Luke Krakowski was crowned Mr Gay Poland in 2018 and has since been taking his PrEP message to the world.
I caught up with Luke to talk about life after snatching the trophy.
How has life changed since you won the title of Mr Gay Poland?
I knew that if I really want to make an impact, that it was going to get busy - that’s how it is now. I have my day-to-day job that requires lots of travel, and I have all my PrEP advocacy work.
Living in Denmark and working for Poland requires some planning, but right now it’s working out. I’m getting a lot of air miles - I need to plant some trees to counterbalance.
On top of all the travel, I’ve started a YouTube channel - pan do PrEPu. It translates as ‘the PrEP guy’. I felt that’s since there’s nothing like that at all, that this will be a great way for my PrEP advocacy to reach those places where I can’t travel to. So, if you visit Poland and your hookups are on PrEP - you’re welcome.
Your focus is on increasing awareness and availability of PrEP in Poland. How is that message being received?
It’s like going back in time to 2012 in the US, or a few years ago in UK. There’s a lot of stigma and shame around sex.
I was interviewed by Replika - the only LGBTQ magazine in Poland - about being Mr Gay, and even before the interview was printed the reactions were extreme. People assumed a lot about me, and they felt cool about writing all the nasty comments towards me and my partner. I was expecting hate, but I didn’t expect such a hatred from within LGBTQ community. My sex-positive attitude and openness around sexual health triggered a huge homophobic outage from gay guys.
I kind of understand, that if you live in a country where the government and the church openly attack you, where you don’t have full citizen rights - for example, you can’t have a legally recognised relationship - then it gets to you. But I also know that someone needs to start showing that there’s a different way. Someone needs to have to have the courage to show that we can finish HIV in Poland.
I get the feeling that some gay guys in Poland have the perception that being gay is okay, but only under certain conditions - you must only be in a monogamous and hetero-normative relationship, you must be prudish about sex, and sex must only be vanilla. There’s this perception that by living that kind of life that they will gain acceptance from the rest of society. Well, I don’t buy that, and no one will put me back in the closet.
What are some of the objections that you encounter when you’re talking to people about PrEP?
There is a lack of understanding and education. It’s not only about HIV and PrEP, but about sexual health in general. We’re now seeing the results of years of HIV campaigns based on scaring people. People are stigmatised to even get tested.
Here’s some numbers - it’s estimated that only 30 percent of gay guys in Poland get tested regularly. Each year in Poland, there’s around 1100 new HIV infections diagnosed, and the numbers are rising each year. Talking about condoms and having taboos around gay sex won’t change that. Luckily, PrEP is changing that trend. People are getting more educated around their risks and how to play safer. That’s why I decided to start my YouTube channel, where I talk about PrEP facts and my experiences. I’m that friend that you can ask about anything.
I get a lot of messages with questions and thank you notes. A few weeks ago, I was at Hustlaball in Berlin and a few guys recognised me - one even shared his story. That’s why I know that what I do is good and that it works.
Is there an element of slut-shaming from people who don’t think that you should be advocating for PrEP?
Yes - a lot! I think it’s because that what I say is such a shock to them, that they can’t comprehend it yet. That’s why their reaction is a very ugly attack. It’s funny, because all of the slurs that they use on me I can link to porn categories on sites like PornHub. I guess that it’s their ripest fantasies that they feel most ashamed of.
I just try to tell them that there’s nothing wrong with that kind of sex, and that that can be safe doing it. On second thoughts, maybe the negative reaction is related to our Catholic upbringing - they feel that gay sex must come with punishment. There’s a lot of psychological work to do as people are blind to the facts about PrEP. PrEP works, just let yourself benefit from it. We have a right to intimate sex!
Are you currently taking PrEP?
Yes, I’ve been on daily PrEP for over two years, and I love every day of it.
I’m actually participating in a new drug study in Copenhagen. I’m doing it because I want to be a part of developing new generations of PrEP. If some guys couldn’t take Truvada due to side effects, they’ll have a chance with the new one.
It’s interesting that even in Copenhagen it took around a year from PrEP scepticism, to almost everyone I know now being on PrEP.
If someone was thinking that they might benefit from PrEP, what advice or guidance would you give them?
I remember my concerns. We all have doubts before starting something new, something that feels like a big step at the time. My advice - look for a local doctor or PrEP clinic, and just do it! If it doesn’t work for you, you can stop it at any time - PrEP gives you the freedom to stop if you decide to. So, go ahead and see for yourself. PrEP is an indication that you’re making an educated decision about your sexual health, and it gives you peace of mind - it’s worth it.
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