Risque safe-sex campaign sees Euro 2016 rivals come together to ‘make love not war’
A new risque photo series features typical rival countries from Euro 2016 appear together to promote safe sex.
The campaign, run by the Paris-based AIDES, an HIV and AIDS awareness group, shows models painted in the traditional colours of their respective countries, along with their rivals.
The body paint is smudged and muddled to show that the couples, some same-sex and others opposite-sex, have engaged in intercourse.
Titled ‘Make Love Not War’, the campaign was photographed by Eric Traore. As well as urging people to protect themselves from HIV transmission, it also hopes to bring peace to rival football fans.
Various countries’ fans have already been criticised for causing rifts while in France for the competition.
The words for the campaign read: “Blend together, safe together.”
“Some people continue to confuse sports competition and nationalist fever; this campaign is the best way to respond,” Aurélien Beaucamp, the president of AIDES says.
“A bit of love and lightness in a climate where reactionary temptations are raging can only do everyone some good.”
The campaign was launched a the end of June.
Earlier this year actor Charlie sheen, who last year revealed that he is HIV-positive, endorsed a new slip and tear resistance type of condoms.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada can reduce people’s chances of being infected with HIV by up to 99 percent, if taken daily.
Though the drug is endorsed by the World Health Organisation and is available to at-risk gay men in a number of countries, NHS England has repeatedly deferred a decision on the drugs – despite a pilot scheme showed the drugs were incredibly effective at reducing HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM).
Earlier this year, NHS England ruled out a large scale roll-out for PrEP instead funding a further two-year trial at “early implementer” sites.
HIV groups have threatened a legal challenge over the decision, and since, Stephen Fry, a patron of Terrence Higgins Trust, has waded into the row.
