Health authorities in England have discovered a new strain of mpox.
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Health officials in England have identified a newly evolved strain of mpox in a person who recently returned from traveling in Asia. The rare recombinant version of the virus blends two major global strains, the BBC reports.
Genomic testing by the UK Health Security Agency found that the new virus variant contains genetic elements from clade Ib, which has been linked to more severe illness, and clade IIb, the strain responsible for the 2022 global outbreak. The virus does not yet have a formal name, and officials say they are still assessing its public health significance.
“It’s a watch and wait situation at this point,” Dr. Demetre Daskalakis told The Advocate on Monday. “It’s hard to say what it means other than vigilance needs to continue for mpox and [this] highlights the importance of a strong public health system to detect changes in the virus.”
Daskalakis is a leading infectious disease physician who previously served as the White House National Mpox Response Deputy Coordinator under President Joe Biden. In August, he resigned as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. In his resignation letter, he said that under the second Trump administration, the agency had been politicized beyond repair.
He told The Advocate at the time that the CDC, as it was known, “is over.” Last week, Daskalakis was named chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City, one of the United States’s largest providers of LGBTQ+ health care.
The CDC’s mpox website, which was last updated on December 5, does not mention the new strain.
Daskalakis told The Advocate that the UK Health Security Agency’s website is a reliable public source for updates on the new variant.
The discovery in England follows alarming reporting by The Advocate in October, when a more severe strain of mpox, clade I, was confirmed in three hospitalized patients in Southern California with no travel history, marking the first known cases of local transmission of that strain inside the United States.
In an interview at the time, Daskalakis described the moment as an inflection point. “That means somewhere there’s been local transmission of a virus that we know can transmit and has a pretty good profile for being contagious,” he said.
All three California patients — two in Los Angeles and one in Long Beach — were hospitalized and unvaccinated. While their cases appeared unrelated, genomic sequencing showed the viral samples were genetically linked. Clade I, Daskalakis warned, is not necessarily more infectious, but significantly more severe than the clade II strain that drove the 2022 outbreak.
“The same communities who were most at risk in 2022, men who have sex with men, trans and nonbinary people, people living with HIV, are the ones who need to pay attention again,” he said.
Daskalakis described that moment as one of “watchful waiting,” not panic, but warned that sustained viral spread creates the precise conditions for mutation and recombination. The new recombinant strain now detected in England reflects exactly that risk: a virus adapting in real time as it moves through uneven global health systems.
Department of Health and Human Services press secretary Emily Hilliard did not respond to The Advocate’s request for comment.
Dr. Boghuma Titanji, an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University, told the BBC that the new strain represents what many experts feared would happen if mpox transmission continued unchecked. “The more mpox circulation we permit, the more opportunities the virus has to recombine and adapt, further entrenching mpox virus as a human pathogen that is not going away,” she said.
Vaccination remains the most effective protection against severe disease. Health officials estimate the mpox vaccine is 75 to 80 percent effective. While no studies yet confirm how well it protects against the new recombinant strain, officials believe a high degree of protection is likely.
Dr. Katy Sinka, head of sexually transmitted infections at UKHSA, said genomic testing made the discovery possible. “It’s normal for viruses to evolve,” she said. “Getting vaccinated is a proven effective way to protect yourself against severe disease.”
In October, Daskalakis stressed that the Jynneos vaccine remained fully protective. “Two doses are enough. You don’t need a booster right now.”
Mpox spreads through close physical contact and contaminated materials. While the 2022 outbreak disproportionately affected gay and bisexual men and transgender people, experts continue to stress that the virus is driven by exposure and not identity.
Digital Collage by Rachel Shatto for Pride.com (elements: Darya Lavinskaya/Shutterstock)
We’ve already taught you all about oral sex, now it’s time to whip your fingers into shape!
Fingering is an essential part of sapphic sex, which means that if you want to impress the vulva owner in your bed, you're going to need to up your game.
