I’m 27 and I’m a virgin. I’ve turned down hookups. Im saving up for when I meet a man I can trust.

My parents think you can get Monkeypox by touching the blisters on someone who has it. But they think it’s a myth that gays are the worst spreaders of it, and condemn it as a homophobic myth. They believe straight people are at just as much risk of spreading it.

Nevertheless, I do think that Monkeypox isn’t as scary as the media and the government are making it out to be. It’s no big deal, and it’s easy to avoid if you’re monogamous or celibate. The media and the government want people scared. People who are scared are easier to control, easier to manipulate. This was clearly demonstrated over the last two years with lockdowns and mask mandates, with scared people yelling and screaming at people for "not obeying the rules" and cutting off ties with friends and family for not being scared of Covid. Fear makes you stupid. That same fear has been used to spread homophobia and manipulate the general public into making life hell for gay men. This can happen again with Monkeypox.