Sexualidade e bioidentidades na experiência de homens usuários de PrEP em Salvador -BA

Abstract

This dissertation explores sexual practices in the context of sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, with a particular focus on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It presents an ethnographic study of men who use Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in the city of Salvador, Bahia, analyzing the social uses of PrEP and its relationship with users’ sexuality and bioidentities. The research was based on interactions with nine men using PrEP, as well as on the analysis of discussions on social networks. The guiding question was “how does PrEP relate to users' sexuality?” Drawing on the experiences shared by the interlocutors, I argue that PrEP enables gay bareback sex—referred to as "no pelo"—to become a possibility that transcends factors previously controlled by the “AIDS dispositif”, such as the number of sexual partners, the formality of relationships, and, most importantly, the serostatus of those involved. I reflect on the potential for PrEP use to disrupt stigmas historically associated with homosexual sexuality. Unlike other studies, this research focuses on sexual practices by closely following interlocutors in their daily lives, whether in their interactions with the healthcare system or in their sexual experiences after initiating PrEP use. This transdisciplinary discussion on the relationship between PrEP use and sexuality contributes to a better understanding—both for researchers and healthcare professionals—of the dynamics of sexual experimentation, fostering more effective prevention strategies and helping to prevent their obsolescence.