The dating, hook-up and relationship-seeking culture in the LGBTQ community has always had its own secret set of codes that allowed its members to navigate this dicey domain in public, while remaining under the radar. These tell-tale signs have ranged from one’s sartorial choices to subtle glances in public and private spaces. Over time, these codes have become markers in the LGBTQ community and has aided in recognition of the other and of one’s own. It has also acted as a means of filtering the potential pool of partners.

Now, these real-world navigation tools have been translated into filter tabs on online dating platforms and apps, which allows a user to sift through other profiles more easily, dismissing and disappearing a majority of them with a simple selection process through a list of preferred markers. While before these categories might have been weight, height, complexion or the preference of sexual position (which have their own set of problems), in the recent past, “On PrEP” has quietly and quickly become the latest piece of important information to narrow the numbers.

TNM spoke to a medical practitioner and users about this new medication to figure out the ways it is being accessed by the LGBTQ community in India and the concerns surrounding its use.

We began with the simple question: What is PrEP? “PrEP or Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis is a relatively new HIV prevention strategy that is instituted prior to exposure and establishment of the HIV infection among individuals at a high risk of acquiring HIV infection. It is a single pill that’s made up of a combination of drugs,” explains Dr. Praneeth Pillala, an HIV primary care physician at the Bengaluru-based PCMH Restore Health Clinic. “Research has shown that daily use of this medication has found it to be highly effective in reducing the risk of contracting HIV by 99%,” he adds. Read more via News Minute