"I started taking PrEP because my best friend from Uni's husband is HIV+ and my bestie told me that he was taking Truvada. This was back in 2011 and I asked if people without HIV+ partners could take it. When I got back to the US from London in 2014, I asked the clinic for PrEP. So I guess I found out about it in 2011, but didn't start it until 2014. I take it as a precaution. I've had partners lie to me before and I wanted to take all measures to have the safest sex possible so that I could make it as enjoyable as possible.
My PCP prescribes me Truvada and I pick it up from Walgreens. My PCP is very sex-positive and she's queer so she had no problem giving me Truvada. My insurance covers most of the cost of the medicines and then the Gilead Access Program covers the rest of the cost of the medicine so in the end, my Truvada is completely free.
To be honest, when I was a lot younger, in my earlier 20s, I did some pretty risky things and that was before Truvada was available. I think if anything, taking Truvada daily is a reminder that I'm making less riskier sexual decisions these days. It's really had no change on my sex life. I wouldn't say that I've had more sex with HIV+ people, but I've barebacked with someone knowing they're positive and been super calm because I knew he was undetectable and I'm on PrEP. Sometimes I have safe sex with a condom, and sometimes I don't but I like knowing that condom or not, my sex is always safer with PrEP.
My name is Shamôr, I'm 28 years old. I work as a public civil servant for the federal government. I live in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. I'm black, queer, and Southern but without the accent."