Gay celebrities: they take their medicine just like us!
This week, Troye Sivan shared a picture on his Instagram story with his palm open and three different kinds of pills–two of which are instantly recognizable to any gay man worth his 5-inch inseams.
PrEP and Metamucil!
The pop star said the combo “keeps him gay.”
Truer words have never been spoken.
Sivan, a gay pop icon whose songs speak directly to the queer community, deserves a lot of kudos for promoting good sexual health to his Instagram audience of 14 million followers. PrEP is a life-altering medication that reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex about 99 percent of the time when taken daily.
Yet, PrEP use among gay and bisexual men remains low, according to a 2021 study. As of 2019, 35 percent of gay or bi men in the U.S. at high risk of HIV infection were using PrEP, despite nine out of 10 respondents saying they know about it.
There are multiple reasons for the disparity, including its insanely high cost (gotta love our incredible healthcare system)! But Sivan, and other gay celebrities, promoting the drug can only help close the gap.
There’s also something particularly symbolic about Sivan posting about his daily PrEP regimen, given his admirable history of speaking openly about the gay experience.
When asked in a 2018 interview about his single “Bloom,” which is explicitly about the experience of bottoming, the Australian pop star said he writes directly for queer audiences.
“A big thing for me with this album is, I wanted to write music that didn’t feel like—I’m sorry—bulls***,” he told Them. “I didn’t want to bulls*** anybody. I live in this very particular, surreal world where I hang out almost exclusively with queer people.”
“You know, for me, this is really real life, being able to celebrate these things, being able to talk about these things, and just being as open and honest as you want, and I didn’t want to come to this album writing for anyone but me and my friends.”
And when gay friends gather, the conversation occasionally steers towards fiber supplements. Some, including this humble writer, would consider them to be a vital part of the gay diet.
(Before we go further, it’s important to point out that Metamucil shouldn’t be taken at the same time as PrEP, or any other prescription medication. Let’s hope that Sivan was just putting them in the shot together for the sake of convenience.)
But don’t try to glean any hints about Sivan’s sexual life from his Metamucil habit. In the aforementioned Them interview, he rejected the notion he’s a “bottom icon,” and later called the question “completely reductive.”
Sivan isn’t carrying out some schtick or putting on a show. He’s a gay man, and many gay men take PrEP and fiber supplements (just not at the same time)! It’s awesome that he’s showing that to the world.
Related*
This Troye Sivan video just got pulled down for being too hot for TikTok
“If I get banned on TikTok ’cause of this, I’ll see you in court.”
Creamsicle
Glad to see the warning not to take medications at the same time as fiber supplements.
For the uninformed, the fiber can entrain and absorb the medication, meaning you don’t get the actual prescribed dose.
ZzBomb
“There are multiple reasons for the disparity, including its insanely high cost (gotta love our incredible healthcare system)”
It’s lines like this which are frustrating. Yes, any medicine can be prohibitively expensive however many health insurance providers now cover most of the costs (like my out of pocket was $10), but you can also apply for the Gilead card which makes the prescription free of charge.
Please, family, get on prep.
correctio
we could also vote for politicians who are against the amoral, for-profit, all-around terrible healthcare system
dbmcvey
Insurance is expensive as well, but I agree there are options. However, our healthcare system does need a lot of work.
Crayonap
I stopped taking Prep because I had to go to a doctor other than my primary care physician. This required me to drive an hour and a half to central Phoenix (I live in rural Arizona) and the Southwest Center for HIV, half of the time I would then be told to go to another location to get blood work done. I was seen by a different person every time I went in. The every 3 months blood draw and having to go to a provider other than my physician on top of my usual doctors appointment with my primary care physician were not sustainable. The first person I spoke with at the SW Center told me that people tended to be on for a couple of years before the routine became too much. The hurdles to getting prep are actually quite large. And, I tried that home delivery thing that was being advertised in our community incessantly a few months ago — absolutely worthless.
bachy
Agreed. PreP is a wonky, problematic, intermediate solution. Medical science (and our sh|t healthcare industry) has got to come up with a better strategy.
Tallskin
“The hurdles to getting prep are actually quite large.”
Not in Europe
You yanks should get universal health care
Stop wasting you energy on gender woo-woo bullshit. Concentrate on healthcare, holiday pay, maternity leave, social housing, – all good socialist concerns
blokes parading around in dresses, w@nking at themselves in front of mirrors, is not progressive, is not socialist and is anti women, gays and lesbians
sojerseybill
I’ve been on Prep since August 2022. My PCP, who is gay, never said anything about needing bloodwork periodically (although I do get bloodwork every six months for other health issues). The only thing he asked is if I wanted a script for Viagra. After I’ve been on Prep, I now know why he suggested Viagra (don’t know if it affects everyone like that, but it’s a bummer).
correctio
@tallskin I agree with you on the healthcare, holiday pay, maternity leave, social housing stuff.
But why can’t we have these things AND dudes jerking off to themselves in dresses?
Openminded
I’m thinking the complications of HIV would surely be much worse than the inconvenience of staying on Prep.
bachy
I’ve read that fiber supplements should not be taken every day. Apparently they leach certain vitamins and minerals from the body.
dbmcvey
If you don’t take a ridiculous amount of fiber supplements, it’s most likely not going to hurt you. Don’t take them with other medications or supplements. They can cause bloating and discomfort initially but that usually goes away. In any case, it’s better than the discomfort you get from not enough fiber.
LAGuy
But what is the white J pill?
bachy
It’s Finasteride (for hair loss). Troye is balding.
JoshThere
Love Troye and the way he’s unabashedly queer. He’s one of the reel pioneers among pop stars. Doesn’t hurt he’s hot and very charismatic too.
greg_atlanta
my understanding is that prep is pretty much the same medication you take if you’re HIV positive, just a slightly lower dose. it’s hard on your body. to me it’s like doing chemo to prevent cancer. i hate how it’s been normalized into gay society and everyone just assumes you’re on it therefore they don’t need to disclose their HIV status. it’s also encouraging more open relationships which are usually only advantageous to one partner (and putting the other partner at risk for other STDs).
Bravura2022
Walking a dangerous tight rope affirmation!????
nm4047
he hasn’t paid much, assuming if he is living in Australia, prep is on the pharmaceutical benefit program so at most has paid $6: