As an active and socially non-identifying hispanic man who has had relationships with members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Mpox outbreak has affected my social life and how I approach dating.
Mpox has led me to be more cautious when forming intimate and casual relationships with new people because of the World Health Organization (WHO) stating that men who have sex with other men are at higher risk of contracting the virus.
I used to go out on dates and have casual relationships, but have slowed down to the point where my Tinder and other social dating apps have gone dry.
Mpox has dominated on news outlets and social media as those infected share their stories of what the virus has done to them.
The virus causes a high fever and blisters all over the face and body and has been associated with monkeys and sick rodents that can lead to a human infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Mpox can be transfered from person to person with the slightest interaction, whether that be through hugging or sharing clothing, and sexual intercourse, according to the CDC Mpox webpage.
I have seen what the virus has done to people through what has been circulating on social media. While I am taking more caution when dating, I am still a huge advocate for having fun.
Since the major outbreak, I have continued to go out but have started to limit myself to making contact or forming any new intimate relationships and even slowly cut back from current relationships.
I have decided to transition from going on weekly dates and meeting new people to cutting back and spending more time getting to know someone before meeting up with them. That change has also helped my mental health by not getting overwhelmed from maintaining pointless relationships.
It has been difficult to stay safe from contracting the virus while still managing to be social as well as seeing how the virus has generated misconceptions about gay men, similar to what happened during the ’80s AIDS epidemic.
With the message only focusing on the LGBTQ+ community, it is important to me that people don’t get the wrong idea. The virus is not a punishment for gay men and those who have same-sex relationships, and gay men are not the issue.
On July 27, the WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recommended that gay men need to be “reducing [their] number of sexual partners,” implying that this is a major issue mainly for the same-sex community while the hetero-community may continue to have sexual relationships.
As a bartender, because of the Mpox spread, it is my job to ensure a clean and safe environment for guests. Limiting how many people sit close together and upgrading our cleaning is a part of the way we can help reduce the spread along with hoping everyone takes their own precautions.
All we can do is have hope for the future and ensure that we stay informed. Whether that be considering the vaccine or reducing any necessary contact, we must be patient and advocate for the spread of correct information so we can reduce the stigma placed on the LGTBQ+ community throughout the Mpox outbreak.
