreams.

A Red Door by Kathryn Jarvis (Black Rose) Kathryn Jarvis learned in the late 1980s that her husband had been unfaithful to her and had contracted HIV, and she worried that she would contract the virus too. Jarvis’s husband was not diagnosed until he had cancer surgery; the hospital had put a red sign on the door to his room indicating a biohazard. Jarvis tells their story with candor and compassion. Her memoir is an honest recounting of anger, betrayal, and loss — but also of resilience and love.

The Journalist of Castro Street: The Life of Randy Shilts by Andrew Stoner (University of Illinois Press) This is the first biography of the man who chronicled the AIDS epidemic in his newspaper reporting and the bestselling book And the Band Played On, and who eventually died of AIDS complications. Stoner offers insight into Shilts’s life and his work as a tenacious and groundbreaking gay journalist, including the controversy surrounding the narrative of “Patient Zero” in And the Band Played On. The biography also covers Shilts’s other acclaimed books: The Mayor of Castro Street, about San Francisco gay politician Harvey Milk, and Conduct Unbecoming, about gay, lesbian, and bisexual military members.

Fag Hags, Divas, and Moms: The Legacy of Straight Women in the AIDS Community by Victoria A. Noe (King Company Publishing) Noe, who worked with several AIDS service organizations in Chicago in the late 1980s and early 1990s, tells the stories of some unsung heroines of the epidemic — the straight women who became involved in the care of people with AIDS, the search for treatments, and political issues around the disease. Her book profiles activists, educators, researchers, caregivers, executives, and artists, giving longoverdue recognition to their contributions. (Noe is a friend of Plus writer and editor Trudy Ring, and Ring is one of the women featured in the book.)

Nurses on the Inside: Stories of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in NYC by Ellen Matzer and Valery Hughes (Tree District Books) Two other heroines, both registered nurses, tell their stories of caring for people with AIDS and remind us that they were among hundreds who delivered such care — and that their patients were a generation lost who deserve to be remembered. Matzer and Hughes show how activists and medical workers came together to fight stigma around the disease and assured that patients could live and die with dignity.

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WELLNESS

PODCASTS Positively Thriving Positively Thriving is billed as “the podcast for people living with HIV by people living with HIV.” It deals with topics such as starting and managing treatment, talking to your doctor, sharing your diagnosis with others, and living well — one of the latter episodes profiles a 93-year-old who’s been living with HIV for more than 20 years. It’s based in the U.K. and sponsored by drugmaker ViiV Healthcare; find episodes at LiVLife.com.

IMAG ES COU RTESY OF PODC ASTS

Positively Speaking Toronto’s Casey House, Canada’s first stand-alone hospital for treatment of HIV, shares diverse and compelling stories of people living with HIV on Positively Speaking. The first season covered subjects including mental health, relationships, housing, and isolation — and members of the podcast team gave a presentation on their work at the 23rd International AIDS Conference in July. More seasons are in development; listen to the first at CaseyHouse.com.

HIV Matters Experts from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine provide medical information in an accessible manner on this podcast, which launched in 2018. Topics include PrEP, participating in research studies, challenges specific to women and people of color, and what to expect in your first doctor visit after testing positive. Episodes are available at MedUNC.edu and on SoundCloud.

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NEW DRUG FIGHTS BACK RESISTANCE

THE FDA APPROVED FOSTEMSAVIR TO BATTLE REGIMEN INTOLERANCE. BY NEAL BROVERMAN T H E U. S . F O O D and Drug Administration approved a new drug in July that combats drug resistance among “heavily treatmentexperienced” HIV-positive people, pharmaceutical company ViiV Healthcare announced. The medication, called fostemsavir and marketed under the name Rukobia, is to be used in combination with other antiretroviral medications and will specifically address those whose regimens are failing because of drug resistance, intolerance, or safety issues. “There is a small group of heavily treatment-experienced adults living with HIV who are not able to maintain viral suppression with currently available medication and, without effective new options, are at great risk of progressing to AIDS,” noted Deborah Waterhouse, CEO of ViiV, which is owned by GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer, in a statement. “The approval of Rukobia is a culmination of incredibly complex research, development, and manufacturing efforts to ensure we leave no person living with HIV behind.” Rukobia is taken twice a day orally. The most common side effect is nausea, and people with hepatitis B or C could experience liver complications. The FDA approved Rukobia following a successful study in which 60 percent of heavily treatment-experienced adults using the medication achieved viral suppression through 96 weeks. The new medication was approved under the FDA’s Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy Designations, which expedites new drugs that treat serious or lifethreatening conditions. The drug is the first one in a new class called attachment inhibitors. “This approval marks a new class of antiretroviral medications that may benefit patients who have run out of HIV treatment options,” Jeff Murray, MD, deputy director of the Division of Antivirals in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. “The availability of new classes of antiretroviral drugs is critical for heavily treatment-experienced patients living with multidrug-resistant HIV infection — helping people living with hard-to-treat HIV who are at greater risk for HIV-related complications to potentially live longer, healthier lives.” It’s not clear when exactly Rukobia will be available to the public, but the approval was a huge step toward that goal.

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IS A POSSIBLE CURE IN SIGHT? A RECENT CONFERENCE REVEALED A MAN POTENTIALLY “CLEARED OF HIV,” AMONG OTHER HOPEFUL NEWS.

THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS Conference went virtual this year, but some major news still came out of it, including the case of a person achieving “clearance of HIV,” another way of talking about those who appear cured, but who may only be in remission and could later relapse. The 23rd such conference was to be held in the San Francisco Bay Area (a location considered controversial when it was announced, because Trump-era travel bans would limit accessibility), but went online due to the pandemic. Thousands of attendees tuned in from around the world. The biggest news they heard was about a Brazilian man dubbed the “São Paulo patient,” who appears to have achieved longterm HIV remission through treatment with antiretroviral drugs alone, the first to do so. Two other people, in London and Berlin, have achieved such remission with a bone marrow transplant from donors with a genetic mutation that produces immunity to HIV — a procedure 22

PE XELS

BY TRUDY RING

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too costly and risky (and not always effective) to be widely used. The Brazilian man was diagnosed with HIV in 2012, then entered a clinical trial in 2016 in which he received three drugs for 48 weeks on top of his routine antiretroviral therapy. Two of the three, maraviroc and nicotinamide, are believed to bring HIV out of hiding in reservoirs in the body so that other drugs can kill it. He continued taking his regular meds after the trial but quit them in March 2019. Many people with HIV achieve an undetectable level of the virus while taking their meds, but he has remained undetectable even after stopping. Doctors expect viral loads to rebound after antiretroviral therapy ceases. But his hasn’t. Blood tests detect no HIV or antibodies to it, said researchers from the Federal University of São Paulo. The researchers noted that the results are still preliminary, and others emphasized that it’s too early to say the man has been cured of HIV. The virus could be hiding in some areas of his body, such as lymph nodes, and independent blood tests might show something different from what the university team found. “These are exciting findings, but they’re very preliminary,” Dr. Monica Gandhi, one of the conference’s organizers, who was not involved in the Brazil study, told The New York Times. She added, “It’s one patient, so I think we can’t say we can achieve remission this way.” Other findings that excited conference attendees included the final results of a study of long-acting injectable cabotegravir for preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. In a threeyear study of about 4,500 gay and bisexual men and transgender women, the drug proved to be effective in preventing them from acquiring HIV. About half the group took approved PrEP drug Truvada daily for prevention and half received cabotegravir injections every two months. There were fewer infections in the cabotegravir group than in the Truvada group. “To have another option for people who are challenged by pill taking, who find it stigmatizing to take pills, who forget to take pills due to other priorities or limited access to contexts in which they can take pills, is tremendously exciting,” researcher Raphael Landovitz of the University of California, Los Angeles, said at a press conference. ViiV Healthcare, the maker of cabotegravir, is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval of the medication for both prevention and treatment of HIV.

Other drugs under study that were discussed at the conference included vesatolimod, which is classified as a toll-like receptor-7 agonist — meaning, in plain language, that it binds to a certain receptor on cells and stimulates a response by the immune system. This activity can draw out latent HIV hiding in reservoirs in the body so that other drugs can work against the virus. Researchers said it has shown limited but promising results in studies on both monkeys and humans. Scientists also reported positive results with islatravir, the first in a new class of drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitors, when combined with doravirine, a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor sold under the brand name Pifeltro. They found that this two-drug regimen worked as well as a three-drug one in suppressing HIV and was well-tolerated, so it may offer a new, simplified treatment option. Little progress on vaccines was noted at the conference, but the biotech firm Moderna did present information on a vaccine it has tested in monkeys. It intends for the vaccine to help the immune system recognize the largest number of HIV variants; some vaccines have failed because they recognize too few. The Moderna vaccine was able to make the monkeys’ immune systems respond at least somewhat to most variants, and scientists plan to refine it further. Finally, another study provided a reminder that homophobia has not gone away and that it makes it harder to fight HIV. Among gay and bisexual men in sub-Saharan Africa, those in countries with severe punishment for same-sex relations were five times as likely to have HIV than those in nations with no criminalization, according to researcher Carrie Lyons of Johns Hopkins University. Those in countries that penalize such activity less harshly were two times as likely to have the virus, compared to those who live where there is no criminalization, she reported. Criminalization of same-sex activity makes it more difficult for gay and bi men to access HIV prevention services, and in some cases these services aren’t available at all or organizations can offer only very limited help, noted Lyons, who previously did a similar study of female sex workers indicating that criminalization heightens HIV risk. “Decriminalization of consensual same-sex sexual practices is necessary to optimize HIV prevention efforts and ultimately address the HIV epidemic,” she concluded. H IVPLUS MAG .CO M

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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci leaves after a briefing of the White House Coronavirus Task Force

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THE DOCTOR IS IN DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, THE NATIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST RESPECTED DOCTOR, ON BATTLING TWO PANDEMICS.

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BY JOHN CASE Y

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DE AN N E FITZMAU RICE / TH E SAN FR ANCISCO CH RONICLE VIA G E T T Y IMAG ES; OPPOSITE: MAN DEL NGAN/AFP VIA G E T T Y IMAG ES

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who became director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 1984, attends the 1989 National AIDS Update Conference

is no one more suited to discuss the early days of the AIDS epidemic and these initial days of COVID-19 than Dr. Anthony Fauci, whose name and background need no introduction. He is a Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, has been dubbed “America’s doctor,” and is arguably the world’s leading authority on infectious diseases, epidemics, and pandemics. So when offered the opportunity to speak with Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, I naturally chose to talk about some of the similar obstacles, hindrances, and threats he’s experienced in fighting both HIV and COVID-19. During an interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace this summer, Donald Trump called Fauci “an alarmist.” I asked Fauci if anyone had called him that before. “You know, in the beginning of what is now known as AIDS, I wrote an article in the fall of 1981 for a medical journal, just a couple months after the first cases were recognized,” he said during a phone conversation from his office at the National Institutes of Health. “In that article, I said anyone who thinks this outbreak, which was then known as GRID [gayrelated immune deficiency], will stay confined to a group of individuals doesn’t have any evidence to back that up. I felt that the virus could

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Dr. Fauci speaks to President Barack Obama during a tour of the vaccine research center at the National Institutes of Health in 2014

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NIAID director Anthony Fauci and Sir Elton John attend a syringe access fundraiser in 2012

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very likely explode into a very serious outbreak. In fact, to my dismay or horror, that’s what happened. But when that article was published, some people did indeed call me an alarmist.” There’s been so much talk recently about the intersection of politics and science. We’ve seen how stupid political decisions were made over sound science by Republican governors who rushed through phases of regulations to open their states early, all in an attempt to appease their president. And politics most assuredly hovered over the early days of the AIDS epidemic. “Indeed, politics did step in the way of science back in the 1980s, but it was a different kind of politics,” Fauci observed. “There wasn’t necessarily the divisiveness that we see now in our political landscape today. Back then, the federal government, particularly the first term of the Reagan administration, didn’t recognize or even pay attention to the importance of the emerging AIDS outbreak. There was a lot of stigma, because the disease mostly and severely affected the gay population during an administration that was very conservative. At that time, the gay community was not readily accepted as an important political group, as they are now, and thank God that’s changed dramatically over the years.” Over the last few months, plenty has been written about masks being the new condoms in terms of helping protect against contracting a virus; however, the battle raging between mask wearers and those who won’t wear them because of their civil liberties isn’t the first time that a fight broke out about using protection.

