Isiah
When I first started taking PrEP in 2017 (as part of the NHS’ PrEP trial), I felt scared and ashamed: I grew up being taught that sex before marriage was a sin, that I could only be intimate with one person in my whole life, that sex with men was unforgivable, and that HIV was a death sentence. I had a mountain of questions and virtually nobody I could reach out to for support. It was only when I finally had some level of independence at uni, where I began to find spaces to explore and experiment with my identity without judgement, and taking PrEP turned from a ritual of shame, to simple daily routine.
Nowadays, the person today is unrecognisable from the 15 year old me who first started taking prep. I’ve been able to engage with and find community within the BDSM sphere, I’m actively expanding my understanding of STIs and safe-sex practices, and I’m not ashamed to express myself, physically or sexually. I’ve been a model, a gogo dancer, I march at pride parades with colourful pup-play gear, and all inbetween striding into my local clinic every month for my routine STI screening: to think it all started from a little blue pill that I take every day with my breakfast.
PrEP, alongside support from my local sexual health clinic team, was the catalyst that unlocked my sexual liberation, and now I feel more confident engaging in sex, knowing that at there’s at least one disease I’m protected from.
PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a highly effective medication that can prevent HIV when taken as prescribed. If you think PrEP could be right for you, speak to your GP or contact your local sexual health service to find out more.
Sahir House can also provide information, guidance, and support to help you access PrEP and make informed choices about your sexual health.