From the first Monkeypox outbreaks in non-endemic areas in May 2022, an epidemiological reality emerged: the virus specifically affected the LGBT + community, particularly gay men, who were relatively young and had multiple partners. And this reality was later confirmed.
In his update of August 16, 2022Public health details France – this detail is no longer performed in the following points: “Among the cases investigated, 74 are immunocompromised (5.1% of cases responded); 385 are HIV positive (ie 25% of cases know their HIV status). Of the non-HIV carriers, 701 are on pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP (i.e. 64% of non-HIV carriers who answered the question). To date, in France, 95% of the cases for which sexual orientation is predicted have occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM). Of the cases for which information is available, 71% report having had at least 2 sexual partners in the 3 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms.
Through their sexual practices and their ways of socializing, part of the gay community has found themselves particularly exposed to an epidemic that has begun to develop within it during the summer demonstrations and to a virus that probably behaves like an STI. In fact, if it is not transmitted or not only by sperm, it is transmitted by very close contact in a skin-to-skin situation, and therefore especially during sexual intercourse.
Legacy of past struggles
Today, if the number of people infected it tends to stabilize and if the epidemic has not spread widely to other sections of the population, it is probably because the gay community has been able to react promptly, compensating for the wait-and-see attitude of the government and its shortcomings in terms of communication, as well as the pitfalls of some general media that have treated the subject little and / or badly, both for fear of stigmatization and embarrassment, and for lack of interest in the height of summer.
Since the end of May, the historic communities and associations fighting HIV, in particular, have stepped up to gather information on this virus and its modes of transmission and to communicate. At the end of June, Act Up then published an explanation and recommendation article on Monkeypox and continued to share articles with its subscribers to its mailing list.
For its part, AIDES has created a thread Telegram information and self-help. And all activists and activists participated in sharing information on social networks. Fred Lebreton, a specialist journalist at the AIDES association states: “I used my social networks a lot to communicate, transmit information and answer any questions I might receive.”
“We can have a role of reference for the non-community press, reassuring on how to deal with the subject, on the terms to use”.
Gabriel Girard, sociologist of health, comments: “The networks resulting from the fight against HIV have fully played their role of mutual aid and of mutual information on the risks, symptoms, vaccinations … They have the know-how inherited from these struggles and have been able to put it here with profit “.
At the same time, queer media, which are also part of this community network, intervened. Thomas Vampouille, editor-in-chief of Têtu traces the period between May and September 2022: “We published a very explanatory first article on Monkeypox on May 20, when the first case occurred in France. Hence, we have continued to post regularly on the subject. In June, when the epidemic intensified, we contacted the government and the Directorate-General of Health to get information in real time without having to go through dispatches and to follow the subject closely when the vaccination was not yet open, then when it was finally accessible. I am very proud of my team and in particular of the two journalists who have followed the practice throughout the summer.
Landmark and megaphone
Thomas Vampouille further explains that, according to him, the community press can play a public service role. This is why it was decided to make the articles free: most of Têtu’s content is reserved for subscribers and most of the articles related to Monkeypox: “We are used to making prevention articles on HIV, sexually transmitted diseases or mental health freely accessible. It is therefore quite natural that we have done the same with the articles on Monkeypox.
Like the associations, Têtu · was also able to take on an advocacy role to push the authorities to open vaccination to exposed people. Finally, Thomas Vampouille explains the function that the LGBT + press may have had with the general press in a context of trial and error, fear of stigma, and sometimes embarrassment towards the people concerned: “We can have a role of reference towards the non-EU press, reassure them on how to deal with the subject, on the terms to use …”
Gabriel Girard abounds: “The community press has a spokesperson role. As soon as the community faces a difficult situation, it takes on a role of reference. It is also used to report ”.
Face an epidemic
In addition to formal networks, it is also the people who have worked to inform and participate in prevention using their Twitter or Instagram accounts. Some even, especially if they had contracted the virus and respected the three weeks of isolation, have converted their Grindr account into an account dedicated to Monkeypox. “There has been a real individual and collective responsibility that we find particularly around chemsex. A responsibility inherited from the fight against HIV that young people (re) discover and invest “, notes Gabriel Girard.
The sociologist notes a real turning point from the moment in which people affected by Monkeypox began to testify, first on social media, then in the media after being approached by journalists: “They dealt with this epidemic and the exposed people felt really worried.”
“The gay community has already demonstrated its ability to adjust its practices in the face of risk. It’s something we’ve found here. “
Corentin Hennebert is among those who have testified to their infection. He says: “I decided to testify on Twitter because, at the end of June, when I caught Monkeypox, we were very lacking in information and because it took me a long time to find out and figure out what I had.
I have the much revered monkeypox and am locked in the house for three weeks. The opportunity for me to do some prevention friends according to what the hospital told me 👇👇
– PINSON (@ hennebert8) July 2, 2022
His tweet then caused him to be over-solicited by the media and the young man replied to one Quarantine interviews. He also received many messages from other patients, and a network of mutual aid and self-help quickly formed, allowing everyone to discuss their symptoms and treatment. . Quite naturally, this was made up in collectivesignature to grandstand in the Sunday Journal on August 27, 2022.
“We found it useful to bring the voice of patients in this way and be listened to in a more formal way”, Corentin Hennebert explains. “YupBeing collective also allows us to be in the circuit of institutions such as the Directorate General of Health to get first-hand information and be able to transmit it later.
Awareness
From these communication and information efforts by associations, the media and private individuals, a real awareness of risk reduction was born, followed by changes in behavior. And if we don’t have to fall into the afterlife and that the gay community also has its Monkeypox-skeptics, its conspirators and its antivax, many are those who have reduced the number of their partners, avoided or limited their attendance of sexual parties or saunas.
Others have also opted for abstinence, at least the time to get vaccinated. There was also a strong enthusiasm for vaccination as soon as the slots were opened. “The gay community has already demonstrated its ability to adjust its practices in the face of risk. It’s something we’ve found here. “ explains Gabriel Girard.
If we don’t have accurate data in France, we can look at what happened on the other side of the Atlantic this summer. According to the American Men’s Internet Survey, 2022 Monkeypox Supplemental Surveymen who have sex with men who answered the online questionnaire from 5 to 15 August (well after the launch of the vaccination campaign) were 48% who reduced the number of their sexual partners, 50% who had reduced the number of their partners by one night and 50% for reducing the number of their encounters on dedicated apps or during sex parties.
In addition, in France, from September 26, 107,461 doses of vaccines had been administered – with no details on the first or second dose, as the vaccination schedule that ensures optimal coverage is two doses.
In a press release on Wednesday 28 September, Camille Spire, president of AIDES, explains: “[Nos] the actions have been beneficial as the monkeypox epidemic has been in decline for a few weeks. However, prevention and vaccination must be maintained to avoid any resumption of the epidemic. At the current rate, all eligible recipients will only be vaccinated at the end of the year and with a single dose. The epidemic could therefore start again! “
Community mobilization is therefore not over.
