After revealing to the world that he is living with HIV, Jonathan Van Ness is already hard at work on his mission to help de-stigmatize the virus and topics surrounding it.
The member of
Queer Eye
's Fab Five uploaded a video from a sexual health campaign to Instagram on Monday. The spot was created in collaboration with Planned Parenthood.
"Hi everyone, I'm here today to talk to you about sexual health," he says in the clip. "Everyone deserves a sex life that is safe, fun, and empowering. Talking with your partners about STDS and safer sex is an important part of any healthy and sexy relationship."
In the campaign, Van Ness goes on to give a primer on sexually transmitted infections. In it, he explains that most STIs are common, and not worthy of shame, and that all can be either treated or completely cured with medicine. The hair stylist also noted that most infections do not show symptoms which is what makes regular testing important, which is available at places like Planned Parenthood -- the organization provided a reported 4.7 million tests for STIs in 2018. But that important work is in danger.
"What you should also know is that the Trump-Pence administration is making it even harder for people to access free or low-cost STD testing and treatment by forcing Planned Parenthood out of the Title X Program," Van Ness says,
referencing a move by the administration in February
that would redirect funds to anti-abortion and faith-based groups. "A 50-year-old federal program that 4 million people use for affordable sexual health care like low-cost STD testing, birth control, and cancer screenings."
Van Ness closed out the campaign with a call to action. "Join us to protect Title X and Planned Parenthood, to make sure everyone can get the sexual healthcare that they deserve," he said. "Text Title X to 22422 to take action and stand with Planned Parenthood!"
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