But I’m a Cis Girl, Why Would I Need to Take PrEP?
By: VK Studio - stock.adobe.com
It might sound a little silly, but it’s honestly a super important question to ask. A lot of what we hear about PrEP is primarily marketed towards gay cis men or trans women. It’s easy to forget that PrEP can be beneficial for everybody, and that includes cis women and girls, too!
The reasoning behind this marketing is that these groups (also including sex workers and those who inject drugs) historically face higher levels of HIV compared to others [1]. . Although the chances of cis women contracting HIV are statistically lower in the United States context, this doesn’t mean it’s 0. In fact, Black women and girls in our country have increased vulnerability to HIV,
The conversation around PrEP and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) needs to be expanded, and it starts with sexual education. In sexual health classes, I remember almost all my education being about the risks of pregnancy with very little focus on STIs. Even when we did talk about STIs, it was a very brief conversation that glossed over a lot—including HIV. I had to do my own research to learn about HIV. Anybody can contract HIV from any person, so there’s no reason it shouldn’t be taught to everybody in sexual education. After all, the H in HIV stands for “human.”
Because cis women are so underrepresented in PrEP campaigns, it’s also easy for them to think that PrEP isn’t for them, or that HIV doesn’t impact them. Other things make this worse, too—like bi-erasure and medical mistrust. But the CDC recommends that all sexually active people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, be informed about PrEP.
Of course, every person’s experience is different, and that means PrEP may be right for one person in their journey but not another. For myself, I know PrEP wouldn’t be right for me right now since I’m a lesbian and not currently sexually active. But if in the future I was intimate with people who I think may have the potential of being exposed to HIV, then it’s something I would consider. Just want to note that women who have sex with women are not generally considered to be vulnerable to HIV. But there is a wide spectrum of human sexual behavior with lots of nuances, and sexual identity does not always determine our behavior. Basically, if a penis is involved, PrEP may be something you want to consider.
If you are sexually active, or thinking about becoming sexually active, he best thing to do is to educate yourself on what PrEP is, and to see if that’s something that would fit your life right now using your best judgement. Just knowing that the option is always there for you now and in the future can cause a huge amount of relief, and to know that you can start and stop it at any time. Personally, I would definitely be open to PrEP in the future if it was right for me.
Ready to take the next step but unsure of how to talk with your healthcare provider about it? Check out our tips list here!