What The Pox? - Investigating the Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak

QueerAF
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What The Pox? - Investigating the Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak

Mpox is more than a virus; it's a story about the health of the LGBTQIA+ community - Listen now What the Pox? Is the information and support I wish I had at my disposal when I was going through Mpox (Monkeypox). It's also a documentary investigation into the Mpox outbreak with science, stories and resources all shared without stigma or shame. Listen to understand: What we know about the virus, and how it spreadsWhy we feel shame and stigma about catching itWhat the parallels are with the HIV outbreak in the 80sWhy this sits in a bigger picture with conversations about queer sex and health inequalitiesAnd crucially: What can we do next? Mpox is more than a virus; it also tells us so much about being LGBTQIA+ right now - and that's what this show exposes. Listen to our ten part documentary series for leading LGBTQIA+ community figures, Mpox experts, sexual health superstars, and real people talking about Mypox and the LGBTQIA+ community without shame or stigma.  Head to wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to unlock ad-free editions of the show. We Are QueerAF, and so are you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. So you've got Mpox (Monkeypox)? Don't Panic (listen to this)

    EPISODE 1

    So you've got Mpox (Monkeypox)? Don't Panic (listen to this)

    Mpox (Monkeypox). That’s what we are here to talk about. And this episode is everything I needed to hear when I first caught the virus. Quite a lot of people have got it or had it at this point. I’m one of them. In early July this year, I had monkeypox… and it was not fun. When I was alone at home, with monkeypox - in all kinds of pain. I was desperate for information. I googled "how long will this last" and searched "is it meant to feel like this?" But there was such little official advice. Classic. So I got talking to people instead. And I realized something. It’s super queer to create something because the official people haven’t. So this is it. With experts, people with experience and all done without shame and stigma. Join us to work out What The Pox is going on? This week's guests are: Matt Ford - Actor, writer and singer based in LA Sarah Mullindwa - TV personality and sexual health nurse, 56 Dean Street Susan Cole - Community engagement, NAM AIDSmap Matthew Todd - Author ‘Straight Jacket', former Attitude editor Listen to understand: Everything you need to know if you've just caught Monkeypox The key info about the virus, its symptoms and why it's spreading A brief history of Monkeypox, that's been endemic in Africa for decades Resources: Matt Ford's (essential reading) Google Doc for if you've just caught the virus Matthew Todd's Straight Jacket, for reading about gay shame and internalized homophobia Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 min
  2. Mpox (Monkeypox) is changing - what does the Science say?

    EPISODE 2

    Mpox (Monkeypox) is changing - what does the Science say?

    I still have a lot of questions about Mpox (Monkeypox). And I've literally made a whole podcast about it. I remember sitting in the doctor's surgery not long after catching it, wanting to know: What treatment is available? How long will this part last? Then after I recovered, why wasn't I automatically eligible for the vaccine - am I immune? So I put these questions to the experts and doctors who've been tirelessly to track this outbreak, the changing symptoms and help all of us manage it. Join us to determine what the science tells us about What The Pox is going on? This week's guests are: Dr Chole Orkin - British physician and Professor of HIV/AIDS medicine at Queen Mary University of London Susan Cole - Community engagement, NAM AIDSmap Joseph Osmundson - American biophysicist and writer Tri Vo - NYC based graphic designer and illustrator Listen to understand: How one doctor worked out that Mpox has changed and re-wrote the symptoms list The key info about the virology behind transmission - and what this tells us about why more people are catching it How it's spreading, what we know about immunity, and how effective the vaccines are  Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show and listen ad-free Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  3. Scandalous and silent: What's the UK response to Mpox been?

    EPISODE 3

    Scandalous and silent: What's the UK response to Mpox been?

    Mpox (monkeypox) - about four days into isolating with it - I got some pretty intense pain. After spending 24 hours in agony - I called 111 for help. They got me an emergency appointment, and I had to cover up my legions and wear a mask. Reasonable requests. But the response I got was less so. I was greeted with what could only be described as panic. Staff used hushed tones, and a doctor in full PPE made me talk to him on the phone, through the door. After being asked if I was gay and how did I catch it - without examining me, they put me in an Ambulance. Eventually, at the A&E - they worked out that Monkeypox had caused an infection which needed antibiotics. I’ve heard similar from other people who’ve suffered. And it's of no fault of the incredible staff who were, at the end of the day, just trying to help me. Join us to hear what has the response been and why these doctors were running around trying to work out just What The Pox was going on? This week's guests are: - Marc Thompson - Co-founder of Prepster - Will Nutall - Co-founder of The Love Tank CIC - Shivani Dave - Physicist, broadcaster and producer - Sarah Mulindwa - TV personality and sexual health nurse, 56 Dean Street Listen to understand: - Why some doctors and nurses have had to scramble as they help and support patients with monkeypox - How sexual health is funded in the UK, and what that means for the service you receive - What we as the LGBTQIA+ community can do to change the way we talk about monkeypox Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show and listen ad-free Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  4. Did I let the community down by catching Mpox (monkeypox)?