If you’re a baby gay or just brand new to having sex with women, don’t worry, our experts have got you covered. These tips and tricks will have you looking like a fingering virtuoso to any queer woman or trans and nonbinary person you take to bed.
So whether you’re an old hand at fingering and want to brush up on your skill set, or are someone who has never touched a V before and doesn’t know where to start, our experts will have you looking like an Olympic-level bean flicker in no time.
1. Get them aroused first
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Before you get to the holy land, take your time and get your partner warmed up first. Eventually, you’ll start touching their V, but first you want to get them turned on — and maybe even begging for your fingers.
“Rather than going from zero to ‘fingers,’ think of fingering as something that happens after arousal has already begun building in the body,” Gabrielle Kassel, queer sex educator for DatingAdvice.com, tells PRIDE. “If this is a partner you already have experience with, use what you already know your partner likes (e.g., kissing, nipple stimulation, dirty talk, hand massage, eye gazing, etc.) to build arousal. If this is a new partner, ask them what they like.”
2. Go Slow
Take your time and don’t rush the process. Not only will it be better for your partner, but it will also give you time to explore and learn from their body cues, and you will feel less pressure.
“Use your fingers gently at first and pay close attention to your partner’s responses,” queer relationship therapist and sexologist Dr. Joy Berkheimer tells PRIDE. “Explore different pressures, angles, and speeds, there isn't one right way to finger — everybody is different, so put any egos or fears aside and adjust accordingly — take your time here!”
3. Take care of your hands
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Don’t put your grubby hands anywhere near someone’s vulva and vagina until you’ve washed your hands, unless your end goal is giving your partner a yeast infection. And make sure you're thinking about whether or not those long nails are a good idea. “That really cute manicure you got with acrylics may be great for a date night but won't be great for fingering,” says Kai Korpak, an LGBTQ+ sex therapist and the assistant director at Best Therapies.
If you’re wedded to your long nails, consider getting a lesbian manicure or using the tired and true trick of using cotton balls and latex gloves. “If you have longer fingernails, consider putting some latex gloves and cotton balls nearby,” Kessel explains. “Place a bit of cotton beneath your nail before sliding on the glove will help dull any sharp nail edge or hand nail, and thus prevent scratching very sensitive internal tissue.”
4. Communication, communication, communication
Communication is the key to any mind-blowing — and healthy — sexual experience, including fingering. Talking openly about what you both want and what you feel comfortable with will help ensure everyone has a great time. “You can simply ask what feels good, or what doesn’t, and then keep checking in regularly,” Dr. Berkheimer says. “Nothing should feel rushed or uncomfortable.”
5. Lube is your friend
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Honestly, there are very few sexual techniques and positions that aren’t made better by adding lube, but this is especially true for fingering. Adding a good lubricant if the person you’re touching isn’t wet enough, or if you’re using toys, or fingering their anus, will make everything feel a million times better.
“If you are going to finger someone's butt make sure you're using even more lube than you think you need and go slow,” Korpak says. “Also remember to not go from the back hole to the front hole, that is a recipe for yeast infections.”
6. Don't just focus on the clit and G-spot
Don’t jump right to touching your partner's clit, you’re going to want to build up to that. Get them as turned on as possible, then start touching everywhere but their clit, before going for gold. Then, while you’re stimulating their clit, add pressure to the G-Spot by making a “come hither” motion with your fingers.
“If you're not sure where to focus on, try the clitoris and/or G-Spot," Dr. Berkheimer explains. "You can even combine stimulation here. Gently tease the clitoris with your fingers or explore the G-spot internally.”
7. Expand your definition of fingering
Fingering can be so much broader that you’ve probably been led to believe and by expanding your definition of the sex act, not only can you have more fun, but people of different genders and with different genitals will feel accepted, sexy, and affirmed.
