Brazil’s Hornet Man of the Month for March Sounds Off on the Importance of PrEP
Meet Brazil’s March Man of the Month for Hornet, Arthur Vieira, a model from São Paulo who is also a 24-year-old law student. While posing for these gorgeous photos taken by the amazing Leonardo Santos, he opened up to us about his experiences with PrEP, dating and his love of traveling.
Like many places around the world, Brazilians continue to fight against prejudice — prejudice against sexual orientation, gender, class and race. But, as Arthur Vieira says, “Though being black is sometimes a problem, we live in a diverse country. So any kind of racial prejudice is denying our own origin.”
He adds, “I can’t deny that homophobia still exists despite the strides we have made. We’re slowly moving forward, but we’re still not seen as clearly as we should be. I hope to do all I can to get the public to see me as I truly am.”
When it comes to love, Vieira says, “I believe there is no definite pattern for human behavior when it comes to relationships. We are extremely diverse, we like and desire different things — it’d be crazy to say everyone on Earth wants the same thing. I say that we should all be free to love and do what we want as long as it makes us happy and doesn’t hurt anyone.”
As we mentioned before, this March Man of the Month is a model — which should be obvious from just looking at him — and he loves it. “My image has become the main thing the public knows about me. This is really powerful, and I can use this gift to deal with important issues. And it’s always a pleasure to represent Afro-Brazilian beauty!”
Arthur Viera also spoke with us about his PrEP use.
“I was in a relationship where my partner used PrEP,” he says. “At first, I didn’t know much about it, so I went to the doctor to find out more. After that, I started using it myself.”
He continued, “With PrEP, I feel much more confident and secure. I’ve always worried about my health. Once I started using PrEP, I started to pay more attention to gay public health issues. Being able to talk about public health through Hornet is just one example of how I became a more conscious citizen.”
Vieira adds, “I recommend PrEP not only to gays, but to all Brazilian society. After all, gay people are not the only ones at risk for HIV. It is absolutely essential people find out about PrEP and destroy the hurtful myths around HIV.”
Surprisingly, Vieira is single. “I’ve had good relationships, and I am grateful for everyone I’ve been with,” says the March Man of the Month. “But right now, I’m enjoying my own company and spending time with good friends. It’s what I like doing, and it gives me even more passion for life.”
Vieira is also a world-traveler. “I really love traveling. Meeting new people, seeing different cultures; I’m a curious person, and I’m always in a different place. This August, I’ll be visiting the United States, passing through Houston, New York, Miami and more, sampling all the delicious American foods!”