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“That’s true, and in the very early years of the AIDS outbreak, some gay men, not all, but some, thought that recommendations to use condoms was infringing upon their sexual freedoms,” Fauci recalled. “What they didn’t appreciate, that was very clear, was that the virus was spreading through sexual contact. They were protesting condoms at a time when there was little known about this particular virus and no treatments available to even remotely combat it.” There has been so much controversy surrounding hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. I asked Fauci if there was also controversy around the introduction of AZT. “It’s a totally different situation,” Fauci explained. “AZT was the first drug that clearly showed some efficacy against HIV, so even though it had some terrible side effects, the virus itself was much, much worse than the drug. The drug prolonged, not for a long time, but prolonged the life of the individuals who were HIV-infected.” “The argument about hydroxychloroquine has been rapidly settled,” he continued. “Several clinical trials have proven that the drug isn’t effective against the coronavirus. So you’re really comparing apples and oranges. AZT was a very big advance because it was the only drug at the time that showed efficacy against HIV and AIDS. Hydroxychloroquine does not have any effect against coronavirus.” In terms of a drug or vaccine for COVID-19, there have already been promising clinical trials on numerous treatments. I wondered why it seems much easier to develop a COVID vaccine than one for HIV. “That’s a very good question, and I’m glad you asked that,” Fauci said. “The success of a vaccine development is really predicated on whether the body is capable of making an immune response against the particular

U.S. President George W. Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Anthony Fauci on June 19, 2008 during ceremonies at the White House in Washington, D.C.

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virus in question. With HIV, it’s extremely unique among virtually any virus in that the body just does not make an adequate immune response against it.” To Fauci, that is what’s so particularly troubling about HIV, because one of the predicates of vaccinology is that if you can mimic natural infection in a vaccine and get the body to develop a similar, natural infection, you have a very good chance of getting a good vaccine. “In order to get an HIV vaccine, you would need one that does almost better than a natural infection,” Fauci explained. “The human body makes a very good immune response to polio, smallpox, and measles, for example. And coronavirus is somewhat similar to these viruses, because we know that the body can make a good immune response against COVID. The vast majority of people who get infected with coronavirus clear the infection by making a good response. The same cannot be said for HIV.” Since the viruses seem so different on many levels, I asked Fauci what might be the strongest common denominator between the early days of AIDS and these initial days of COVID-19. “Both infections are heavily influenced by behavior,” Fauci replied without missing a beat. “It was clear during the early years of AIDS that acquisition or transmission of HIV was by behavior. [Defenses against the virus included] not having lots of sex partners. Using condoms. Knowing the status of your sexual partners.” “Today, with a completely different virus, behavioral components still dictate whether or not you put yourself at risk of infection. Wearing a mask, avoiding crowds, keeping physical distance of at least six feet, and washing hands. Both of these viruses involve common sense about avoiding infections.” And speaking of common sense, I asked Fauci if he had a message to the part of the LGBTQ+ community that has been photographed partying on Fire Island during the summer. “Be careful! I know this time of year involves fun at the beach, but this is not a trivial infection,” Fauci warned. “You don’t want to put yourself into a situation where you irresponsibly pass it on to someone at a high risk of getting sick. Stay safe. It’s up to you. The gay community has been through a terrible scourge of HIV, so don’t put yourself in danger of getting sick from another virus that has thrust itself upon us.” What was once thrust upon Fauci was the radical Larry Kramer. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, the combative Kramer famously called Fauci “an incompetent idiot.” More recently, presidential adviser Peter Navarro said Fauci has been “wrong about everything.” I told Fauci I didn’t think that it was very fair to Larry to be compared to Navarro, and he laughed. “Larry was iconic, and he fought vigorously for what he called ‘his people,’” Fauci remembered. “He frightened anyone in the scientific community, in the government, and anyone who he thought wasn’t doing enough about AIDS.” “And yes, he had it in for me because I was a scientist and a part of the government. But I started listening to him, and what he said was true. So one day I called him and asked him to tell me more. We started out as adversaries, then advocates for the same cause — we were both after the same thing — and later became acquaintances and friends. Towards the end of his life, we got very close, and I think you can say that Larry and I both loved each other.” Given his unbridled dedication, bold perseverance through so much trauma and sickness, and relentless pursuit of cures, I think we can all agree with Larry that we love Dr. Fauci too. 30

JOHN CASEY is a PR professional and an adjunct professor at Wagner College in New York City, and a frequent columnist for The Advocate, a sister publication of Plus. (@johntcaseyjr)

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Fauci, wearing a Washington Nationals mask during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in June 2020

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BY MIKELLE STREET

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BOOMER BANKS IS A SUCCESSFUL FASHION DESIGNER AND ADULT FILM STAR LIVING WITH HIV WHO ALSO FINDS FULFILLMENT HELPING OTHERS WHO STRUGGLED AS HE ONCE DID.

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“When people of color speak out, we’re angry,” Banks says. “People were always saying stuff like ‘Boomer, you’re too fucking loud. Calm down.’ This movement [today] isn’t about me, and I don’t want to say it is — my experience as a man of color is not the experience of a Black man — but I’ve been talking about this stuff for a long time; it’s not new for me.”