“The first thing I want folks to remember is that fingering is not only the act of inserting one or more fingers into someone’s vagina or anus,” Kassel says. “Fingering is any use of the fingers for the sake of pleasure and stimulation. This could look like internal or external stimulation stroking, circling, tapping, holding, pressing, or sliding. Expanding this definition not only affirms people of all bodies and genders, it also gives you the freedom to play while you’re actually in the moment.”
8. Don’t be afraid to use toys
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It may be called “fingering,” but that doesn’t mean you can't recruit some battery-powered friends. So keep a selection of toys nearby and don’t be afraid to touch your partner with one hand, while your other hand is using a sex toy to bring her even more pleasure.
“And, because fingering is far more than just finger going in holes, remember that ‘fingering’ can include finger-like toys too,” Kassel says. “So, consider pulling out the prostate massager, thrusting vibrator, or G-spot wand, if that’s something you or your partner enjoys.”
9. Touch yourself too
Once you’ve gotten the hand of fingering, try leveling up by touching yourself at the same time. “You can level up by practicing self-love. It takes time to master fingerplay, so be kind to yourself and test you what you like,” Dr. Berkheimer says.
As an HIV-positive gay man, Daniel Garza was accustomed to being judged for his lifestyle and not listened to by doctors, but what he didn’t know was that this negligence would put him at risk for getting cancer.
The LA-based Latino American actor and comedian was diagnosed with HIV in 2000, but it wasn’t until 15 years later that he would face a second diagnosis that almost went unchecked because of the stigma surrounding gay sex.
“In my personal experience with anal cancer, my symptoms were initially assumed to be associated with foods I ate as part of my Latino heritage and with my lifestyle being a gay man,” Garza tells PRIDE. “However, I kept pushing for answers because I knew something was wrong.”
At the time Garza was diagnosed with stage 2 anal cancer, he had been an HIV advocate for more than two decades, and yet no doctor had ever told him that being HIV-positive put him at an increased risk of developing anal cancer. “I wish I had known this sooner,” he says. “That is why I now use my platform to raise awareness of key risk factors of anal cancer and the importance of self-advocacy.”
After being diagnosed with anal cancer, Garza went through 38 rounds of radiation, two weeks of chemotherapy, and 40 rounds of hyperbaric chamber treatment to rejuvenate his cells.
Garza’s own harrowing experience of having his doctors almost miss the fact that he had cancer because of their biases around men who have sex with men led him to start fighting to raise awareness around the risk factors for anal cancer and the importance of self-advocacy.
“While I’ve always been open about having anal cancer, talking about it hasn’t always been easy,” Garza says. “Throughout my journey, I’ve dealt with challenging stigma that has underscored the need to have honest conversations with my healthcare team. It’s important for people to feel they can speak openly about risks and symptoms with their doctor as there are treatments available for anal cancer, including advanced stages. If you aren’t getting the care you need, don’t be afraid to seek out a second or even third opinion.”
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Despite this experience, Garza claims he had an excellent doctor; he just wishes that the link between HIV and anal cancer had been laid out for him. “I think it was because, at the time, there wasn’t as much information available, and I was not in the typical age range yet. Come to find out, people living with HIV are 25 to 35 times more likely to develop anal cancer than people not living with HIV,” he says.
Now, Garza is trying to make a difference as the director of anal cancer and HPV outreach at Cheeky Charity, which offers mental health services and anal cancer education geared toward the LGBTQ+ community, and is currently is partnering with Incyte on Let’s Talk Anal Cancer, a program aimed at normalizing candid conversations about anal cancer and providing critical information, particularly to LGBTQ+ folks.
As an anal cancer and HIV advocate, Garza uses his platform to talk to the Latino community to help “break down the barriers around having open conversations, which are culture, religion, and social norms,” and works to educate gay men about risks they might not be aware of. “When it comes to the gay community, I talk to men, especially submissive bottoms, about the importance of getting checked because once you’re diagnosed with cancer below the belt, it affects your sexual identity,” he says.
Garza also believes that his comedic background helps him to reach people who might otherwise not be receptive to his message. “My anal cancer education includes comedy, I make a lot of 'butt jokes,” he explains. “I want people to have conversations about anal, penile, and testicular cancers. As a society, we don’t want to talk about anything below the belt because it can be seen as stigmatizing and shameful, like you shouldn’t bring it up. But it’s important for people to feel they can speak openly about risks and symptoms with their doctor as there are treatments available for anal cancer, including advanced stages.”
But mostly, Garza wants to save other people from going through the medical procedures and health complications he experienced. “Please don’t miss out on the opportunity to get checked regularly — it’s all just a small fraction of your life versus living with cancer,” he says. “As a cancer survivor with an ostomy bag, my life has changed forever, and I don’t want that for you. Be uncomfortable for just a little bit so you can live a better life.”
Are people who are HIV-positive more likely to get anal cancer?
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People living with HIV have higher rates of anal cancer and it is also more common among men who have sex with men, “particularly in those who engage in receptive anal sex, than in the heterosexual population,” Dr. Naomi Sutton, who works in the HIV and sexual health space for Sagami, a Japanese condom company, tells PRIDE.
This is in large part due to the connection between anal cancer and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual contact. Around 90% of anal cancer cases are linked to HPV, a very common virus with over 100 subtypes. Most people have been exposed at some point, but in most cases, your body is able to clear the virus on it’s own, often without you ever having experienced a symptom. “Especially in individuals with HIV, the immune system may have more difficulty eliminating the virus,” she explains. “Over time, certain types of high-risk HPV can cause abnormal changes in cells that may eventually develop into anal cancer.”
Do doctors sometimes incorrectly dismiss symptoms like bloating, pain and bleeding because of stereotypes around gay sex?
Bleeding, itching, pain, discomfort, small lumps or ulcers in or around the anus, discharge, and difficulty controlling bowel movements are all common symptoms of anal cancer. The problem is that they are also symptoms of other conditions like hemorrhoids, which is why doctors and other healthcare professionals need to “remain vigilant for potential red-flag symptoms and ensure that appropriate examination and referral are carried out regardless of a patient’s sexual orientation or sexual activity,” Dr. Sutton says.
But men who have sex with men are 20 times more likely than heterosexual men to develop anal cancer, and HIV-positive gay men are up to 100 times more likely than the general community, according to Health Equity Matters.
Unfortunately, a survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2024 also found that queer people are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to report negative experiences while receiving health care, and are more likely than non-LGBTQ+ adults to report adverse consequences due to negative experiences with health care providers.
“Doctors are people too, and can have biases around gay identity and gay sex,” says Andrew Spieldenner, the executive director of MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights. “Doctors can sometimes dismiss symptoms due to stereotypes around gay sex — basically, that we must be bottoming a lot to have bleeding and pain in our rectum.”
Spieldenner says this judgment around gay sex led to similar misconceptions when the Mpox outbreak was happening. “We saw this in the Mpox outbreak where medical providers diagnosed syphilis instead of looking for Mpox,” he explains. “It is up to us to advocate for our needs, including finding another medical provider if we have to.”
If you think you may have anal cancer, what tests should you ask your doctor for?
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Since most anal cancer stem from HPV, if you are having symptoms, you should first get an anal swab to check for abnormal cells and HPV. Your doctor or healthcare provider will probably also want to do a Digital Rectal Examine (DRE), where a doctor will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your anus and rectum to assess whether you have any growths, lesions, or other abnormalities in the anal canal or surrounding areas.
Then, if you or your doctor suspect you may have anal cancer, you will likely be referred to a specialist who can perform additional testing, such as an anoscopy or proctoscopy. “Anoscopy involves inserting a small magnifying instrument into the anus to examine the anal canal, and sometimes small tissue samples (biopsies) are taken under local anaesthetic. Proctoscopy is a similar examination that helps identify any abnormalities,” Dr. Sutton says.
