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Many media outlets in Utah have labeled Monkeypox’s recent public health emergency as the “Gay Disease.” This is wrong. This is misinformation. Monkeypox can affect anyone who partakes in sexual intercourse with someone with the Monkeypox virus. Labeling this the “Gay Disease” is detrimental to the gay, queer and LGBTQ community. In this article, we’ll discuss the reality of labeling any virus only affecting a group of people. We know this because of our experience with COVID. President Donald Trump referred to COVID ad the ‘China virus.’ Hate crimes, assault, and harassment toward the Asian community within the United States. Reports of violence towards Asian-owned businesses include bricks thrown at windows and stealing. Reports of violence and harassment towards individuals of the Asian community increased exponentially after Trump’s destructive opinions of the Asian community related to COVID.
The news stations that say that Monkeypox only affects ‘men who have sex with other men’ is dangerous. The reality is that ANYONE who has ANY sexual intercourse can be exposed to Monkeypox. This is not a ‘Gay Disease,’ and labeling it as such will decrease the public’s awareness of how to protect themselves from the virus and reduce public safety.
“There’s a lot of people who aren’t going to identify with the [LGBTQ] community. And so, they’re going to choose not to go to LGBTQ+ health clinics,” said Ahmer Afroz, the executive director of the Utah AIDS Foundation.
Those who don’t identify with the queer community, i.e., are not openly gay, are less likely to get the healthcare they need if they don’t identify with the community. This is why labeling any public health emergency as only affecting a certain group is dangerous.
How Does Monkeypox Spread?
According to the CDC, Monkeypox spreads through SKIN-TO-SKIN contact with a person who has Monkeypox.
Direct Contact/intimate contact:
Oral, anal & vaginal sex with a person who has Monkeypox
Touching genitals (hands, feet, mouth) and/or the anus of a person who has Monkeypox
Hugging, kissing & massaging a person who has Monkeypox
Prolonged FACE-TO-FACE contact with a person who has Monkeypox
Touching fabrics & objects used during sex by someone who has Monkeypox
Touching objects & fabrics with intimate fluids by someone who has Monkeypox, i.e., groceries, clothes/shopping.
A pregnant person can pass this to their fetus through the placenta
*The disease lasts 2-4 weeks, according to reports. A person is healed from Monkeypox when a fresh layer of skin successfully forms over the healed rashes.
How to Treat and Prevent Monkeypox?
There are no standard medical treatments for Monkeypox. However, the virus is genetically similar to Smallpox, so the CDC recommends that any at-risk individual receive the Smallpox vaccine. The Smallpox vaccine can prevent and treat Monkeypox.
Because this virus passes from intimate fluids, intimate touching, and prolonged face-to-face contact, it’s HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that all individuals thoroughly wash their hands before touching their face or any part of a body. This virus is highly contagious. So wash your grocery products, your new clothes, and your hands OFTEN to protect yourself from this painful disease.
Where Can I Get Vaccinated in Utah?
If you are an at-risk individual, you can receive a vaccine in Salt Lake County. The Salt Lake County Health Department has vaccinated over 900 individuals thus far. A new shipment is expected to arrive soon. People can schedule appointments with the health department as soon as vaccines arrive.
On July 27, 2022, the CDC reported 4,600 probable and/or confirmed Monkeypox cases. Fox 13 News reports 27 probable and/or confirmed Monkeypox cases in Utah since May 2022.
A Little Peace of Hafen is an LGBTQ Counseling Center in Lehi, Utah. We proudly support the LGBTQ community by providing gender-affirming therapy to individuals who want it & spreading correct information concerning healthcare. If you need help, we are here to support you in discovering your true self.
Citations:
https://www.grid.news/story/science/2022/08/03/i-got-the-monkeypox-vaccine-but-other-gay-men-may-not-heres-why/
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/vaccines.html
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/transmission.html
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/prevention/protect-yourself.html
https://slco.org/health/infectious-disease/monkeypox/
https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/salt-lake-county-health-department-pausing-monkeypox-vaccine-appointments
https://nationalpress.org/topic/fauci-monkeypox-long-covid-funding-misinformation/
https://littlepeaceofhafen.com/lgbtq-2/
A Little Peace of Hafen is a Utah LGBT Counseling Center. Our mission is to provide gender-affirming therapy to all individuals so they may discover their true selves.
