HIV/AIDS may not be in the news on a daily basis, which makes it seem like the epidemic that killed over an estimated 700,000 people of HIV-related illnesses in the United States since 1981 is no longer an issue. As new generations admere, the fight continues to educate and treat those who need it. The introduction of a new blue pill has changed the game for many who are at high risk of contracting HIV.  Truvada has been approved by the FDA for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis or PrEP. When taken daily, PrEP is 99% effective at preventing HIV infection. Organizations like MPower and HIV Testing Program Manager, Christopher Garcia are educating the community of the importance of the drug. “PrEP is important to our community because it prevents someone from getting HIV,” shared Garcia. “PrEP has been out since 2012 and there have only been 6 cases out of millions of people getting HIV. PrEP is another Barrier and prevention that a person can use along with any other prevention they currently are using.” PrEP contains two medicines (tenofovir and emtricitabine) that are used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV. When someone is exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, these medicines can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection. The development of this drug was a game changer for those at risk, but there are partnerships who are making PrEP more effective.

Companies like UrSure and Healthvana are working to assist with PrEP to create a streamlined system to make it easier for a patient to take part in the process. UrSure was founded in 2013 by doctors, Helen Koenig and Giffin Daughtridge, who started an HIV prevention clinic at Philadelphia FIGHT. They provided Truvada to young, gay men of color, who were at high risk of HIV infection. As shared on their website, the clinic grew to serve over 200 individuals, but within the first two years, several patients became HIV positive, despite picking up their PrEP routinely. Due to the drug’s effectiveness, Helen and Giffin knew that the issue must have been adherence, which was a widely reported problem with medications taken daily like PrEP. The duo identified two problems. First, as providers, they were unable to diagnose non-adherence. Self-reported adherence was very high, but actual adherence was much lower. Second, their patients were not motivated to take the drug. Many said they didn’t feel different when taking the drug. As a result, they questioned whether it was protecting them. Without that peace of mind, they would stop taking it over time.
To solve these two issues, Helen and Giffin developed a lab-based urine test that could measure levels of one of the drugs in Truvada in their patient’s urine. This test allowed them to measure adherence to PrEP, and they found that both providers and patients liked receiving the data. UrSure’s original mission endures as they focus on making noninvasive, rapid tests that measure and improve adherence to medications for patients and providers worldwide.

Healthvana’s goal is to make communication between the patient and the clinic smoother during treatment. Healthvana’s digital tools make it easier for clinics to identify, educate, and keep patients on PrEP. Healthvana has thousands of at-risk and HIV patients as subscribers already and clinics that are seeing positive results because of Healthvana’s work. CEO Ramin Bastani shared on the Healthvana website, “I care about empowering patients to make better decisions with timely and actionable information. I’m committed to amplifying the important work that healthcare professionals do.”
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The ability to start on PrEP and utilize the services of Healthvana and UrSure is as easy as working with organizations like MPower or discussing it with your Primary Care Physician. P&E - Teresa Robinson

For those of us who are old enough and were somewhat “woke” back then, the COVID-19 pandemic invokes hidden emotions that remind one of the painful early years of the AIDS crisis. There are differences, certainly, because this pandemic is directly affecting a broader demographic, but the similarities in the feelings the COVID-19 pandemic revisits are striking and haunting.
In both, American presidents who couldn’t think beyond their own egos reacted with sociopathic indifference to the disease and deaths of real human beings. Ronald Reagan will always be remembered as the president who refused to speak about, much less act to solve, HIV. Today, Donald Trump seems willing to let the rest of us go if he can just keep his approval rating up among his base, his profits flowing in, and the stock market paying its richest investors windfalls.

In both, the leaders placed the blame on someone they wanted us to think of as a dangerous Other to deny the pandemic’s wider existence and, more importantly, their own personal responsibility for failing to act effectively and with a national sense of a community in crisis. Then it was put down as the “Gay Plague” and now it’s the “China Virus.”

In both, leaders who could have thought in terms of how we’re all in this together mouthed the otherwise instructive words: “personal responsibility.” But they were usurping those words as a cliché to provide an excuse for government failure, a reason to do nothing in the belief that the plague would only affect other people and families, to raise guilt and shame in any victims as if to punish them further by doing so, and to downplay the systematic homophobia, racism, sexism, classism, and able-bodiedism that are major factors affecting the most devastated.

Then as now, right-wing religious leaders spoke self-righteously of these pandemics as some Divine punishment upon all those that didn’t tow the sectarian line by which they made a name for themselves and money to live better than those who idolize them. Their hell-fire seemed to always have something to do with their fear of equality for LGBTQ people and their phony self-righteous claim of victimization in culture wars.
In both, the science was way behind, and that was often because other things were more important in the profits-over-people game played by conservative and libertarian-type politicians. They spoke of socialism threatening the nation while predatory capitalism was destroying needed safety nets.
 
