Othering discourse and stigma amidst the identity formation process among gays, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

With the global emergence of the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), questions have emerged on which ways the social identity formation process among gays, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men on PrEP arise and constitute beyond exclusive sexual orientation expressions. We conducted a content analysis with thematic categories in a PrEP online group guided by group-web affiliation and individualization approaches. Individuals identify themselves as PrEPsters as part of a PrEP club, while dealing with conflicts on serosorting sexual partners and stigmatizing reactions towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). Self-worth and othering discourses towards PLWH emerged as complex themes in men's production of identity processes across four overlapping domains: (1) self-worth as a strategy to challenge individual HIV-acquisition-related anxiety and fear, (2) group-worth and group empowerment, (3) body control and reclaiming power on sexual health, and (4) othering discourses, HIV/AIDS stigma and criminalization of PLWH. Paradoxically, internal and external discourses to the group constitute and challenge identity differentiation; individuals on PrEP claim to fight against the HIV/AIDS stigma, while this reverberates alongst HIV-related discriminatory expressions in their discourses.

Othering discourse and stigma amidst the identity formation process among gays, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) / Discurso do Outro e estigma no processo de formação de identidade entre gays, bissexuais e outros homens que fazem sexo com homens que utilizam a profilaxia pré-exposição ao HIV (PrEP)

Abstract With the global emergence of the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), questions have emerged on which ways the social identity formation process among gays, bisexuals and other men who have sex with men on PrEP arise and constitute beyond exclusive sexual orientation expressions. We conducted a content analysis with thematic categories in a PrEP online group guided by group-web affiliation and individualization approaches. Individuals identify themselves as PrEPsters as part of a PrEP club, while dealing with conflicts on serosorting sexual partners and stigmatizing reactions towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH). Self-worth and othering discourses towards PLWH emerged as complex themes in men's production of identity processes across four overlapping domains: (1) self-worth as a strategy to challenge individual HIV-acquisition-related anxiety and fear, (2) group-worth and group empowerment, (3) body control and reclaiming power on sexual health, and (4) othering discourses, HIV/AIDS stigma and criminalization of PLWH. Paradoxically, internal and external discourses to the group constitute and challenge identity differentiation; individuals on PrEP claim to fight against the HIV/AIDS stigma, while this reverberates alongst HIV-related discriminatory expressions in their discourses.

Resumo Com o avanço global da Profilaxia Pré-exposição ao HIV (PrEP) questões sobre a formação do processo (bio)identitário de gays, bissexuais e outros homens que fazem sexo com homens usuários de PrEP complexificam-se para além de expressões de orientação sexual. Realizamos uma análise de conteúdo com categorias temáticas em um grupo online de usuários de PrEP orientada por abordagens de redes sociais e individualização social. Os indivíduos veem-se como PrEPsters como parte de um clube de PrEP, enquanto lidam com conflitos nas relações sexuais soro-discordantes. Discursos de autovalorização e de estigma contra pessoas que vivem com HIV/Aids (PVHA) surgiram como temas complexos na produção dos processos de identidade em quatro domínios interconectados: (1) autovalorização como uma estratégia para minorar ansiedade e o medo relacionados à aquisição de HIV, (2) valorização de grupo e expressões de empoderamento individual, (3) controle do corpo e poder de decisão sobre saúde sexual, e (4) discursos de diferenciação, estigma e criminalização das PVHA. Paradoxalmente, discursos internos e externos ao grupo constituem e desafiam a diferenciação de identidade; indivíduos em PrEP afirmaram lutar contra o estigma do HIV/Aids, enquanto reproduzem expressões discriminatórias relacionadas a HIV/Aids em seus discursos.