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Boomer Banks

moved to New York City for a career in the fashion industry. In Los Angeles, he had made an impression working in a flagship store of the French brand Catherine Malandrino. So when that location closed in 2011, the ambitious young man, then 31, packed up his things and moved across the country to continue his career at one of the designer’s stores in New York. “The goal was always to move to New York,” Banks says. “Every vision board I ever had there were photos of [New York landmarks]. So the plan was to move to New York and intern part-time [in the studio] and work parttime at one of the stores.” Getting brought into the stores happened easily, given Banks’s success on the West Coast. The compliments and recognition for his work ethic began to roll in, but the offer to intern at the studio did not. Then Malandrino sold 75 percent of the brand amid financial troubles caused by the recession. And while the company was happy to keep him on, the allure was gone for Banks. So he did what any true New Yorker does when they’re down to the wire: He hustled and made it work. Picking up a few fashion retail gigs, sewing gowns for drag performers like Miss Fame, Chi Chi LaRue, and Sister Roma, and even doing a little go-go dancing, Banks did whatever he could to stay in the city. He hosted events and parties at Cafeteria and was one of the first dancers for Frankie Sharp’s Westgay party. This foray into nightlife brought with it photographers, hoping to shoot this new face on the scene, both in and out of clothes, which led into escorting and finally into adult films. Now Banks does it all: He is a designer, adult performer, activist, and nightlife personality. He maintains his own chosen family and remains one of America’s most heavily awarded Latinx gay adult performers. He’d previously been called an angry loudmouth by contemporaries as he spoke out on injustices in and out of the adult industry — but many of those voices began to speak in similar tones this summer with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement and related uprisings. In many ways, Banks is just getting started. Before he became Boomer, Banks was born in Quiroga, Michoacán, a rural Mexican town of fewer than 15,000 people. “The biggest reference that people have of Michoacán is either the drug lords or that it’s the place that monarch butterflies go for the winter,” says Banks, who was the only child of a single mother. His father died in a car crash during the pregnancy. Banks wasn’t in the town for long. A year after giving birth, his mom, who was a seamstress, picked up and moved the two to Los Angeles’s San Fernando Valley. The move was one of many in Banks’s early life, as the pair bounced around L.A. County. This didn’t make for lasting friendships with peers, but it turned Banks into quite the independent kid. “My only role model was my mother, this very feminine woman with long beautiful locks and fair skin,” Banks explains. His mother died at age 42 of cirrhosis of the liver, caused by alcoholism. “So I grew up very effeminate and unapologetic about it. When she passed away and I

went to live with family, they didn’t know what to do with this very unapologetically queer boy. That was more important to them than the fact that I was a 14-year-old who had just lost a mother.” This refusal to accept Banks’s femininity and queerness caused a long-standing rift between the performer and his family, some of whom refused to accept him once he moved to Santa Barbara, Calif., to live with them. Once a cousin informed the family that Banks was living as an out gay teen at school, an ultimatum was presented. Banks left home after graduating at 18. “I thought I would be off to the horse races,” he says. “Really, it was off to the donkey races.” After graduation, he tried a dance program at a college in Santa Maria, Calif. After dropping out, Banks moved to Los Angeles in 1999 with $187 in his pocket. When his living arrangements didn’t work out, he found himself sleeping on sidewalks. The people who cared for him were drag performers and trans women. “They would see this little skinny Mexican walking around and be like, ‘Where are you going? Are you working the Boulevard?’” he recalls. This would turn into offers for him to sleep on their couches. “I never felt remotely sexualized. They just cared, and in the times I ever felt genuine hunger and didn’t know where my next meal was going to come from, a trans woman or a drag queen would ask, ‘Are you hungry?’” On New Year’s Day 2001, Banks became incredibly sick. He was experiencing flu-like symptoms but didn’t want to go to the hospital. He waited, but in a few days he started to feel razor blades in his chest whenever he breathed, and he checked himself in. While doctors scrambled to find something to fight what they assumed was a bacterial infection — Banks is allergic to both penicillin and sulfa drugs — he asked for an HIV test. It came back positive, and he had only 11 T cells left, so he received an AIDS diagnosis as well. “When my results came back, the only thing I kept saying was that I hoped my partner didn’t have it,” he recalls. The partner was also tested and received a positive result. Banks believes his illness progressed as a result of his rampant drug use, which had begun about two years earlier. By the time he sought treatment, his lungs were struggling under an opportunistic infection, causing that feeling of razor blades. He was kept in the facility for a month. “People talk about all these symptoms of coronavirus right now, and it really reminds me of when I was sick: no taste, no smell, the coughing,” Banks explains. And while for many, a diagnosis can be a significant turning point, when he was released from the hospital, Banks went back to using and wouldn’t get completely sober from crystal meth until 2004, when he was arrested in a raid of his dealer’s home. The arrest was the wake-up call he needed and set the performer on a new trajectory. This July marked 16 years of sobriety. But in that almost two decades of time, Banks has changed a lot. He’s now a dad to a year-old puppy, Buster, and father to his fashion line BANKKS, which started after a 2017 collaboration with Brooklyn-based designer Bcalla. And he’s the father of his porn family, H IVPLUS MAG .CO M

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“When my mother passed away and I went to live with family,” Boomer recalls, “they didn’t know what to do with this very unapologetically queer boy.”

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After a collaboration with Bcalla, the multi hyphenate launched BANKKS, his genderless fashion label of hoodies, slit dresses, and trousers, with designer Kristin Keenan.