It was Ronald Reagan who changed the rules so that hospitals could be for profit. Preparing for and treating pandemics were considered economic losers.
 
Then, as today, there was the fear. It was a nagging, aching, dread dwelling always in the back of the mind.
 
In most early cases, being diagnosed as HIV positive was a death sentence. Big pharma was concerned first about its bottom line and had to be forced to seek remedies - the earliest of which (such as AZT) were just as likely to kill the patients.
 
When I told a graduate student that I had just learned about the death of a young colleague at another university who’s books already challenged entrenched religious historian’s biases, that student unhesitatingly expressed the feeling of that day: “Will there be anyone left?”
 
Today, most who contract COVD-19, we’re told, will be fine in the long run. Yet there are few markers assuring us who won’t be okay, who’ll be left without the help they need because of short supplies, and who, as a result of maintaining a stiff upper lip should have been more cautious. We’re even watching its spread to our healthcare providers.
 
For quite a while no one was sure what to do to prevent the spread of the virus. Those who tried were still afraid that they hadn’t done enough.
 
Today that’s: Have I washed my hands enough or the right way? Did I touch my face too much even without being aware? Will the package from the grocery store, the clerk who rung it up, or the stocker who shelved it spread it to me? How certain can I be of the safety of packages delivered to our door? How long is the virus alive on what surfaces?
 
One result then, as now, was a widespread, lingering situational depression. Few pointed out then that that’s what it was, but it took an emotional toll.
 
Today, too, most of our nation is experiencing situational depression. As Yale psychology professor, Jutta Joorman put it: “It will take some time for us to see the long-term mental health effects of this situation, but it has a lot of the ingredients that can affect people’s mental health negatively in a significant way.”
 
And then, as now, social distancing was recommended. Back then, when no one first knew whether one’s touch, breath, saliva, sweat, sneeze, or other body fluids could transmit infection, people needed to separate, use all the latex between each other they could, and fear any bodily contact.
 
Today social distancing includes the end of all bodily contact, even a six-foot distance from others, and staying home for weeks except for running essential errands. When what we need is a connection, physical contact, being with others, and sharing face-to-face our fears and depression, this plague denies us all that.
 
No wonder there were people who opted for connection, intimacy and touch then and now by breaking the rules and defying the depression, the odds, and the criticism of those of us who obeyed. It wasn’t safe; it wasn’t helpful, but it was somewhere human.
 
As I remember those days, my mind returns to the couple dozen or so students who sought me out for some connection when being diagnosed as HIV positive was pretty much a death sentence. Our encounters went something like this as they appeared at my campus office.
 
“Professor Minor? May I talk with you for a minute?” the student at the open office door would ask, often with a light knock on the door or its frame.
 
I always kept my door open and my desk facing the door to welcome those who came.
 
“Yes, come and sit,” I responded as I pointed him to the chair at the side of my desk, not one on the other side where my desk provided some official demarcation. Erasing the barrier was important to me.
 
“I think it’s safe to talk to you,” was the first clue. “You’re the first person I’m telling about this.”
 
The student was always taking, at least, his second class from me. So, he felt he knew me. I got up myself to provide a bit of privacy by pulling the door open, but not closed.
 
“I just found out that I’m positive,” then revealed the purpose of this visit.
 
The words, too often familiar, hang even today in my memory.
 
They would talk about how unfair it seemed. They had thought they were taking enough precautions and had believed that their partner was.
 
I listened and agreed: “It’s not fair. There’s nothing ‘fair’ about it.”
 
“I don’t know how I’m going to tell my roommate (and/or my parents). I’m from a small town. I know this won’t go over well. And I’m scared.”
 
I listened to everything else they wanted to share while my eyes teared up. I’m surprised I could hold it together.
 
And then my student felt he needed to go. But before he left my office I said something I had never said to any students except these. I said: “Will you give me a hug?”
 
Some of those students were well-known student leaders who never shared their secret with others on campus. But many months later it was seldom an exception to learn that “they had quit school and gone home to ‘be with their family.’”
 
I knew that meant “in their last days.” So that office visit was also their last.
 
I still believe those hugs were important then just as hugs are now. They were intentional. I didn’t want anyone ever to think that the first person they confided in about their place in the AIDS pandemic felt in any way that they were now too unclean for human touch.
 
By making this connection to a professor they felt “was safe,” they had actually bestowed on me the honor of being the first person they told. So the very least I could give was the kind of hug, let’s admit, we all really need, but can’t have, today in these weeks and months of this new pandemic. P&E

Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas, is author of When Religion Is an Addiction; Scared Straight: Why It’s So Hard to Accept Gay People and Why It’s So Hard to Be Human; and Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society. Contact him at www.FairnessProject.org.

