Housewives take Capitol Hill by storm

On Wednesday, Real Housewives from across the country occupied the Capitol to advocate for expanded access to PrEP and demand continued (if not increased) funding for HIV/AIDS research.

The event brought together housewives from multiple franchises, including Atlanta’s NeNe Leakes and Phaedra Parks. Candace Dillard Bassett of Potomac; Erika Jayne of Beverly Hills. Luann de Lesseps from New York. Melissa Gorga from New Jersey. Alongside Miami native Marysol Patton and Tristan Shucraft, founder and CEO of MISTR, an online platform that connects people to HIV prevention tools and care.

mistleStars from across Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise, the nation’s largest telehealth platform for sexual health, gathered in Washington for the Housewives of the Hill for a day of advocacy focused on expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment. During the event, housewives shared personal stories about how HIV has affected their lives and the ongoing impact of HIV across communities in the United States.

The drug that helps spread MISTR PrEP is a drug that, when taken properly, can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted HIV by up to 99 percent. According to public health officials. Supporters say broader access to medicines, including insurance coverage and telehealth services, is critical to reducing new HIV infections across the United States.

The day began with a panel discussion in the ornate Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Building, where housewives shared personal stories about the importance of HIV prevention.

Many of the housewives provided personal explanations of why HIV prevention is important to them.

Bassett drew on her experience in public affairs under the Obama-Biden administration to discuss how policy decisions can directly impact marginalized communities.

“Before my career in the entertainment industry, I actually worked in the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House. Part of my job was to be a liaison between the White House and the community,” Bassett told the crowded venue. “There I was able to see firsthand the impact of federal policy on those communities, especially marginalized communities, and the results that can be seen from those efforts.”

She then turned to her fellow housewives, pointing out that the issue does not affect all communities equally, and that minority groups are disproportionately affected by HIV.

“And what Phaedra said about this disease and HIV and AIDS and how it disproportionately affects so many people, especially Black people. As you said, we make up 12 percent of the population, and of those who are infected with HIV. 40 percent. Get it right. Let it be on the wall…It’s so important that we have conversations like this, not just in forums like this, but around the kitchen table, in group chats, on the street.” We need to talk about what we can do as communities and as individuals to fight AIDS and AIDS. ”

After the panel discussion, the group moved to the Lincoln Room, part of the Majority Whip’s office suite, where they continued conversations with lawmakers and staff about access to care, education, and prevention.

Bassett, fresh out of the “traitor” castle, emphasized the need to humanize heavy topics like HIV.

“They may not have anyone in their immediate family who has had HIV, but because there are six degrees of separation, everyone knows someone who has had HIV,” Bassett told the Washington Blade. “If we can connect families to how they deal with illness, they can see themselves in it. People want community, and social media has really helped us connect in that way.”

Mr. Bassett encouraged participants to be courageous, learn about preventive measures and take advantage of telemedicine through platforms such as MISTR.

“Step out and believe that the people who should be holding you back are going to help you,” she added.

Mr Shoecraft said the turnout reflected the public’s strong interest in HIV prevention and awareness.

“More than 400 people attended the panel discussion, and we had to turn away participants,” Shucraft told the Blade. “These are real communities across the country who are sharing their stories and highlighting the importance of HIV prevention and long-term care. Telemedicine is key. Telemedicine supports rural and urban communities, reduces stigma, and allows people to see their doctors from home. The more honest you are with your doctor, the better care you will receive.”

For Leakes, using her iconic voice to educate others was a natural extension of her platform.

“It can be embarrassing to talk about sex and HIV,” she admitted. “Atlanta has high rates of HIV infection, especially in the Black and gay communities. It feels great to be able to confidently speak and educate our community. The number of people who came out to support us this morning was amazing. Some were turned away. It’s important to keep the conversation fun and relatable for the younger generation.”

“Atlanta has high rates of HIV infection, especially in the black and gay communities,” Leakes added to the Blade. “The South, Miami, Houston, these areas still have high standards and ignorance is a contributing factor to that. It feels good to have the confidence to speak up and educate in your community.”

Parks echoed similar sentiments, highlighting both the challenges and resilience of the LGBTQ community.

“Many people need this incentive but don’t have a voice. Healthcare costs are high and for some, inaccessible, so MISTR is providing resources and telehealth access to PrEP,” Parks said. “The LGBTQ+ community fights a battle every day. Sometimes we lose, but we keep going. Housewives shows that women can keep going.”

The lawyer also hinted at some new upcoming projects, highlighting that Atlanta will return to Bravo on April 5th with “two new peaches in the house,” asserting that it will be must-see TV. She also mentioned her upcoming role on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Patton said the atmosphere at The Hill was very welcoming (even more so than on Andy Cohen’s couch at the reunion). He also said that working with Shucraft and MISTR allowed him to see first-hand how technology and telemedicine can remove barriers to care.

“Everyone was so friendly, so enthusiastic, so encouraging,” Patton said. “I’m inspired by MISTR. It’s a way to bring medicine to people who don’t have access to or the funds to see a doctor. Telemedicine and medicine delivery can reduce stigma and help prevent the spread of HIV. For prevention to work, there needs to be access.”

Jayne gave a more personal insight to the Blade, specifically touching on how much treatment has changed since the disease began in the 1980s.

“For those of us who grew up in the late 1980s and early ’90s, being diagnosed with HIV meant death,” she said. “The stigma was terrible and we lost a lot of people in the arts. People are living longer now, but the disease is still here. I think it’s important that we use the influence that we can have in education.”

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the first openly lesbian woman who has long advocated for HIV research and prevention, said the Housewives’ visit underscored the importance of public awareness and celebrity influence in the fight against HIV.

“When I first got involved, AIDS was a death sentence. There is no cure, no cure. Now, thanks to public education and health research, we know more. Advocacy is spreading awareness about PrEP’s existence, preventing transmission, and funding research toward a cure. We need bipartisan pressure to continue funding.”

Baldwin went on to explain that this is not a one-and-done effort. To end the epidemic, all members of Congress must come together to fight a virus that recognizes no party, class, sexuality, or gender.

“The end of this pandemic is within reach, but we have to stay focused on it. We have to continue to invest in it. That’s why it’s so important to understand what we’re doing today and why…The Real Housewives, along with celebrities, come to Capitol Hill to press this topic. Because this administration, the Trump administration… Because we’ve seen them proposing deep cuts, deep cuts to fight AIDS, but also regionally. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’m in a position to fight back. We need to actually fund the programs that they’re cutting, and that’s not a given, and we need to continue to push on a bipartisan basis to continue that funding.”