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the Haus of Banks, which includes Calvin, Beaux, Brock, and Boy Banks. His busy, ongoing, and heavily awarded adult career began with Raging Stallion’s Timberwolves, shot on his birthday seven years ago. It received a sequel of sorts in Blood Moon: Timberwolves in 2019. But when the original was released, a blog ran an article outing his poz status. “It was this really nasty story,” Banks says. The blogger had found an old Next Magazine cover Banks had done for World AIDS Day — after turning his life around, Banks had become a vocal HIV activist — and ran it alongside his legal name as well as details from his escorting account available online. “I started getting all of these messages and people who followed me all started getting these messages of like, ‘You know he has AIDS, right? You’re giving your clients AIDS.’” “For whatever reason, this [writer] thought it was their right to tell my story,” he continues. And while that blog post is likely long forgotten by the internet, it’s clear that it still weighs on the star years later, who drops his voice when the subject comes up. These are the personal ramifications of internet trolls who ignore facts and science in favor of spreading hate into what they pretend is a void. Banks has long maintained an undetectable status and therefore cannot transmit HIV, and he informs his sex partners of his status beforehand. Banks’s reaction to his status outing contrasts with the vocal, confident presence his followers encounter online. There, he pushes back on stigmatizing language and regularly educates followers on sexual health information like undetectable equals untransmittable, or U=U. But it’s expanded outside of that, discussing sexual racism as well as institutional racism both in the porn industry and outside of it. He has called out performers like Antonio Biaggi for their racist comments and gone so far as to criticize studios for their lack of diversity. And though in the past he had been dismissed by some of his peers, now those comments take on greater potency given the social climate. “When people of color speak out, we’re angry,” Banks says. “People were always saying stuff like ‘Boomer, you’re too fucking loud. Calm down.’ This movement [today] isn’t about me, and I don’t want to say it is — my experience as a man of color is not the experience of a Black man — but I’ve been talking about this stuff for a long time; it’s not new for me.” Still, it’s important to the star that he not center himself in today’s conversation, but instead learn from and shine a spotlight on Black communities and the issues that impact them. While this fall he plans to do a second push of product through BANKKS — which itself was created in collaboration with the Phluid Project, a retailer that works beyond the gender binary and puts social justice at its forefront — he also plans to recommit himself to helping those who aided him when he needed it. He has been planning a series of benefits for organizations like the Okra Project and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts, two organizations that assist Black trans folks. “My biggest thing right now is I want to help Black trans women and Black queer and nonbinary folks,” he says. “It’s hard for me to see these nonqueer people attack any of us, so I’m going to use my platform and do whatever I can to protect our community.” 38

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The Current State of Bisexuality

champion gymnast Luke Strong and Avery Wilson, a performer from The Voice, both came out as bisexual in July, it was heralded as a watershed moment for bi male visibility. HIV activist Khafre Abif (above) saw it differently, telling Plus that bisexual men like him are looking for transformative changes in how they are viewed and treated. “While I welcome the visibility their coming out brings to the collective community of bisexuals, I feel being a celebrity in many 40

ways can serve as a buffer to the everyday noise many bisexuals experience from the communities around us,” he says. “I think we have a long way to go before male bisexuality will become more accepted.” Abif, a librarian and archivist who first found activism as a Florida college student protesting South African apartheid, is tired of his community being a joke, afterthought, or scapegoat. When people throw misconceptions at him about bisexual men lying about their attraction to women or maliciously spreading STIs, he has a quick response. “I simply say, ‘I have been living with HIV for 31 years and I have been out as a bisexual man for more than 30 years. I have been open and honest with the women and men in my life throughout these years as I stand in my truth. My sexuality has nothing to do with my ability to be in and maintain a monogamous relationship.... The science and my lived experience are proof that bisexual men are not the drivers of the rates of HIV among women.” The idea that HIV-positive bisexual men carelessly spread the virus to female partners is a myth, M. Reuel Friedman, Ph.D., previously told Plus. Friedman helped author a study about HIV-positive men who have sex with both men and women. “Our meta-analysis shows that bisexually behaving men are significantly more likely than heterosexually behaving men to have HIV but significantly less likely than gay-behaving men to have HIV,” Friedman said, estimating there are over 120,000 HIV-positive bisexual men in the U.S. In both LGTQ+ culture and mainstream society, the experiences of men who are attracted to partners from more than one gender are frequently erased or simply lumped together with those of gay men. National Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day is a

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Bi men, including those living with HIV, remain misunderstood and discounted by society. BY NEAL BROVERMAN

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glaring example; bi men don’t warrant part of the day’s name, but the Centers for Disease Control describes the observance, held every September 27, as one to “to direct attention to the continuing and disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on gay and bisexual men in the United States.” Abif says attitudes will not change until bisexual men not only come out but begin sharing their truth with people not familiar with the concept of bisexuality. “The ways in which most people receive their messages about bisexuality comes from media and folks who are not bisexual,” Abif says. “As long as the voices and experiences of bisexual men are not centered in the discussion of sexuality, we will continue to have widespread ignorance about those experiences.” Abif counts activists like Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and A. Billy S. Jones-Hennin as his bi heroes. For those who want to honor their work and the achievements of the oftenneglected bisexual community, Abif says it’s as simple as adding a few words to a sentence. “Saying, ‘Black gay and bisexual men living with HIV’ is just as simple as saying, ‘Black gay men living with HIV,’” Abif argues. To find out more about Abif’s work, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @CornbreadFish.

Avery Wilson performed on The Voice before coming out as bi this summer.

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Gymnast Luke Strong came out as bisexual earlier this year.

