Michelle Visage PrEP campaign triggers Christian group despite no mention of LGBTQ+
Michelle Visage’s PrEP ad targeted by Conservative Christian group One Million Moms. (Jesse Grant/Getty)
Conservative Christian group One Million Moms (OMM) has launched a campaign opposing a public awareness campaign for PrEP starring RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Michelle Visage.
Launched in June by ViiV Healthcare, the PrEP Wisdom campaign aims to “empower people to make informed decisions about long-acting injectable (LAI) HIV prevention, beyond the dosing schedules”.
OMM, a project of the anti-LGBTQ+ American Family Association, is taking issue with a 34-second clip, branding it “inappropriate”.
In the video, ViiV Healthcare spokesperson Visage highlights the importance of speaking with healthcare professionals about PrEP options.
Visage does not mention sex, HIV/AIDS, or the LGBTQ+ community. However, the conservative group has still taken issue with the advertisement.
OMM has launched a petition urging TV Land to remove the advertisement. The group are claiming the PrEP Wisdom campaign is “inappropriate” and reduced it to “edgy programming”.
The group are claiming that the campaign is inappropriate for children to watch as it “targets individuals at risk of HIV, including members of the LGBTQ community”.
“Can you imagine what goes through the mind of a child, tween, or teen when seeing this ad?” their petition states.
“A parent never expects to discuss sexuality or homosexuality while sitting at home enjoying family time. TV Land needs to know it is not acceptable to air mature ads when children are likely watching.”
‘These inappropriate ads are highly irresponsible’
At the time of writing, over 8,800 people have signed the petition.
“I am extremely disappointed that TV Land is currently airing commercials for PrEP Wisdom, a campaign targeting the prevention of HIV through sexual activity,” the OMM petition creator wrote.
“These inappropriate ads are highly irresponsible. When airing before prime time, children are likely watching television shows such as The Andy Griffith Show. I urge TV Land to pull these controversial commercials from its network immediately.”
This isn’t the first time OMM has targeted the LGBTQ+ community. Recently, the group had a meltdown over Doechii’s Levi’s Jeans ad and accused Hilton Hotels of “pushing the LGBTQ+ agenda”.
Previously, the organisation protested against an eHarmony ad for featuring a lesbian couple, declared Macy’s Thanksgiving parade had an agenda by including non-binary individuals, and boycotted Marvel for “blatant LGBTQ+ content”.
“HIV prevention is not one-size-fits-all, and injectable PrEP options are not the same. Everyone’s day-to-day life, needs, and comfort level are different,” said Visage upon the commercial’s release.
“Real empowerment around sexual health and well-being includes having ‘PrEP Wisdom’ and knowing about the available options, including the differences in long-acting injectable PrEP beyond the dosing schedule, so you can work with your doctor to determine what may work best for you.”
Viiv Healthcare have estimated that 2.2 million people in the United States could benefit from using PrEP, which significantly reduces the likelihood of contracting HIV through sexual contact. It is estimated that around 25% of that number are currently using it.
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