Eden Park
The Parisian fashion brand Eden Park, renowned for its famous Pink Bow Tie logo, is about to tackle the United States with the opening of a dedicated e-boutique. Founded by two former French international rugby players, Franck Mesnel and Eric Blanc, Eden Park is the world’s leading high-end fashion brand inspired by the game of Rugby. For 33 years, the brand has remained faithful to this authentic DNA. Every season, nevertheless, brings a new touch of audacity and off-beat chic - epitomizing the unique French Flair, which has made Eden Park an ever more sought-after brand around the world. “We want to offer the American public a hint of French inspiration,” said Eden Park founding CEO Franck Mesnel. “We would be so proud to touch the hearts of this great nation with a high-end product that also captures the spirit of the times. It is up to us to meet that challenge with collections that are both original and very French.”

The brand kicked off in the U.S. in April 2020 through a dedicated online shop. The website allowed the public nationwide to purchase a curated selection of the brand’s finest menswear products. These include the iconic Rugby jerseys, à la Eden Park, color-block polo shirts from the Spring-/Summer collection, and embroidered tee-shirts, with every item carrying the signature Pink Bow Tie logo, featured in tone-on-tone or monochrome. This, however, will only be the start of Eden Park’s American Dream. Hard on the heels of the online store, the Paris brand will highlight its US presence with the opening of a brick and mortar boutique in New York, accompanied by continued expansion through multi-brand retail stores. So, get ready to discover the unique Parisian style of Eden Park, with its off-beat and irreverent chic, at last in the United States!
https://www.eden-park.com/

E.C Knox
When Gavin Lodge, and his partner, were expecting their first son, one of his highest hope, along with a healthy baby, was for the perfect diaper bag. While carrying diapers, creams, bottles, and blankets around New York City, he hoped to rock a bag that declared, “Check me out! I love being a dad.” But every “dad” bag was either too flowery or too schlumpy. From this fashion annoyance, E.C. Knox was born.
E.C. Knox offers an array of stylish diaper bags for the fashion-conscious dad on the go. They offer highly-functional bags that are easy to clean and comfortable to carry with styles that work for both mom and dad. A perfect gift for Father’s Day!
https://www.ecknox.com
​Pictured: “Ellison” Diaper Bag / Coastal

Since the 2019 debut of his album, A Man Born Black, Mykal Kilgore has swooned into the hearts of thousands of fans across the world.  The award-winning Broadway performer, who is proud to be both Black and gay, is using his voice to share his truths to any listening ear and an open heart. Nominated “Outstanding New Artist” for the 51st NAACP Image Awards, Kilgore is compared to such artists as Billie Holiday, Donnie Hathaway, Aretha Franklin, and others. His single, “Let Me Go,” delivers a soulful, relatable ballad, creating an anthem for many in the world.  The single landed on five Billboard charts and #2 on iTunes. “This album was my opportunity to be transparent, unapologetic, and intentional about the life that I live,” shared Kilgore. “I am very thankful to those who have welcomed me and my music.”

​Kilgore announced his 2020 Born Black tour - a seven-city tour that will stop in New York, Atlanta, Annapolis, Nashville, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati. During this time, fans will witness this powerhouse performer who has worked under the tutelage of GRAMMY®, Emmy, and Tony award winner, Billy Porter. Kilgore is becoming a shining star in the theater world as well, taking part in such productions as Motown the Musical, Book of Mormon, Hair, NBC’s The Wiz Live, and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. Kilgore is known for his viral video, inspired by Congresswoman Maxine Waters, “Reclaiming My Time.” For more information on Mykal Kilgore, his music, and tour, visit www.mykalkilgore.com.

Circus of Books
The three-decades-long bookstore, Circus of Books, an LGBTQ space where people could go to socialize and celebrate, is about to close. The real story behind this 35+-year-old business is the people who run it. Karen and Barry Mason, a straight married couple with three children, made Circus of Books a staple in Los Angeles and America’s biggest distributors of gay porn. Artist and daughter, Rachel Mason, in her debut documentary, discovered more about the parents she thought she knew and about the business her family refused to disclose the nature of for years. Circus of Books is a moving, thought-provoking film that not only talks about the rise and fall of a family business but what it did for a community and how it caused a family to experience different situations in the LGBTQ community.

The Surrogate
Jess Harris, a 29 year old web designer for a nonprofit in Brooklyn, is ecstatic to be the surrogate and egg-donor for her best friend, Josh, and his husband Aaron. Twelve weeks into the pregnancy, a prenatal test comes back with unexpected results that pose a moral dilemma. As they all consider the best course of action, the relationship between the three friends is put to the test.

The Second Life of Jamie P
Sometimes we discover who we are later in life. For Jamie Peebles, it came at age 63, when she realized she was living life in the wrong body. Refusing to live in fear, Jamie decided to share her truth and be the person she was meant to be. The Second Life of Jamie P follows her emotional, revelatory, and sometimes funny year-long transition with her friend, Director Roger Sherman.