TL;DR
- ‘PrEP belly’ is trending on social media.
- Experts say it’s mostly a joke, not a real concern.
- Temporary bloating can occur but is not harmful.
- Stigmatizing PrEP could deter users from taking it.
- The discourse reflects deeper issues in LGBTQ health.
Oh honey, the internet is ablaze with chatter about “PrEP belly,” and let me tell you, it’s a wild ride! This week, the gay side of social media has been buzzing not just about the latest hot pics of Zane Phillips and Hudson Williams, but about this hot-button issue that’s got everyone talking: PrEP belly. Yes, you heard that right. The term exploded onto the scene around April 21, with folks commenting on celebs like DJ John Summit looking like they might be sporting a little extra belly, and suddenly everyone is worried they might have it too.
“WHAT is a PrEP belly?” DJ and influencer Griffin Maxwell Brooks asked on X (formerly Twitter), complete with a crying emoji, because who wouldn’t be worried about their waistline? Others chimed in, saying things like, “Great now I’m worried about having prep belly,” while some even posted thirst traps asking if they had it.
But hold up, is PrEP belly even a real thing? Spoiler alert: not really. According to MISTR, a fabulous gay-owned telehealth company that provides free access to PrEP, HIV testing, and care, the most common side effects of the medication include nausea, gas, bloating, and sometimes diarrhea. But don’t panic! These symptoms are usually temporary and fade away within the first two to four weeks as your body adjusts.
“It’s kind of like how some people feel a bit queasy when starting a new vitamin or supplement. Your system needs time to get used to it,” MISTR reassured on their website.
But here’s where it gets juicy. Some social media users pointed out that the whole “PrEP belly” buzz was meant to be an inside joke among the Manhattan gays. “Uhm so this PrEP belly thing was supposed to be an NYC inside joke (particularly among the Manhattan gays),” @geeyanii wrote. “Like it wasn’t supposed to be a thesis or a discussion point. It was supposed to be a joke. No science to it, no stigma, just a good old joke.”
Yet, the discourse quickly spiraled, with some folks worrying that attributing bloating to PrEP could be dangerous, especially considering how life-saving the medication is. After all, we can’t forget the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis on the gay community in the ’80s and ’90s. “Not to be the friend that’s too woke but the whole ‘PrEP belly’ thing just sounds like another way to deter gays from taking PrEP, which there’s already a weird stigma attached to it,” @touchnick tweeted.
Brooks took to X again on April 23, saying that fretting over “PrEP belly” makes you “sound like an anti-vaxxer.” He even made a TikTok video discussing his concerns about this discourse harming the gay community, which has already racked up over 200,000 views. “I do think we need to be really careful creating stigma around a medication as important as PrEP, specifically in this current age of anti-intellectualism as it regards to medicine,” Brooks stated.
So, let’s hope the internet can move on to more pressing matters, like who the hottest star in the latest hockey series ‘Off Campus’ is. Because honestly, that’s the kind of discourse we need right now!
