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When New York Pride festivities kicked off on 24 June, I was aware that monkeypox was an emerging issue – especially for gay men...
I had sex with several guys over the weekend.
...
Two days after my symptoms began, the rash started as anorectal lesions – painful sores on my anus and rectum.
The next day I got my STI results: positive for gonorrhoea.
Then my throat started swelling up. My tonsils were covered in white pus. I did a video with someone in my PCP’s office and they said, “I think you should go to the ER.” The ER determined it was bacterial tonsillitis, and they gave me a round of antibiotics.
This whole thing just feels like a huge failure that should not have been allowed to happen, especially not two and half months into the outbreak."
So, the failure is with the health care system, not with his sexual practices of having every orifice filled by multiple men at a gay pride event.
It's always someone else's fault.
When vaccinations are not readily available despite knowing full well that this virus was becoming widespread, then YES, it's the fault of the government/health care systems. There had been very little information coming out about the virus and how it was even transmitted several months ago. I wasn't even aware it was spread sexually until recently.
As for your comment "having every orifice filled by multiple men" comment---one can catch monkeypox even with a single orifice filled by one man. You can catch it by kissing and not having sex, too.
What do you mean by "ridiculously abandoned sexual practices"?
By the way - HIV hit the gay community the hardest first but like any disease - it'll find its way to other groups. This disease isn't easily transmitted but it will slowly and insidiously hit other populations. The - it won't happen to us it only happens to them argument, shouldn't give too much solace, if history is any guide.
HIV came to the U.S. from Haiti and Africa. It first spread to I.V. drug users, then to hemophiliacs, then to the gay community. At the time, drug users used to share needles consistently, and many learned they could afford their habit, by being paid to donate blood at local clinics which they learned they could on a regular basis. The sanitary conditions of many of these blood supply/donation clinics was not up to what it is today. Hemophiliacs would require factor, and it had to come from multiple donors all at once, thus increasing their odds of obtaining HIV. Many in the straight world, refused to believe, even to this day, how large the gay/bisexual/bi-curious male community is. At the time, Ronald Reagan and his administration refused to acknowledge the epidemic, allowing the disease to spread. Margaret Heckler was the secretary of health and human services and she assured the public not to worry; that a vaccine would be found within a few years, this was 1984. The entire education system had to come from gay men, who had to raise funding, and worked tirelessly to promote public awareness, safety, and education to the community. Gay activists became aware of the negative stigma from the get go, and warned if nothing is done, the disease will continue to spread. Hatred of the gay community increased, the media continually labeled this a “gay disease”. Condoms became available in just about all gay nightclubs in the cities. Today, HIV is mostly affecting people of color in the inner cities, with Miami having the most cases. The airlines, back then, as is now are the primary vectors of how diseases like this advance widespread. Back in the 80’s and 90’s HIV/AIDS became the greatest rationale to justify increased hatred of the gay community. Gay bashing went up on average of around 250% because of the media’s relentless blame towards gay men. Hemophiliacs and straight people were seen as the true victims. It is important to understand that HIV was not like any other disease, for several years, in the beginning, it didn’t even have a name.
HIV came to the U.S. from Haiti and Africa. It first spread to I.V. drug users, then to hemophiliacs, then to the gay community. At the time, drug users used to share needles consistently, and many learned they could afford their habit, by being paid to donate blood at local clinics which they learned they could on a regular basis. The sanitary conditions of many of these blood supply/donation clinics was not up to what it is today. Hemophiliacs would require factor, and it had to come from multiple donors all at once, thus increasing their odds of obtaining HIV. Many in the straight world, refused to believe, even to this day, how large the gay/bisexual/bi-curious male community is. At the time, Ronald Reagan and his administration refused to acknowledge the epidemic, allowing the disease to spread. Margaret Heckler was the secretary of health and human services and she assured the public not to worry; that a vaccine would be found within a few years, this was 1984. The entire education system had to come from gay men, who had to raise funding, and worked tirelessly to promote public awareness, safety, and education to the community. Gay activists became aware of the negative stigma from the get go, and warned if nothing is done, the disease will continue to spread. Hatred of the gay community increased, the media continually labeled this a “gay disease”. Condoms became available in just about all gay nightclubs in the cities. Today, HIV is mostly affecting people of color in the inner cities, with Miami having the most cases. The airlines, back then, as is now are the primary vectors of how diseases like this advance widespread. Back in the 80’s and 90’s HIV/AIDS became the greatest rationale to justify increased hatred of the gay community. Gay bashing went up on average of around 250% because of the media’s relentless blame towards gay men. Hemophiliacs and straight people were seen as the true victims. It is important to understand that HIV was not like any other disease, for several years, in the beginning, it didn’t even have a name.
Good post and background of those impacted by the disease prior to the gay community!
Good thing Science advances because social stigmatization of disease and the LGBTQ plus communities is still alive and well... I hate to say it, but it just seems to come so natural to many Straight people.
When vaccinations are not readily available despite knowing full well that this virus was becoming widespread, then YES, it's the fault of the government/health care systems. There had been very little information coming out about the virus and how it was even transmitted several months ago. I wasn't even aware it was spread sexually until recently.
As for your comment "having every orifice filled by multiple men" comment---one can catch monkeypox even with a single orifice filled by one man.
A vaccine has been available in the US specifically for Monkeypox since 2019. It's called Jynneos. There was not a large supply because it was believed Monkeypox was rare and mostly affected healthcare workers who worked in West Africa. ACAM2000, a Smallpox vaccine, is also recommended for Monkeypox. The US has ample supplies of this vaccine.
