Stigma, cost, access, racial bias, health literacy – these are just a few of the social and structural barriers faced by the over 1.1 million individuals who are at an elevated risk for sexually acquired HIV in the U.S.

But one of the biggest barriers is that the people who are supposed to help them don’t know enough about sexual health, HIV, and LGBTQ issues to have a medically accurate or culturally competent conversation.

We knew we could help through the Gilead PrEP sales reps – but first we needed to educate the reps.

Our objectives were to:

- Create a learning experience that was not only fun and interactive but also far-ranging in topics covered

- Craft supplementary materials that would help participants keep learning even after they left

You remember sex ed. It was awkward and likely inaccurate and definitely omitted important information.

We wanted to re-create the sex ed experience but also make it fun, comprehensive, and queer.

The School of Sex is a hot-pink, sex-positive, sweeping curriculum that covers everything from the basics of how STIs are spread to more complex concepts around how biological sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation can connect and diverge.

We gave a 2-hour-long presentation to Gilead PrEP sales reps and employees, which included interactive exercises and dance parties to Salt n Pepa’s “Let’s Talk About Sex.”

We provided every participant with a study guide, a list of suggested reading, cultural sensitivity tips, an LGBTQ milestones and history tool, and HCP scenario sheets. These tools helped them continue learning and gave them the resources and support they would need to take this information into the real world.

The PrEP sales force directly communicate with healthcare providers and are key in setting them up to have successful conversations with patients.

Talking about sex and all the uncomfortable stuff that comes along with that, isn’t easy. We wanted to educate the reps in a way that they would feel confident and unabashed when discussing these topics and be able to pass along that confidence to HCPs.

The School of Sex was designed to feel hot and sleek. The use of bright pink and sharp black draws your attention while bold and brazen copy keeps it.

The presentation is wide-ranging and deep-diving. We spend time reviewing the basics of sexual health but also dedicate a significant portion to discussing the myriad barriers that continue to keep certain communities in high risk pools.

The curriculum resources (study guide, cultural sensitivity tips, etc) put indispensable tools at the reps’ fingertips that would help them in their real-world interactions. For example, the HCP scenario sheets were built to help them manage different personalities and education needs with specific suggestions and personalized resources.

The School of Sex is open, inclusive, and sex-positive and refuses to blush. It’s the sex ed class we’ve all wanted.

In all, over 100 Gilead employees were trained.

75% of them blushed at some point.

15% realized that they had been using the eggplant emoji incorrectly.

100% learned that what’s inside your pants doesn’t define who you are or who you want.