The controversial “F*ck W/Out Fear” campaign on WeHo’s Santa Monica Boulevard is getting spruced up this week.
WEHOville readers have inquired about the disappearance of the campaign’s sidewalk chalk drawing on Santa Monica Boulevard near Palm Avenue. That drawing, designed to promote the use of Truvada as a measure to prevent HIV infection, upset the owners of the nearby Yogurt Stop and was allegedly defaced by a man who also spray painted over another.
But it’s gone only because the L.A. LGBT Center has decided to move the eye-catching sidewalk sign to the highly trafficked northeast corner of Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards.
Jim Key, the Center’s chief marketing officer, said the Center originally had intended to place the image on the sidewalk in front of Micky’s, the bar just to the west of Yogurt Stop, but that its sidewalk railing prevented that. Key said the project’s artists also would repair two other vandalized images on Friday.
The City of West Hollywood authorized the creation of five sidewalk images along Santa Monica Boulevard in WeHo’s Boystown nightlife district as part of its campaign to reduce HIV infections, a major issue among gay men.
MarLar19, I think you are missing the point of how PrEP works. It puts YOU in control. It doesn’t matter what the other person says, if they lie about taking their pill. People also lie about their status, when they were last tested, what the results were, etc.. PrEP puts you in control of your risk of getting HIV, whether you are a bottom, a top or a versatile. I’ve been on it for almost 4 years and have been very active in a PrEP information group all that time. Very, very few people have reported “getting sick while on… Read more »
Manny, I wasn’t implying you should “move to Westlake Village.” I was implying that maybe you (or whomever is offended) should consider hanging out in a different neighborhood (and really, any other part of West Hollywood) if you can’t handle a four-letter word on a strip of our city that is frequented by many young adults, where sexual imagery is already prominent. You are more than entitled to be offended by it. PrEP saves lives. It has cornered HIV (so far, not a single transmission this year in SF, a city that used to be ground zero for this crisis).… Read more »
“I’m on Prep” Prove it (and that you take it every single day ; not one dosage missed.) “I’m negative.” Prove it (where are your papers from this month. And you do know that test results vary by city, country, etc.) I’m neg, on Prep, let’s BB.” Yeah, not. This logic makes no sense. It means you’ve been brainwashed and peer pressured into thinking that is a normal statement to message someone you don’t know (referring mostly to app hookups which is where most of the Prep users are). Prep. No thanks. But if you use it why is there… Read more »
@Randy…..being offended by this campaign is a legitimate opinion that many people share…..as is yours. Telling people that live here to move because they don’t agree with you only cheapens your argument. Just because someone doesn’t like what’s going on in their community, and is willing to share their opinion, they don’t deserve being told to move someplace else……I’m sure there’s a lot you don’t like…..I would never tell you to leave because I’m sure there’s also many things you do like. I don’t know about “DavidT” but I think you can do better than that. (Ugh! I’ll never get… Read more »
Total lack of creativity and an embarrassment.
Jimmy, exactly. This is a smart, effective marketing campaign. LJWilliams, statistics have proven that PrEP is more effective at preventing HIV transmission (when adhered to) than condoms. So if you feel “safer” using a condom, then so be it. But you are ignoring proven statistics. Of course, I’m only referring to HIV here. Manny, I second the “go live in Westlake Village” argument. Every city and neighborhood has its own character and culture. That part of West Hollywood is frequented by young gay men, more than anyone else. So yeah, if people don’t like it, they can go elsewhere. This… Read more »
The gay community needs to take sex back from fear and shame. AIDS decimated our community and we needed our fear to stay safe and survive. Sex became the enemy and we shamed those who weren’t as disciplined as we wanted them to be. PrEP has given us an opportunity to start exploring our sexuality in ways that we could not for 35 years. It is prescribed with great care about the risks and the benefits to ADULTS who then get to decide for themselves how they want to behave sexually. If you’re Pro-choice then you need to let gay… Read more »
@DavidT……please, that “go live in Westlake Village or Calabasas” line is tired, old, boring and a dumb device to try and prove your point.
Try to come up with something smarter and less lazy next time……LOL
Very proud of the Center and our City for this. HIV affects our community in so many ways, and education is key. We have a prescription that effectively prevents HIV infections. This is completely relevant to our gay community in WeHo. To those clutching their pearls in disgust, perhaps Westlake Village is more your cup of tea.
Prep users take the greatest risk with their sexual partners. I feel safer with the people not brainwashed by pharma and who use condoms
This campaign is perfect in that it has started the conversation on PreP quickly and loudly. More so than any other campaign so far. The center has accomplished its goals and the city was wise enough to assist.
This is the lowest common denominator of communication, self respect and caring. Is that the best way to get an important message across?
It doesn’t get any lower than this folks.