Tag: undetectable

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Bianca Del Rio Spills The Tea On HIV

Drag diva Bianca Del Rio

Drag diva Bianca Del Rio
Drag diva Bianca Del Rio (screen capture)
British adult film star Kayden Gray recently launched a humorous, thought-provoking adult film, U Equals Fucking U. The film aims to destigmatize HIV and support public health’s messaging of Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U) – the concept that people living with HIV who achieve an undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus to others. The movie co-stars adult film actor Bishop Black, and features comedian/Ru Paul’s Drag Race fan favorite Bianca Del Rio, who appears throughout the film with an upbeat, light-hearted approach to doling out the facts about HIV and U=U.
Porn stars Bishop Black and Kayden Gray
L-R Bishop Black and Kayden Gray in ‘U Equals Fucking U’
“A lot of people are behind U=U in theory,” says Kayden Gray in describing the film. “But when it comes to practice, people tip-toe around the idea and aren’t comfortable when it comes down to it.” Jose Ramos, the founder of Impulse Group, doubles down against HIV-positive odiums stating that “having condomless sex while someone is undetectable eliminates the risk to being exposed to HIV.” Ramos founded Impulse Group in Los Angeles in 2009 with the mission to help gay men make healthy lifestyle choices. What started in the city of West Hollywood as a local grassroots social movement has now become the only international volunteer gay group in the world, with 25 Impulse Chapters in 12 countries. I can’t post the the adult film here, but for those interested click here to see Part One (available now), and Part Two available on February 17. I can share with you Del Rio’s over-the-top and fun contribution to the film in this short clip “Bianca Del Rio spills the tea on HIV.”

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Experts: HIV+/Undetectable People Aren’t At Greater Risk From COVID-19

UPDATE: As of October 14, 2021, the CDC’s updated list of medical conditions that could make a person at a higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19 includes HIV infection. Continue reading “Experts: HIV+/Undetectable People Aren’t At Greater Risk From COVID-19”

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Twitter Claps Back At Trump Jr For HIV Stigma Comment

Donald Trump Jr.
Donald Trump Jr. got some serious pushback on Twitter after a snarky response to a tweet from an LGBTQ news site regarding dating people with HIV. Responding to a tweet that read, “What you stand to lose by not having sex with people with HIV,” the junior Donald wrote, “Well I can think of one thing.” Junior didn’t expound on his intention in his comment, although it is surprising he follows LGBTQ news outlets on Twitter. But many felt his tweet furthered the stigma associated with people living with HIV. Ironically, the article in question, by writer David Hudson, explored exactly that kind of discrimination and stigma that affects those who are living with HIV. “If someone is HIV positive, knows their status, is on effective medication and has consistently had an undetectable viral load, they cannot pass on the virus,” Hudson shared in the piece. “PrEP is also widely available in the US and several other countries to prevent people from acquiring HIV. And condoms are also, of course, widely available.” As I’ve written many times here, current research shows there is no risk of transmitting the HIV virus to others when properly using antiretroviral medications to bring the viral load down to zero, aka ‘undetectable.’ The Centers for Disease Control has publicly announced its support for the campaign that states Undetectable = Untransmittable. Additionally, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) and condoms greatly reduce the possibility of HIV infection. The Twitterverse criticized Trump Jr. for reinforcing outdated HIV stigma:

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Study Shows 48% In UK Would Feel Uncomfortable Kissing Someone HIV+

A survey from the UK shows 48% of respondents say they would be uncomfortable kissing someone who is living with HIV, even though 97% of those diagnosed in the UK are virally supressed thanks to modern antiretroviral medications.

The survey, commissioned by the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) and executed by YouGov, found high levels of stigma still abound when it comes to HIV.

Multiple studies have shown that people living with HIV and on effective treatment report viral levels as ‘undetectable’ which means the virus can’t be passed on to sexual partners.

The PARTNER study, published in 2016, followed 58,000 instances of sex without a condom where one partner was HIV positive and one was HIV negative.

The resulting research showed there were zero cases of HIV transmission where the HIV+ partner was on effective treatment reducing viral levels to ‘undetectable.’

The PARTNER 2 study, released in May 2019, found zero cases of HIV transmission among 782 serodiscordant couples having condomless sex when the HIV+ partner had undetectable levels of HIV.

Dr. Michael Brady, Medical Director for the Terrence Higgins Trust, says “We are now saying with confidence – and without doubt – that people living with HIV who are on effective treatment cannot pass the virus on to their sexual partners.”

But the survey found only 19% of British respondents are aware of that fact. A surprising 41% believe the virus can be passed on even with the virus suppressed in the patient.

Also from the survey:

• 38% would feel uncomfortable going on a date with someone living with HIV

• 64% say they would feel uncomfortable having sex with someone living with HIV

• People aged 35-44 were most comfortable with the proposition of kissing someone with HIV (43%) while older respondents (55+) were much less comfortable (25%)

A campaign by the THT, titled ‘Can’t Pass It On,’ aims to tackle outdated beliefs regarding HIV and the stigma/discrimination associated with the virus.

While noting that condoms are still the most effective way to avoid all sexually transmitted diseases, the campaign hopes to ensure that people know the facts about HIV and effective treatment.

For more info about the THT/YouGov survey, click here.