    EPISODE 4

    Did I let the community down by catching Mpox (monkeypox)?

    Mpox (monkeypox) - when I was super sick, in pain and feeling really under the weather - wasn't even the worst part. It was telling people. I couldn't put my finger on why, though. I knew in my rational brain that I had done nothing wrong. But I couldn't shake this feeling. For the longest time - I couldn't figure it out. And then it hit me. I grew up in the 90s, in the shadow of HIV, hearing all the awful things the newspapers and people had to say about the virus and gay sex. The shame I was feeling wasn't because I'd done that affected me, but that I'd let down others. That I'd given ammo to every homophobe about the stereotypes around LGBTQIA+ people - specifically gay men. When I started to produce this series, I was nervous. Not because I was talking about myself, or the condition or even that I would be discussing sex. But because of the shame I’d internalised from the world around me because of the stigma placed upon us. Internalized queer shame is something so many of us have picked up, and Monkeypox is just another reminder - so join us as we find out just what the pox can we do about it. This week's guests are: Matthew Todd - Author of Straight Jacket, former Attitude editor Conor Macis - PHD student and Uni of Bristol teacher who shares his monkeypox journey Liam Beattie - Trades Union campaigner, former Terrance Higgins Trust staffer Marc Thompson - Co-founder of Prepster Listen to understand: Why the shame and stigma with HIV, feels so familiar to monkeypox - and what we can do about it How we internalise shame from the stigma put on us by the world - plus how we can combat it Why the norms of a heterosexual world, doesn't have to be what we strive for as we carve out a queer way to live# My other QueerAF episodes: Around eating disordersOn being single, happy and coming to terms with my sex life Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show and listen ad-free Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    38 min
  5. Is history repeating? - What we can learn from HIV, for mpox

    EPISODE 5

    Is history repeating? - What we can learn from HIV, for mpox

    Mpox (Monkeypox) has been troubling for many queers here in the UK and US because of the parallels to HIV. The legacy of AIDS stigma born in the 80s still lives with us today. This UK government has not released statements damning LGBTQIA+ people for monkeypox, but their silence is damning. It has had almost the same effect in drumming up homophobic rhetoric as if they had directly targeted us with this speech. But 40 years on, we have come a long way - we’ve fought for policies which could end HIV by the end of the decade. We can learn many lessons from HIV for Mpox, even though they’re very different viruses. So what are they? Join us to work out why HIV charities leading the fight to work out just what the pox is going on? This week's guests are: Matthew Hodson - Executive Director of NAM Aidsmap Susan Cole - Community engagement lead, NAM Aidsmap Harun Talunay - Sexual health expert with lived experience of monkeypox Listen to understand: Why this outbreak feels familiar to HIV in the 80s What we can learn from the response (and lack of) to HIV - for monkeypox How we can talk about monkeypox without stigmatising sexually active LGBTQIA+ people Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show and listen ad-free Take action! Write to your MP to help the monkeypox outbreak with this easy tool. Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    28 min
  6. Could the UK run out of mpox (monkeypox) vaccines?

    EPISODE 6

    Could the UK run out of mpox (monkeypox) vaccines?

    Health secretary Thérèse Coffey has rejected advice from officials to procure additional doses of the mpox (monkeypox) vaccine. That's the topline from Donato Mancini's scoop for the FT this weekend. But what does it mean? Read Donato's story in the Financial TimesIt's raised great concern that it will leave the UK ill-prepared for a resurgence of the disease. This news comes as the outbreak could be curtailed, if progress continues, with new cases down to 100 a week. It also flies in the face of advice from the UK Health Security Agency and sexual health experts. Join us, in this rapid response special episode, to work out why the UK government has rejected this advice as we ask Donato and some of the show's recent contributors what the pox is going on? This week's guests are: Donato Mancini - Pharma Correspondent, Financial Times Susan Cole - Community Engagement, NAM AIDSmap Matthew Hodson - Executive Director of NAM AIDSmap Will Nutland - Co-founder of Love Tank CIC, Prepster Listen to understand: Why this outbreak feels familiar to HIV in the 80s What we can learn from the response (and lack of) to HIV - for monkeypox How we can talk about monkeypox without stigmatising sexually active LGBTQIA+ people Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show and listen ad-free Take action! Write to your MP to help the monkeypox outbreak with this easy tool. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    22 min
  7. Is the USA leading the way on Mpox? From epicenter to action

