OnlyFans LGBTQ+ Creators Use Their Platform to Spread HIV/AIDS Awareness

Almost 50 years removed from the AIDS Epidemic of the late 1970s and early 1980s, it’s easy for people to forget that even though science’s advancements have made HIV/AIDS treatable, there’s still no cure. An estimated 700,000 people have died from HIV/AIDS since the epidemic. Some LGBTQ+ creators are using their large platforms on OnlyFans and elsewhere to make sure their followers don’t do away with preventative measures designed to stop the virus’ spread.

Though HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can be traced back to Central Africa in the early 1920s, the disease didn’t get a lot of attention until the high profile North American epidemic of the 1980s. Though it also infected people through blood transfusions and shared needles, most of the HIV transmission in this time period occurred between men who had sex with men. 

HIV mercilessly attacks the infected individual’s immune system, leading to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) within 10 years. Once an individual has AIDS, their immune system is completely overwhelmed. Death from tumors, pneumonia, or other “opportunistic infections” usually follows within two years. 

Contracting HIV used to be a death sentence, until a team of virologists led by Dr. David Ho uncovered a treatment that upended the disease’s progression into AIDS. Before this landmark discovery, patients with HIV/AIDS were treated with Zidovudine (otherwise known as AZT), which blocked the necessary enzyme HIV cells used to reproduce. AZT was expensive and eventually ineffective. The HIV virus became immune to AZT, limiting physicians to standard treatment of symptoms caused by AIDS (symptoms that were fatal). In the mid-1990s, Dr. Ho and his team changed everything with their discovery of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The antiretroviral drugs developed by Dr. Ho and company stopped HIV from becoming AIDS, all while maintaining the effectiveness of the patient’s immune system and decreasing the total number of HIV cells in the patient’s body. Additionally, prophylactic drugs were developed (called “PrEP”) to avoid HIV infection in an otherwise HIV negative individual. 

This may sound like a cure, but HIV is still around today, and there are some common misconceptions in LGBTQ+ circles that a cadre of OnlyFans content creators are trying to address. Enter MPact Global Action, an international non-profit designed to educate and spread awareness (mostly in gay and bisexual groups) about HIV/AIDS. Content creators on OnlyFans and other platforms have played a larger role in what’s discussed on the internet and how information is disseminated, and MPact (like other organizations) is taking notice. 

They’re calling it the Q Collab, and it’s already begun to change the way LGBTQ+ groups are talking about HIV/AIDS. A supergroup of over twelve creators are helping MPact expand its messaging through their combined six million followers. 

Creator Justin Jett explained to Mashable in a recent interview why he wanted to get in on MPact’s crusade against HIV/AIDS misinformation. “There are still some people thinking taking PrEP or doxyPEP [prophylactic medication taken after sex to avoid infections] is just for ‘promiscuous’ guys. Imagine, slut shaming someone for taking PrEP while the reality is all HIV-negative guys should be taking it and put their health in their own hands, there’s nothing more powerful than that.” 

Jett says that even though the prognosis of people living with HIV/AIDS has improved, the stigma surrounding talking about sex and protection hasn’t. “I’ve seen how many people still struggle with shame, stigma, mental health, loneliness, and even fear around sexual health. I wanted to be part of something that creates community, encourages honest conversations, and reminds people that taking care of yourself should never be embarrassing.” 

Creators like Jett see their collaboration with MPact as an opportunity to promote positive discussions. “The biggest message is that sexual health and mental health should be talked about openly and without judgement,” Jett said. “I also want to promote the idea that pleasure, confidence, and health can all exist together.”