If a tumor is found, you may also need to get imaging done, like a CT scan or MRI, which will help your healthcare team determine the size and location of any tumors and whether the anal cancer has spread (metastasized) to other parts of your body.
Now in his 50s, Spieldenner has added cancer screening to his regular annual check-up, and when his doctor found abnormal cells in his anus during a routine anal swab, further testing was needed. “I ended up getting an anoscopy and then a biopsy of the tissues. I was anxious, but the procedure itself was straightforward,” he reassures.
Early detection is really the key since the sooner cancerous cells are detected, the better your outcome is likely to be. HPV and anal cancer are so closely linked that you should be vaccinated against it (especially since condoms don't provide total protection against it), and early testing can reveal precancerous changes known as Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (AIN), which can often be treated to prevent it from progressing into cancer, according to Dr. Sutton.
Is it important to advocate for yourself with your doctors?
Talking about health problems is often challenging and can feel overwhelming, and this is only magnified when the health problem stems from a part of the body we are reluctant to talk about openly, but learning to advocate for yourself in a healthcare setting might just mean you’re able to catch cancer when it’s still treatable.
“It’s important for everyone to understand what’s normal for their own body and to feel confident in speaking up about any concerns,” Dr. Sutton recommends. “Keeping a record of your symptoms — including when they began and how they have changed over time — can be very helpful. This information allows healthcare professionals to better distinguish between different conditions that may cause similar symptoms.”
And if you feel like your healthcare provider isn’t listening to your concerns, is ignoring your symptoms, or may not take you seriously because of your sexual orientation, it’s time to get a second opinion or find a new doctor.
If you are having symptoms but are embarrassed to talk to your doctor about it, what should you do?
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If you’re too embarrassed to bring up the possibility of anal cancer with your doctor or are feeling nervous about it, Spieldenner recommends practicing with a friend first. “Explain what you are concerned about and discuss your options,” he says. “Make a plan to build up to discussing with your doctor. You can always email concerns and questions through the patient portal, so they are aware of your concerns. Then they can follow up with you at your next regular visit. Remember, talking about your anus may be embarrassing to you, but medical doctors are used to it.”
Doctors are also used to having frank conversations about sex and anuses, so you don't need to be worried about phasing them. “Talking about symptoms, especially those related to sex, can sometimes feel difficult or embarrassing, but it’s really important to speak up if something is worrying you,” Dr. Sutton says. “Healthcare professionals, particularly those working in sexual health, are very familiar with discussing intimate topics and will do their best to make the conversation as comfortable and easy as possible for you.
If it helps, you can always bring a friend or someone you trust for support. Most importantly, don’t ignore any problems, getting checked early is always the best step for your health.”
Anal cancer resources:
Check out Cheeky Charity to join their biweekly LGBTQ+ anal cancer support group.
Visit AnalCancer.com to learn more and get a guide for talking with your provider.
Daniel Garza, the director of anal cancer and HPV outreach at Cheeky Charity, and partner with Incyte on Let’s Talk Anal Cancer, a program aimed at normalizing candid conversations about anal cancer and providing critical information, particularly to LGBTQ+ folks.
Dr. Naomi Sutton, who works in the HIV and sexual health space for Sagami.
Breaking up is never easy. Whether you’re the one initiating it or your partner ends things, inevitably, there will be some hurt feelings on either side.
That’s why some people, rather than facing it head-on, take a less direct approach—one that may feel like the easier route but can actually be quite harmful.
What we’re talking about is the toxic breakup trend known as “quiet dumping.” To better understand where this term comes from, why it can be damaging, and the signs it might be happening to you, PRIDE spoke with Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at relationship magazine Passionerad; licensed clinical social worker Shanni Liang; and Ed Bell, a dating and relationship coach for gay and bi men. Here’s what they had to say.
What is “quiet dumping,” and where did the term originate?