    EPISODE 7

    Is the USA leading the way on Mpox? From epicenter to action

    Dr. Demetre Daskalakis is like the Chris Witty of monkeypox in the US - slides and all. But can you imagine anyone 'official' in the UK talking about buttholes, fetish gear or anal while responding to a health crisis?  That's what Daskalakis is doing, and he says the language he's persuaded the CDC to use is working better than anything they've used before. In official CDC guides about the virus, expect to see language like anal, oral and buttholes. Which, as NAM Aidsmap director Matthew Hodson notes earlier in the show, works because it reflects how gay and bi men talk.  In the global north outbreak, monkeypox primarily affects sexually active queer, gay, bi and men who have sex with men. But numbers are now declining after a sharp spike, with nNw York named the epicenter of the global north outbreak.  However, without action, it could take root and become endemic in more countries, joining those in Central and West Africa who've struggled with the disease for many years.  Daskalakis is acutely aware of this. He's using his long history of sexual health work to get vaccines into arms. Indeed, this history has even seen him do HIV outreach off his own back. All of that and more this week as we work out just what the pox is going on, in America... This week's guests are: Dr. Demetre Daskalakis - White House Deputy Co-ordinator for MonkeypoxJoseph Osmundson - American biophysicist and writer Listen to understand: The press headlines that painted him as a monkeypox ‘super spreader’ and satanist for being a gay man with tattoosThe frank language he’s persuaded federal departments to useWhy he’s taking vaccines to the places where those most affected are, including fetish events and bathhouses Resources: CDC guidance Visit wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to support the show and listen ad-free Take action! Write to your MP to help the monkeypox outbreak with this easy tool. Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
  8. Can you even get a Mpox vaccine? We travel around the UK to find out

    EPISODE 8

    Can you even get a Mpox vaccine? We travel around the UK to find out

    I haven’t had one. Some people have - but with a limited supply left, just who can get a vaccine? Medical professionals are under the assumption that I currently don’t need a vaccine as they think I probably have some immunity. But we don’t know how long that will last. I’m nervous about if and what immunity I have and how long it will last. I can’t imagine having to go through all of this again. And what about the folks that haven’t had Mpox (monkeypox)? How easy is it to get a vaccine? And what about those like me that went through this, was their experience any better? Today, we’re travelling around the UK to find out. Because if you want to hear about access to the vaccine, then we need to speak to the folks that have tried, succeeded or failed to get hold of one to find out what the pox is going on? This week's guests: Harun Talunay - Sexual health expert with lived experience of monkeypoxTopher Taylor - Award winning pleasure expert and queer columnistConor Macis - PHD student and Uni of Bristol teacher who shares his monkeypox journeyDan Ellis - Director and actor Listen to understand: What parts of the UK have better access to monkeypox vaccinesWhy care is different depending on where you liveHow soon after having monkeypox can you be more confident that you don't pass it on via sex Enjoying What The Pox? Get more from QueerAF: Understand the LGBTQIA+ news (but skip the doomscrolling) with QueerAF's top-rated weekly newsletterListen to our award-winning QueerAF podcast, with inspiring LGBTQIA+ storiesInstagram - @WeAreQueerAF_Twitter - @WeAreQueerAFRead our mission Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min
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Mpox is more than a virus; it's a story about the health of the LGBTQIA+ community - Listen now What the Pox? Is the information and support I wish I had at my disposal when I was going through Mpox (Monkeypox). It's also a documentary investigation into the Mpox outbreak with science, stories and resources all shared without stigma or shame. Listen to understand: What we know about the virus, and how it spreadsWhy we feel shame and stigma about catching itWhat the parallels are with the HIV outbreak in the 80sWhy this sits in a bigger picture with conversations about queer sex and health inequalitiesAnd crucially: What can we do next? Mpox is more than a virus; it also tells us so much about being LGBTQIA+ right now - and that's what this show exposes. Listen to our ten part documentary series for leading LGBTQIA+ community figures, Mpox experts, sexual health superstars, and real people talking about Mypox and the LGBTQIA+ community without shame or stigma.  Head to wearequeeraf.com/whatthepox to unlock ad-free editions of the show. We Are QueerAF, and so are you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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