There's a new super queer, bright, and merry music video you won't be able to watch without smiling and singing along.
GIF via Howard Brown Health/YouTube.
It happens to be all about preventing HIV, too.
The song, brought to you by the team at Chicago's Howard Brown Health, is aptly called "Let's Talk About PrEP."
Based off Salt-N-Pepa's original bop, "Let's Talk About Sex," Howard Brown's version aims to inform viewers about the benefits of accessing PrEP (or Pre-exposure prophylaxis) — a medication that, if taken daily, drastically reduces the chance of HIV transmission.
GIF via Howard Brown Health/YouTube.
Who knew a song about sexual health could be so damn delightful?
Watch "Let's Talk About PrEP," starring rapper KC Ortiz (story continues below):
"We need to talk about PrEP and HIV in our community," Ortiz says in a statement given to Upworthy.
"When we talk to our partners and our loved ones about sexual health, we are eliminating stigma," says Ortiz, who is transgender.
First approved by the FDA in 2012, PrEP has become a critical component in combating the spread of HIV. Many health providers and LGBTQ advocacy groups have made growing awareness and expanding PrEP access a priority throughout the past six years. Howard Brown, for instance, is one of the nation's leading prescribers of the medication, accounting for roughly 10% of all PrEP prescriptions in the U.S., according to CEO David Munar.
GIF via Howard Brown Health/YouTube.
Some obstacles stand in the way, though.
Truvada, the drug's brand name, has surged in price since 2012, alarming health officials who are aiming to get the medication into more hands.
"We have the most effective tool for ending the HIV epidemic, and one reason we're unable to scale up is because it costs so [much] unnecessarily," James Krellenstein of advocacy group ACT UP New York told NPR in June.
While PrEP remains free or at low-cost for many, a larger share of the price tag continues being shifted onto patients' shoulders, making the medication inaccessible for those most at-risk of HIV infection — namely, low-income people of color in the LGBTQ community.
Still, we have the opportunity to end HIV/AIDS once and for all.
"We are on the precipice of an HIV-free generation," says Erik Roldan, director of communications for Howard Brown. "And PrEP is one of the tools we need to get us there."
We need to talk about PrEP (baby), and continue getting it into the hands of those who need it most.
Want to learn more about PrEP? Get info on how it works and where you can access the medication in your area at the CDC website.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."