No Such Thing as a "Gay Disease"

What is Monkeypox?

Monkeypox (MPX) is a viral disease which is related to the acute contagious disease smallpox. It is zoonotic, meaning it affects and is passed between humans and animals by close contact. The transmission can take place via unprotected contact with skin lesions, bodily fluids, contaminated material and sick or dead animals (specifically, dead or ill) (Ministry of Health). Evidently, anyone who is exposed to the infectious disease is at risk. While the disease is historically prevalent in central and west Africa over time it has dispersed globally.

According to the 'Centers for Disease Control' (CDC) there are:

61, 282 total confirmed MPX cases globally

60, 703 cases in locations that have not historically reported MPX

5 cases in New Zealand

23,116 cases in USA

This world map shows locations of MPX cases.

The orange markers represent countries that have not historically reported MPX.

The blue markers represent countries that have historically reported MPX.

As displayed, Monkeypox is a global issue that can affect anyone who comes into contact.

However, there is significant concern regarding specific populations who are disproportionately affected. Including:

Men who have sexual relations with men (MSM)

Other people who engage sexually with MSM including transgender, cisgender and non- binary people.

Anyone with more than two sexual partners

Anyone engaging with anonymous sexual partners.

While MSM may be more vulnerable, there is no such thing as a gay disease.

Misinformation circulated within the media fuels misconception and significantly contributes to a lack of knowledge regarding the disease and what to do to fight it.
In return, vulnerable communities become the subjects of discrimination and violence in relation to monkeypox.

And, we begin to see an echo of the AIDS epidemic where gay communities are wrongly blamed.

The AIDS/HIV Pandemic

The AIDS pandemic began around 1981, where reports of pneumonia and immune deficiencies were circulating amongst previously healthy gay men. It was initially mislabeled as GRID, which stood for Gay-Related Immune Deficiency, and was later discovered to be a sexually transmitted disease caused by HIV- thus renamed Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Although initially prevalent within the gay community, similar to monkeypox, AIDS/HIV was not, and is not a ‘gay disease' or 'gay cancer'. HIV can be spread through any form of blood transfer, or heterosexual sex, and can be passed from mother to child through breastfeeding etc. The belief that AIDS was exclusively affecting homosexual men led to significant time and resources being withheld to combat the outbreak, severely stunting necessary research. Likewise, the mislabeling of AIDS as a 'gay disease' further perpetuated stigma, stereotypes and hate towards the LGBTQ+ community within medical, governing, law and social institutions.

When comparing to the AIDS pandemic, we can understand how the mislabeling of monkeypox as a 'gay disease' in our social, medical and political institutions can have profound implications. Not only does treating monkeypox as a gay disease endanger LGBTQ+ communities, but it can also have serious global health implications.

How are monkeypox and AIDS portrayed in the media?

Within the media, some discourses are emerging that parallel those of the AIDS epidemic. We can see examples of monkeypox being labelled as a gay disease, with many news articles focusing on the overrepresentation of men who have sex with men in the reported cases of monkeypox. The media attention around the virus sometimes diverts the focus away from safety measures and health advice around the outbreak, instead focussing on the debate over monkeypox being an MSM STI.

Mainstream media headlines focusing on the current monkeypox outbreak may appear less fearmongering in their language use than those seen during the AIDS epidemic, however, we can still see a focus on the virus’ connection with MSM emerging, especially on the relationship with M/M sexual activity leading to monkeypox.

Debate is strong amongst the media and health officials alike of whether or not monkeypox is again a ‘gay disease’. For example, a Fox News article quoted a doctor saying “It's a very small global cohort … and it's a sexually transmitted disease within that global cohort of people that often have very multiple sex partners” (Christ, 2022). Much of the homophobia stemming from the monkeypox outbreak goes under the guise of medical advice, and being at such an uncertain stage of the spread it is easy for this kind of thinly shrouded homophobia to be supported. However, while there are many who appear to blame MSM, there are also some who stand against this homophobia and blaming in the mainstream this time.