Does it seem like your partner has suddenly gone quiet? Are they harder to reach, both literally and figuratively? They may be in the process of quiet dumping you. The term is adapted from the work term "quiet quitting," Bell tells PRIDE. “It means quietly withdrawing from a relationship instead of formally ending it, often in the hope the other person will notice and do the emotional labour of ending the connection.”
“It’s a passive way of ending a relationship,” adds Roos. “You stop investing time, energy, and feelings, and let that lead to the relationship tearing apart,” she explains. “It’s something that’s quite cruel to let a partner go through.”
“This form of breakup can cause someone a lot of agony,” Liang tells PRIDE. “The lack of closure leaves a lot of uncertainty and what ifs.”
While the term may be new, Liang adds that the concept is not. “I remember it used to be called a slow fade, like a person is fading away,” she tells PRIDE.
Is it more harmful than other forms of breakups?
While pain is almost always an unavoidable part of ending a relationship, some methods are healthier and more likely to allow the person to gain closure more quickly. When it comes to quiet dumping, it’s partially painful because of the lack of clear signals, which stings even more, says Bell. “It often causes a spike in anxiety for the person being rejected this way: they're more likely to question whether they did something wrong, or should have seen this coming, or whether they deserved to be treated this way,” he explains.
This can be even more detrimental for queer folks, he adds. “LGBTQ+ people are especially sensitive to rejection — because of all the rejection we experience in society as a whole — so quiet dumping can be especially hurtful for us.”
The issue, says Roos, is the uncertainty it creates and the likelihood that the person on the receiving end will feel like they have done something wrong. “Being put in this emotional limbo with all the lack of honesty and insecurity often feels much worse than hearing ‘I want to end this relationship,’” she says.
Are LGBTQ+ people more likely to engage in or experience quiet dumping?
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Not only does quiet dumping potentially have a greater impact on LGBTQ+ people, but the experts warn it may be more common in queer relationships as well. “Most LGBTQ+ people have felt invalidated for expressing our true wants and needs, and that can carry over into our close relationships because we can often hide or edit our true feelings out of fear of judgment or rejection,” warns Bell. This extra layer of complication can sometimes make breaking up in a more direct way even more challenging, he explains. “We often struggle to communicate openly even with those we're closest to.”
Also, our tendency toward more nontraditional forms of relationships can make breakups blurry, adds Roos. “Many LGBTQ+ people have a more complex relationship to dating and relationships, mainly from not being the norm, and that makes it easier to escape and let things run out, [rather than have] a difficult conversation.”
What are the signs of being “quiet dumped”?
If you suspect you are being quiet dumped, the experts say there are signs to be on the lookout for:
They feel absent, and things that once mattered to them no longer seem to.
They are emotionally cold, distant, and stop engaging the way they used to.
They are no longer emotionally available.
They stop talking about future plans because in their mind, the relationship is already over.
They stop responding to texts.
They stop putting effort into the relationship.
If it happens to you, how can you process and heal from the experience?
You may not be able to prevent someone from quiet dumping you, but what you do have control over is how you handle it and move forward. The first step, Bell says, is to acknowledge and not suppress your feelings. “If you feel hurt, dismissed or disrespected by someone's quiet withdrawal, it's important to notice those feelings and not dismiss them. They're very normal, human feelings from not getting the closure or consideration of a more direct relationship ending,” says Bell.
Next, remember that being broken up with this way says more about who they are than anything about your value, says Roos. “Try not to feel ashamed, and instead let people you trust hear about your experience, and let them know how it made you feel,” she advises. “At the end of the day, never forget to remind yourself that you are worth someone who’s able to be honest with you, and who respects your feelings, and that this person quiet dumping you wasn’t worthy of you anyway!”
Sources cited:
Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist, relationship therapist and author at relationship magazinePassionerad
Shanni Liang, LCSW, PLCC, founder of Therapy with Shanni, based in New York City.
Ed Bell, a dating and relationship coach for gay and bi men