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PIT CREW MEMBER TRAVIS L’HENAFF IS USING THE PLATFORM CANADA’S DRAG RACE GIVES HIM TO

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EDUCATE PEOPLE ON U=U. I’VE BEEN MODELING for a while now, but I’ve really been working in nightlife more recently, hosting parties and stuff. COVID has really rocked all of that. With Canada’s Drag Race, a bunch of people had messaged me that I should try auditioning for the Pit Crew. I just forwarded it to my agency, and it ended up working out. It’s kind of surreal because I ended up getting really close with the other guys on the Pit Crew. Plus, I’ve known Brooke Lynn Hytes, Stacey McKenzie, and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, who are the judges, for a long time. I’ve been watching Drag Race since season one, so I was really happy for all of my friends to have this platform to be able to show their excellence. A lot of them are really, really good at what they do and I feel like in Canada, creative industries don’t have a lot of self-confidence. So having a show that already has a huge following is helpful. The day of the casting for Pit Crew I thought I wasn’t going to get it because everyone was ripped and beautiful and we were all in our underpants. Having watched Drag Race before, I didn’t think that I was hot enough to be on it. When I saw my friend, Mina Gerges [the show’s first plus-size model], at the casting I got really excited because this would be a different version, and the producers were interested in celebrating more variety in the idea of beauty. This has given us all new followers, and it’s nice that when I decide to have conversations about things that are important to me there is more reaction. I’m someone that has dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts, but when I first got diagnosed with HIV and saw the cost of my prescription, it really impacted me to see that because of how health care works here, that everyone in Canada is paying into me staying well. At that time, I didn’t even know what I was doing with my life so it really pushed me to change some things. I went through a psychiatric evaluation and decided I wanted to contribute in a positive way in the future. It’s disappointing that it took me becoming HIVpositive to make that decision, but I made it.

Shortly after my diagnosis, I had a lot of doctor’s appointments and I missed one. I was really apologetic and was really beating myself up about it, especially since I was getting it all for free. My doctor really calmed me down and explained that there are a lot of appointments and that there’s an anxiety around it all because you’re taking care of your health on a level you probably never have before. So there’s times where you maybe want a day off from appointments. When that happened, I decided that something I wanted to do, when I was in a better place, was to help keep people accountable and help them get to their appointments. It’s just one of those things that can be a barrier to taking care of your own health. The first thing I did after I found out my status — after I told my partner — was I reached out to every person living with HIV that I was close with. They helped me get some of the best help in the country. That ended up being another thing where I [thought], Something has to come of this when I’m ready. I have to pay this forward. When the Undetectable Equals Untransmittable campaign here in Canada reached out to me to be involved, I thought it was amazing! It’s something that I found important and is the direction I wanted to start going in. I got invited to all of these little knowledge sessions about U=U and I talked to a lot of doctors and specialists. The whole process made me realize I have to be my own health advocate and even stand up to people smarter than me when it comes to medicine, because they may not know the specifics of HIV. But part of me doing the campaign was so I could post it publicly and let people know that I am willing to go with them to their appointments if they need — and I’ve done so for people in Toronto. I’m also just there to give advice, and I’ll ask other people I know if there’s something I don’t. I want that to be a part of my life moving forward. It’s just helpful to have someone in your corner who knows a little bit when you’re trying to navigate the health care system. The thing about HIV is, it impacts you in a lot of different ways. For me, it affected my intimacy with my partner because I was so obsessed with my viral load count all the time. I was expecting that if I got a cold or something that my numbers would climb and I would accidentally infect him. As someone who already had issues around my sexuality and intimacy, this added another level that I hadn’t expected. But once I learned things it made me more comfortable, so I want to help others in learning that information. I haven’t had a lot of this but it’s happening now because I have more followers — but people shame me on the internet for things to do with my status. I always take the opportunity to be a bit kinder and to share links. With people like that it’s not always worth it to have a discussion, but it’s helpful to share the information. I always reiterate that this is decades-long research and that their feelings are definitely valid but sharing incorrect information impacts people like myself who are living with HIV every day. H IVPLUS MAG .CO M

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8 EASY STEPS TO CALM YOUR NERVES TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR WORRIES BEFORE THEY CONTROL YOU. BY GA RY M CC L A I N

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“I’m worried.”

How often have you said that? Been saying it more recently, as we navigate this pandemic? Worry is part of life. In fact, I recently read about a study that found people worry on the average of about an hour a day. When something is important to us, we worry. We worry about ourselves. We worry about our loved ones. We worry about the world. And if you’re living with a chronic condition like HIV, then chances are you also worry from time to time about health-related concerns. You may worry that you’ll forget to take your medication. You may worry what your doctor is going to say at your next appointment. You may worry how you’re going to feel if you get a cold. And, if you are like many of us, you may also be worrying about COVID-19. WHAT, ME WORRY? WELL, ACTUALLY, YES! You may be thinking, Isn’t worry the same thing as being anxious? Actually not. Here are some of the characteristics of worry: • Worry doesn’t interfere with your life or stop you from doing what you need to do. • Worry is unpleasant, but it doesn’t overwhelm you. • Worry is usually related to something specific, like an upcoming event or a potential occurrence. • Worry usually comes and goes. It’s temporary. • Anxiety, on the other hand, lasts a lot longer, hours, days, or more. Often people who are feeling anxious don’t connect their anxious feelings with a specific event or concern. The anxiety is just there. And anxiety is often accompanied by other symptoms, such as a headache, trouble sleeping, and inability to relax, among others. • Worrying can lead to high anxiety over time.

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So why worry? Because you’re human. But that doesn’t mean you have to live the life of a worrywart. Here’s what you can do to tame those troubling thoughts: Put names on your worries. OK, so you’re worried. What are you worried about? Something you might do or not do, or that might or might not happen? Identify your worries rather than letting them float around like dark clouds. It might help to make a list of all the things that are worrying you. Identify the possible outcomes. Take a moment and think about how each of the things you are worried about might turn out. An easy way to do it is to play some “what if” games with your worries by finishing this

