If you follow us on Twitter, then you already know that we co-hosted “Get PrEP-ed for the Holidays” with Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan, Washington last Friday. The Twitter town hall was centered around World AIDS Day (December 1st, for those of you who missed it!). Participants hopped on the #ExplorePrEP hashtag to participate and share resources, expertise, and thoughts on PrEP, the once-daily pill that’s over 90% effective at preventing HIV.
We had an absolute blast hearing from healthcare providers, public health enthusiasts, and our #DCBeings community – so much so, we were inspired to create our own superlatives for the town hall! If you’re unfamiliar, superlatives are assigned, oftentimes in high school yearbooks, to the student community in an effort to celebrate that class. Think “best hair”, “most likely to succeed”, “class clown” etc. We had to get a little creative with our superlatives to fit the bill, but hope that you still enjoy!
Best “Hype” Tweet
We are ready for today's #exploreprep Twitter Town Hall! We hope you follow along! 🥰 pic.twitter.com/4qTNOHznZ0
— 📢 PPGNY Action Fund (@PPGNYact) November 30, 2018
Any tweet associated with Bob’s Burgers is a win in our books. Also, can we take a moment to praise the sex positive icon that is Tina Belcher?! Unapologetically curious, unafraid to explore her own body, Tina’s the queen of sex positivity! This tweet from @PPNYCAction made us go into the chat smiling.
Best VIP Intro
So great to join you today to share the 411 on PrEP with such terrific partners! @PPMW_DC @dcbeings #ExplorePrEP
— Michael Kharfen #Black Lives Matter (@mkharfen) November 30, 2018
We felt so grateful to have Senior Deputy Director of HAHSTA Michael Kharfen join the chat as a VIP… and even more grateful that he brought back the term “share the 411”. Throughout the chat, Michael provided answers that were chock full of resources, sex positivity, and personality! Follow the work he’s doing around the sexual health of DC on Twitter. As much as we adore Michael here at DC Beings, we have to share the love with our other VIP participants!
Meet our other VIP’s:
I’m Dr. Laura Meyers, President & CEO of @PPMW_DC! I’m excited to talk about PrEP & HIV prevention with you all today! #ExplorePrEP
— Laura Meyers (@LauraMeyers_) November 30, 2018
Mary's Center is here and excited to talk about #ExplorePrEP we are a community health center with locations in DC and Maryland and we have services in medical, dental, behavioral health, social services, and education. Joining us today is our HIV care team, hi everyone!
— Mary's Center (@MarysCenter) November 30, 2018
Best Sex Ed Story
https://twitter.com/Tuckerodonnell/status/1068568450774327296
The stellar gif use, the image of a “hippy dippy quaker high school”, the great shoutout to our friends at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan, Washington! All in all an A+ tweet. However, we’re already breaking the ground rules of superlatives – we had to include a few honorable mentions.
Runner(s) up:
A1: My mom gave me these illustrated Christian books and we listened to books on tapes. #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay pic.twitter.com/f1ulaz74kr
— 🌱Black Oprah🌱 (@AndimaVerde) November 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/noramaryfranco/status/1068568043662512128
Best Healthcare Provider Tweet
Dear all sexual beings,
If your doctor is recommended PrEP for you – listen. There's a reason why she is talking about it with you. She wants you to have all the info to #explorePrEP and decrease your risk of getting #HIV.
Let go of the stigma. https://t.co/tJRK0D2dmE— Margaret Stager, MD (@DrStager) November 30, 2018
Dr. Margaret Stager is the Director of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. She participated in our Town Hall last year and we were so excited to have her join this year. She did not disappoint. Dr. Stager is an exemplary practitioner, placing empathy and sex positivity at the forefront of her care. Follow her on Twitter if you’re looking for a socially engaged health professional.
Most Helpful Resource for Providers
A5: NASTAD and @hishealthstrong have a FREE training module that provides two CMEs for providers on PrEP uptake for Black gay and bisexual men: https://t.co/TyRqsf6PcA #ExplorePrEP pic.twitter.com/8CKnOnye5R
— NASTAD (@NASTAD) November 30, 2018
This reply from NASTAD, the “…leading non-partisan, non-profit association that represents public health officials who administer HIV and hepatitis programs in the U.S.” hit two birds with one stone. They sent over this awesome module and introduced us to HisHealth, a community of healthcare providers and advocates committed to raising the standard of care for Black gay men.