Some articles focus on the fact that monkeypox is not only spread amongst MSM, and how non-MSM who contract or are at risk of contracting monkeypox are ignored. There is, thankfully, a counter-discourse emerging.

It is, of course, not only the mainstream media that propels discourses of monkeypox being linked or not linked to MSM, however, with consumers of the media, as well as social media users, contributing. As well as the health concerns a lot of the focus of this attention is once again on the link between monkeypox and the MSM community. People may share their more queer-positive takes on Twitter or lament the misunderstandings around monkeypox, and while this is an improvement on the anti-gay discourses, it does still contribute to the idea of monkeypox being an MSM issue.

What's happening locally?

Monkeypox was first reported here in Aotearoa in July 2022, and as of September 2022, Aotearoa had a total of five identified monkeypox cases, all returned from overseas.

The New Zealand government has taken initiative to acquire 504 courses of the monkeypox medicine, tecovirimat, and is currently seeking to secure the JYNNEOS vaccine for the prevention of MPX infectio. However, tecovirimat has yet to be approved by Pharmac, and no vaccine plan has been announced.

While the risk of a monkeypox outbreak in Aotearoa is currently low, local MSM have begun to express concern over this possibility. The lack of precautions and education adds a layer of severe risk to casual sexual encounters for MSM, and emboldened homophobic behaviors from the public can make everyday life difficult for visibly queer men.

Over the past few months, several queer-owned facilities across Aotearoa have been targeted by homophobic attacks, ranging from death threats, vandalism, and arson.

This recent rise of homophobic rhetoric, in conjunction with a viral outbreak disproportionally affecting MSM, has the potential to become extremely dangerous for MSM, and the greater queer and takataapui communities of Aotearoa.

Consequences & Outlook

Writing off monkeypox as a "gay disease" can easily become detrimental, and contribute to an increasingly homophobic political landscape. Access to HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has recently been restricted in Texas, which could influence a restriction on Monkeypox treatments in the USA if the current association and stigma between MSM and monkeypox continues.

Currently, it is vital for the queer community, allies, and medical professionals to come together and combat this wave of disinformation before history repeats itself.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September)N. 2022 Monkeypox Outbreak Global Map. https://www.cdc.gov/index.htm

Christ, L. (2022, August 19.) Will monkeypox become an 'established STD'? Why one infectious disease expert thinks so. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/health/monkeypox-become-established-std-infectious-disease-expert

Francis, O. (2022, July 6.) Destiny pastor accused of intimidation. Otago Daily Times. https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/destiny-pastor-accused-intimidation

Halkitis, N. Perry. (2012). Discrimination and homophobia fuel the HIV epidemic in gay and bisexual men. American Psycological Association. https://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/exchange/2012/04/discrimination-homophobia

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Naish, J. (2022, June 9.) 'An act of hate': Pink church vandalised with homophobic, anti-semitic slurs. Stuff NZ. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/128910438/an-act-of-hate-pink-church-vandalised-with-homophobic-antisemitic-slurs

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New Zealand Ministry of Health. (2022, September). Monkeypox (MPX). https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/monkeypox-mpx

Quaye, M. A. (2022, August 30.) Gay men are (not) the (only) ones contracting Monkeypox. The CT Mirror. https://ctmirror.org/2022/08/30/monkeypox-gay-disease-men-virus/

Sharp, P. M. & Hahn, B.H. (2011) Origins of HIV and the AIDS pandemic. Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine, 1(1), p.a006841.

Stanton, C. (2022, September 7.) Texas judge rules government can't mandate employers offer HIV prevention drugs in coverage. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/09/07/texas-judge-hiv-drugs-health-care/8012941001/

Verrall, Ayesha. (2022, August 26). Government secures monkeypox medicine. [Press release.] https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-secures-monkeypox-medicine