sentence for each one: “If _________ (your worry goes here), then _________might happen.” Keep in mind that each of your worries may have more than one potential outcome, some worse than others. Consider all the possibilities. Who knows, once you take a close look at the outcomes, you may decide you have less reason to worry. Consider the solutions. Now that you’ve identified the potential outcomes of whatever it is that’s worrying you, then it’s time to take a look at solutions. Time to consider that sentence completion technique again: “If _________ happens, then I can _________.” Of course, some of the solutions may be easier than others. But at least by thinking through the alternatives, you have a better idea of what you might be up against and where you may need to put your energies. But what if you’re not sure how you would begin to figure out a solution? Accept that life is uncertain. A main cause of worrying is the dislike of uncertainty that pretty much all of us humans have in common. We want to know how life is going to turn out. And we want to be in control of how that happens. But we’re not in control. Life feels a lot more manageable when you accept that you can’t control the future. With this acceptance, what you can control becomes a whole lot clearer. Talk to yourself. A little pep talk, a few words of encouragement, can make a lot of difference when you’re caught up in worrying. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can. Review what you’ve done in the past when you’ve had a similar worry. Recite any words of wisdom you’ve heard or read to help to calm you down and to inspire you to keep going. Throw in some tough love. By the way, worrying doesn’t stop bad things from happening. Just saying. Say it out loud. Expose your worries to the light of day. Sit down with a friend and share what’s on your mind. An objective viewpoint can give you some needed perspective. So reach out for support! Make use of your worry. One way to avoid worried thoughts is to stay on top of your selfcare regimen. If you’re doing what you need to do, then there’s one less thing to worry about. Right? It’s only human to worry. But you don’t have to give in to those worried thoughts. Stare them down. Break them down. Accept what you can and can’t control. Focus on what’s possible.

GARY MCCLAIN is a psychotherapist, patient advocate, and author in New York City who specializes in working with individuals diagnosed with chronic and catastrophic medical conditions. (JustGotDiagnosed.com)

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TURNING TRAUMA INTO ACTION TYLER HURT HAS SEEN TOUGH TIMES AND HE’S USING THE EXPERIENCE TO HELP OTHERS NOW

the first to admit he hasn’t always proudly stood strong in his convictions. Born in Las Vegas, Hurt had moved to Orlando, Fla., as a young adult. After a number of tumultuous years, Hurt’s life took a positive, if unlikely, detour. “I wanted to just love my body,” Hurt recalls. At the time, he says he was approached by a photographer who was working on a nude photo series. Hurt offered the lensman a trade-off; he’d do it if he could keep some of the images to send to adult producers. The photo series ended up changing his life, but not in the way he’d anticipated. “That series showed me things I’ve never seen before,” Hurt recalls. “It showed me vulnerability and strength in my own skin — all at the same time.” Upon receiving the photos, the young man was so inspired that he decided to post them on social media instead. He displayed his own truth for the world to see with captions including, “I’m HIV-positive and I’m beautiful” and “I have a mental illness and I am beautiful.” He says the images inspired him to be known in the gay community as simply, “the naked guy.” The social encouragement Hurt received acted as a balm for the years of fear, pain, and isolation he felt while on a search for his purpose. After high school, Hurt admits he sunk into a deep depression, which led him to issues with drugs and alcohol. It was during this time that he contracted HIV, and discovered his positive diagnosis at 21 years old. In Florida, second in the nation among new HIV cases, that’s not a surprise. And Orange County, where Orlando is located, ranks third in the state after Miami-Dade and Broward counties. One-quarter of those new cases each year are among people ages 13-24. “It’s not that I wanted to become HIV-positive,” he says now of former self-harming behaviors. “It was because… I felt isolated in the community. I felt isolated by my own family. I felt isolated from everything.”

T YLER HURT IS

After finally finding a therapist he was comfortable with, Hurt says he’s since been able to work through a lot of his past traumas. As a freelance marketing coordinator for Impulse Orlando, an organization focused on educating gay and bi men about HIV prevention and safer-sex practices, Hurt uses his story to encourage others to find clarity in their pain. At Impulse, men are urged to know their status, get tested, and if positive, get on treatment. (Read more about Orlando’s HIV resources on page 15.) Those living with HIV can become undetectable on treatment and thus unable to transmit HIV to others. The Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U) effort is becoming a universal goal for both health care providers and people living with HIV. Hurt previously organized Kamp!, an HIV advocacy weekend event that aimed to destigmatize the kink community in the sexual health sphere. He also often works with other groups still marginalized among many sexual health educators. Through his work and activism, Hurt is making a change for the rest of his community. “I aim to bring more light for those who feel isolated so that they don’t walk down the same path,” he says. Find out more about U=U and what that means for you, visit HIVPlusMag.com/UU

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This article is part of the Positive U series, a component of U=U & U, Pride Media’s year-long initiative to get the word out about HIV prevention, treatment, and testing, especially the groundbreaking news that people living with HIV who have undetectable viral loads can no longer transmit HIV.

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STAFFORD HOUSE (MIRACLEOFLOVEINC.ORG)

ORLANDO’S BEST HIV RESOURCES AMERICA’S VACATION CITY MAY HAVE HIGHER DIAGNOSES RATES, BUT IT ALSO HAS MANY SERVICES THAT CAN HELP. HIV is full of misconceptions, which is why it’s important to lead with facts first. And the fact of the matter is that people living with HIV who are undetectable and on continued treatment cannot pass the virus to anyone, including sexual partners. That fact is reflected in the scientific consensus, undetectable equals untransmittable (U=U). While HIV treatment and prevention are critical, Southern states have been hardest hit by lack of access to care. But many local organizations in Orlando, Fla., are trying to fill the gaps. Orlando has one of the highest rates of HIV in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the skyrocketing numbers, the Orlando community has embraced many nonprofits and advocates on a local level. Tyler Hurt is one of those people pushing for more inclusion and HIV awareness in his city. As a freelance marketing coordinator for Impulse Orlando, an organization focusing on educating gay and bi men about HIV prevention and safer sex practices, Hurt knows all too well the uphill climb the city is treading. In August of last year, Hurt organized Kamp!, an HIV advocacy weekend sponsored by Impulse Orlando, which aimed to destigmatize the kink community in the sexual health sphere. The weekend included Kink 101 courses, nightly shenanigans, and of course, a deep dive into HIV education. “I was someone who wanted to see more kink-inclusion, so we created an entire event around kink reliability,” Hurt explains. Hurt tells Plus there are plenty of events and spaces in Orlando for HIV education to flourish. Check out some of the city’s annual health events, testing sites, and nonprofits that are putting their money where their mouth is, including these: BROS IN CONVO INITIATIVE (MIRACLEOFLOVE.ORG/BROSINCONVO)

Created by Daniel Downer, Bros in Convo is a grassroots initiative empowering young bisexual, gay, and same-gender-loving men of color in central Florida to live their best and healthiest lives. In collaboration with the Human Rights Campaign and Miracle of Love Inc., the initiative initially launched a six-month sexual health and wellness program that provided young men of color at risk or living with HIV access to HIV prevention and treatment services, education, and referrals to community resources and support services. Several other projects followed, including workshops focused on empowering, engaging, and supporting young men of color to use their voice through voting and a partnership with Equality Florida on a five-week HIV advocacy internship.

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MIRACLE OF LOVE (MIRACLEOFLOVE.ORG)

Miracle of Love is a nonprofit that provides comprehensive, multicultural HIV care, education, testing, and prevention services that are responsive to the central Florida communities. To date, it’s had a drastic impact on the community of Orlando and has branched off to create other initiatives and programs.

A social connection center created by Miracle of Love, Stafford House is a safe space “drop-in” center for marginalized youth looking for a place where they feel a sense of belonging instead of discrimination and alienation. The center provides a space where youth can meet and discuss life issues, giving them the necessary tools to be empowered. Stafford House provides support for life skills development by offering a computer lab, resource area, and various workshops. Some activities include movie night, karaoke, kickball, softball, games nights, and other daily activities. There’s programming for adults as well. Last Easter, Stafford House organized an adult Easter egg hunt, putting different sex-related objects in plastic Easter eggs — all of which inspired participants to talk about sex while having fun. GAY DAYS AT DISNEY WORLD (GAYDAYS.COM)

Nearly 180,000 LGBTQ+ folks have gathered at Walt Disney World Resort in years past for its annual Gay Days. A celebration that began in 1991, the August event blankets the park in a sea of red (participants wear the color red usually). Among the many inclusive events timed to Gay Days — such as an adults-only experience, a two-spirit trans lounge, and pool parties — HIV organizations and activists also set up camp to educate participants about prevention tools. Check the website listed above for COVID-19-related updates. TEST FOR TICKETS (IMPULSEORLANDO.ORG)

Test for Tickets is a quarterly event hosted by Impulse Orlando. This October, the organization sets up a booth and testing truck outside Stonewall Orlando where volunteers and workers give people HIV tests throughout the weekend. In the end, people can sign up to win concert tickets. LGBT+ CENTER ORLANDO (THECENTERORLANDO.ORG)

Founded in 1978, the LGBT Center in Orlando is one of the oldest in America. With free HIV and STI testing every day of the week, it’s become a beacon of refuge for LGBTQ+ folks across the city. With non-stop events on the calendar, the center remains one of central Florida’s best assets. AHF HEALTHCARE CENTER (AIDSHEALTH.ORG)

Committed to providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to people living with HIV, regardless of their ability to pay, AIDS Healthcare Foundation offers easy access to specialists, medications, and services they would need to be healthy and happy living with HIV. HEALTH CARE CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS (HCCH.ORG)

Founded in 1993, the Health Care Center has committed to addressing the health care needs of the uninsured as well as those experiencing homelessness in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. The center has grown to address multiple areas in health care, centralized in its main clinic building located just a few blocks west of downtown Orlando. Find out more about U=U and what that means for you, visit HIVPlusMag.com/UU. H IVPLUS MAG .CO M

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d a i ly d o s e

by t yler curry

PRIVILEGE IN A PANDEMIC YO U WO U L D T H I N K that after almost a decade of writing about my experiences with HIV, I would run out of things to say. And in some ways, I have. My sex life isn’t as salacious and being married with a child doesn’t really prompt conversations about HIV quite like my single years did. But just when I think I’m fresh out of experiences relating to HIV, a pandemic comes along. In short, the HIV-positive experience in a COVID-19 world is pretty confusing. Some experts on the more conservative spectrum of HIV science consider an undetectable person to be at a greater risk of COVID fatality. Others consider an otherwise healthy person with HIV to be at no greater risk because of their status. And there has even been anecdotal evidence to suggest that a person who is compliant with their meds may be at less risk than the general population to experience severe and potentially deadly symptoms. So where does that leave me? Just as freaked out and confused as everyone else trying to navigate the biggest public health crisis of our generation. But what I realized is just how similar the danger of COVID-19 is to the danger of HIV in Donald Trump’s 2020 — it all boils down to your privilege. Since the pandemic began, I have been able to work from home, collect a paycheck, keep my insurance, and fill my prescriptions without even a flicker of worry that all of those things could be taken away. In managing my HIV, these luxuries have 48

allowed me to grapple with more nuanced topics related to sex, dating, and relationships. Just as some can’t afford to lose their jobs (even those that expose them to the virus) or their child care; many others with HIV can’t afford access to even basic care — leaving them exposed and at risk for health issues that should be a thing of the past. In this country, you can only be as healthy as you are rich. To be living with HIV in this country in the year of coronavirus is just like it is without. Your health is a socio-economic issue more than it is an actual health issue. If I presented serious symptoms for COVID-19, I wouldn’t hesitate to rush to the hospital and get the treatment I need. But how many people will wait until it may be too late for fear of hospital bills that can reach six figures? Unfortunately, this will most likely intersect with the same people afraid to get tested for HIV or start treatment because in this country, health care is a privilege that they have rarely been afforded. COVID may not discriminate, but our health care system certainly does. HIV may not discriminate, but more often than not, it’s only those with privilege in America who can crawl out from under the weight of their diagnosis. Until the health crisis or our broken health care system is addressed, pandemics like COVID and HIV will continue to discriminate against those who can’t bankroll their medical care. Stand up. Speak out. And demand a better America this November.

Editor at large TYLER CURRY is also a contributing editor at The Advocate magazine and the author of A Peacock Among Pigeons. (@IamTylerCurry)

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