The US recently ordered 2.5 million doses of Jynneos. What more do you want?
Did you ever wonder why gay bath houses were the super-spreaders for HIV during the 80s? Because one guy with HIV could spread it to N number of men because it was common to have sex with N number of men at one time in gay bath houses.
A vaccine has been available in the US specifically for Monkeypox since 2019. It's called Jynneos. There was not a large supply because it was believed Monkeypox was rare and mostly affected healthcare workers who worked in West Africa. ACAM2000, a Smallpox vaccine, is also recommended for Monkeypox. The US has ample supplies of this vaccine.
The US recently ordered 2.5 million doses of Jynneos. What more do you want?
Did you ever wonder why gay bath houses were the super-spreaders for HIV during the 80s? Because one guy with HIV could spread it to N number of men because it was common to have sex with N number of men at one time in gay bath houses.
No, I don't wonder why gay bath houses were super spreaders for HIV in the 80's because it's not really on my mind like it seems to be yours. Plus, I work with 3-5 year old in a school. I know plenty about super spreader events.
More bizarrely is that you posted a link to an article that explains the difficulty for obtaining vaccines and this man's difficulty in getting medical care--- So you contradicted yourself straight off the bat. Vaccines are not in abundance right now, whether they've been ordered or not, they're not getting to the people that need it most. Nobody is interested in your homophobic rants.
No, I don't wonder why gay bath houses were super spreaders for HIV in the 80's because it's not really on my mind like it seems to be yours. Plus, I work with 3-5 year old in a school. I know plenty about super spreader events.
More bizarrely is that you posted a link to an article that explains the difficulty for obtaining vaccines and this man's difficulty in getting medical care--- So you contradicted yourself straight off the bat. Vaccines are not in abundance right now, whether they've been ordered or not, they're not getting to the people that need it most. Nobody is interested in your homophobic rants.
I highlighted the salient sections of the article in an effort to spotlight how his irresponsible behavior is ultimately the cause of his disease. It's no different than an obese man eating 12 Big Macs a day and then complaining his heart disease was not his fault because statins were invented too late to help him.
If you think taking prudent precautions is homophobic, that goes against everything published by public health agencies since the AIDS epidemic. lol
I highlighted the salient sections of the article in an effort to spotlight how his irresponsible behavior is ultimately the cause of his disease. It's no different than an obese man eating 12 Big Macs a day and then complaining his heart disease was not his fault because statins were invented too late to help him.
If you think taking prudent precautions is homophobic, that goes against everything published by public health agencies since the AIDS epidemic. lol
Monkeypox has only been in the US since May. The WHO only declared this an emergency 3 days ago. And unfortunately I think the news has been somewhat slow on it. Even my 75 yr old mother thought she was gonna catch it
Perhaps now that the info is getting on the front page as the numbers have been rising very rapidly and how it's contracted, perhaps people will be more informed and be able to make different choices until they are able to get vaccinations and have physicians that know what to do. Your language regarding how the disease is contracted is what is homophobic, btw.
If you had actually read your own article and not cherry picked it as some sort of "social ills" judgment, you might have learned that cases were very low when the author went to Pride and that doctors didn't know what to do at all to help him. They weren't particularly informed or alarmed either.
It IS different than a man eating 12 Big Macs a day because the information on the negative health affects of red meat/saturated fat has been readily available since at least the 1960's, not merely the past month or two.
I do believe that you're going to be totally okay though, mattja and have no chance in getting it from anyone, ever
Monkeypox has only been in the US since May. The WHO only declared this an emergency 3 days ago. And unfortunately I think the news has been somewhat slow on it. Even my 75 yr old mother thought she was gonna catch it
Perhaps now that the info is getting on the front page as the numbers have been rising very rapidly and how it's contracted, perhaps people will be more informed and be able to make different choices until they are able to get vaccinations and have physicians that know what to do. Your language regarding how the disease is contracted is what is homophobic, btw.
If you had actually read your own article and not cherry picked it as some sort of "social ills" judgment, you might have learned that cases were very low when the author went to Pride and that doctors didn't know what to do at all to help him. They weren't particularly informed or alarmed either.
It IS different than a man eating 12 Big Macs a day because the information on the negative health affects of red meat/saturated fat has been readily available since at least the 1960's, not merely the past month or two.
I do believe that you're going to be totally okay though, mattja and have no chance in getting it from anyone, ever
The negative effects of having unprotected sex with multiple partners have been known for decades. Maybe not in terms of Monkeypox, but for HIV, Herpes, HPV, and gonorrhea, among others. The guy in question got gonorrhea and lesions in his anus, so it's safe to assume he was unprotected. And he admitted to having sex with multiple men at that pride event.
My point is one has to take responsibility for one's actions. You can't blame the health care system for not jumping on a vaccine that was, until recently, used only for health care workers in West Africa.
Don't worry about me. If I come down with a case of Monkeypox, my wife has some explaining to do. lol
Everyone, male and female, would be better off not having all the sex just because they can. You don't have to be a prude but people fight tooth and nail to frame the total lack of control as progressive and healthy and normal, but it never was and never will be. Diseases will keep being spread and people will die and that pretty much proves what I just wrote. It's not the fault of any government or healthcare system.
Control yourselves people, be healthy and stay away from unsafe sexual practices. If you don't care about your health why should anyone else.
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