Been feeling frisky? And been doing something risky? Well, there’s reason to worry. But there’s also a possible solution, and for sure there’s a laugh in a new video on WeHoLife.org.
Titled PEP, the video is a humorous and catchy (pardon the pun) callout about the value of PEP (which stands for “post-exposure prophylaxis” — medical jargon for prevention after the fact). It promotes PEP, which is a treatment that, if taken at least 72 hours after unprotected sex, can reduce the possibility that one will become infected with HIV.
PEP treatment is offered at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. Information about it is available on the PEP hotline at (323) 860-5855 or at freetesting.org.
The video specifically targets West Hollywood, 40 percent of whose population is composed of gay men. It was written and animated by Adam Carl Cohen and produced by Brett Holland and features cartoon characters with voiceovers by Cohen and Glenn Steinbaum.
WeHoLife.org, which had a soft launch recently, is a project of the Center and the City of West Hollywood. The site was designed for the “community of guys who live, work or play in West Hollywood to end HIV stigma, reduce substance abuse and stop the spread of HIV in our community,” the Center says.
To that end if offers up a number of other funny and informational videos, including “Five Rules for a Joyful, Good F–k,” presented by Miss CoCo Peru. It also offers a link to all 28 episodes of “In the Moment,” a video series sponsored by the Center and West Hollywood that looks at the sexual decisions young men in WeHo are confronted it.
That series, now concluded but still relevant, was developed in recognition of the fact that the Internet was a primary way gay men connected for sex.
“It was at a time when we were really looking for fresh and innovative ways to promote safer sex,” said Susan Cohen, the Center’s Director of Health Education & Prevention Services. “Since the Internet was becoming a primary source for dating and hooking up, we knew we needed to be online… to reach people where they were.”