Most Helpful Resource for Transgender Health
A4: We said it! Trans health is not about a single awareness day, we're thinking about it 24/7. #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay pic.twitter.com/X8sjxIOK7m
— DC Beings (@dcbeings) November 30, 2018
We are very proud of our #PrEPPledge campaign and its impact on the transgender community. However, we are always looking to improve and to learn where our communication is falling short, so if you identify as transgender and have feedback, let us know!
Bonus:
When we have these conversations, we also have to think about intersectionality. What are specific barriers for trans women of color? Black trans women? Trans folks who are immigrants? #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay https://t.co/T33v8TQQlg
— Black AIDS Institute (@blackaids) November 30, 2018
@_DCHealth Hablamos espanol at DC Health & Wellness Center por trans hermanos y hermanas #ExplorePrEP #PrEPPledge pic.twitter.com/6wt2rWq30g
— Michael Kharfen #Black Lives Matter (@mkharfen) November 30, 2018
Best Overall PrEP Resource
A5: Most people have no PrEP side effects. Some may have side effects like stomach aches or not feeling hungry but they aren't dangerous and they usually go away after a while. https://t.co/HMiLu2J7tk #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay
— 📢 PPGNY Action Fund (@PPGNYact) November 30, 2018
PPNYC Action Function shared this beautiful, quick, and easy-to-understand video all about PrEP. We are all about resources that are accessible to as many people as possible and hope you appreciate it, too! Learn more about the awesome work that Planned Parenthood NYC Action Fund is doing daily.
Best Call-To-Action
A6: I’d like to see more people GET TESTED! I was tested for HIV this morning with @DrLeanaWen in one of our health centers. It’s so important to #KnowYourStatus! #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay pic.twitter.com/3xsbsoyMPc
— Laura Meyers (@LauraMeyers_) November 30, 2018
Laura Meyers coming in for the kill with this tweet! We love the fact that she not only asked participants to get tested, but showed that she recently got tested herself. Oftentimes, there is a stigma associated with getting tested, but tweets like this help shift the conversation into something not only normal, but something worth celebrating!
Most Heartwarming Tweet
We believe in trusting our patients. If a patient thinks PrEP is right for them – we believe PrEP is for them. PrEP is for anyone who is at risk, wants to be safe, and wants control over their own sexual health. #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay2018
— PrEP Delco (@PrEP_Delco) November 30, 2018
It was difficult to choose just one of PrEP Delco‘s tweets because they were all so sweet, thoughtful, and generally a pleasure to read! We love how much trust and power PrEP Delco puts in its patient’s hands. Sometimes, you can feel out of control when exploring your options for HIV prevention, so this mindset is incredibly supportive!
Best Gif Use
Guess what time it is? @dcbeings #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay pic.twitter.com/0QOqXmAbkr
— NASTAD (@NASTAD) November 30, 2018
We’re going to be honest: everyone in the room laughed for like 5 minutes straight when we saw this tweet from NASTAD. It is literally the most perfect gif they could have chosen and the tweet itself is gold. This is just an A+ showing.
Most Engaging Tweet
We can’t close out this chat without bringing back the video that sparked a conversation about PrEP and sex positivity in DC and nationally! Love it or hate it, you’re going to have a reaction to it! 💦💦💦 #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay @mkharfen @HIVGov @NASTAD pic.twitter.com/Boa4kjehUx
— DC Beings (@dcbeings) November 30, 2018
With 21 likes and 13 RT’s, our “Think about PrEP” video continues to get attention a year after its initial release. We love the conversations that this video starts among healthcare providers and the general community!
Best Town Hall Moderator
Thanks for moderating a great chat, @PPMW_DC! While we're at it, thanks for the important work you do on the ground DAILY promoting PrEP and supporting the sexual health of DC citizens! #ExplorePrEP #WorldAIDSDay pic.twitter.com/z2jLlRKXf6
— DC Beings (@dcbeings) November 30, 2018
We’re so grateful to have partnered with PPMW on this Town Hall and for the incredible work that they do daily in our community. To read more about their work with PrEP in DC, visit prepmepp.com.
Best Twitter Community
You are an amazing being. A bold being, a fearless being, and yes, a passionate being. Discover more at https://t.co/bkhloS4RhU! #DCBeings pic.twitter.com/9nOssAGV15
— DC Beings (@dcbeings) December 3, 2018
This is a no-brainer – it’s our DC Beings community! Every follower we have, every person who interacts with our content, every community partner – you all make the work we do to promote sex positivity and sexual health possible. We are so excited to come back next with a bigger, better Town Hall! Are there any questions you’d want to see next year? VIP’s? Contact us on Twitter to let us know.
Feeling left out? Check out our Twitter Moment and catch up on all the #ExplorePrEP action!
