The purple sandwich boards scattered throughout the historic hotel hosting the annual International Mr. Leather convention bore a stark warning: “MPOX ISN’T GONE.” Health officials and LGBTQ+ organizations treated the convention as an opening salvo in the race to stave off another outbreak of the virus that ripped through the gay community and infected more than 30,000 Americans last year. They sought to vaccinate attendees and raise awareness at the event, one of the first large gay gatherings to kick off a summer of Pride festivities and travel — and with it, sexual activity that drives mpox transmission. Chicago has recorded 31 infections in the last five weeks, raising alarms because two-thirds of the cases were in fully vaccinated people. And the leather convention, drawing thousands to celebrate the sexual subculture over Memorial Day Weekend, risked further spread to travelers from around the world. “Any inaction on our part would be catastrophic,” said Antonio V. King, the LGBTQ+ health and outreach director for the Chicago Department of Public Health.

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