PAGING DOCTOR NAKED
Meet Armando Santos, actor, singer, model, Mr Gay France, real-estate agent and “Dr Naked”.
Armando Santos is an actor, singer, model, a former-Mr Gay France and a real-estate agent! And, although he’s not really a doctor, he is naked and helping look after his community. DNA: Tell us about the Dr Naked project you feature in.
Armando Santos: Dr Naked is a sexy, naughty character who appears as a “doctor” in playful and off-beat videos to give sexual health tips in the form of tutorials. It is a fun way to pass messages that are sometimes boring or confronting and allow the audience to improve their HIV protection practices. These videos are primarily aimed at a gay audience. Dr Naked is involved in improving the knowledge of gays about the importance and types of HIV testing and the different means of protection such as PrEP. Are more people in France using PrEP?
Yes, in France PrEP is mainly used by gays, and the number of PrEP-ers is constantly increasing.
Is the cost of PrEP subsidised by the government?
Yes, treatment and the follow-ups have all been reimbursed by the health system since 2017, when it was authorized.
Are there any indicators that HIV transmission in France is decreasing? Figures for new rates of HIV infection in 2018 have not yet been released, so it’s difficult to know if PrEP has started to have an impact. There is, however, a large Parisian community sexual health center called The 190 that has diagnosed seven times fewer HIV infections in 2018 compared to 2017 in the context where they provide a lot of PrEP.
Is there evidence that with an increasing use of PrEP there is a decrease in the use of condoms? Studies seem to show for the moment that people who take PrEP are mostly not using condoms. We should have complete numbers on that soon.
You have thousands of followers on Instagram and Facebook. Do you consider yourself an influencer?
I am particularly touched to have followers on my social media, and it is true that I do not hide anything of my preferences or activities. I do not consider myself an influencer, but I hope that my work in the role of Dr Naked will speak to a greater audience worldwide, which is the goal of the project.
Are there plans to take Dr Naked further?
Yes! In 2019, Dr Naked will open his Facebook profile and his Instagram account. He will also appear in a new video series to give tips on sexual practices.
There appears, in France and elsewhere, to be a strengthening of the political far-right. Does that concern you in terms of how it affects the LGBTIQ community?
I am interested in political and social life in France, but also in Europe and the rest of the world because of my background. I am very worried about the upsurge of racist, antiSemitic, sexist and homophobic acts. I can only condemn the way LGBT people are treated in some countries. The images that come to us from Chechnya are absolutely unbearable. In periods of crisis, there is always this temptation to target the person who is different as being responsible for one’s own problems. Those “strangers” are then singled out and become the scapegoats. It is this climate that I find unhealthy. Yet others use it to build on.
What’s your background?
I was born in Belgium. My parents are Portuguese. We settled in France. I did my schooling here, I live here, I have my friends and some of my family here. After France was hit by a wave of terrorism, I commenced an application for naturalisation. I wanted to start the process in solidarity with the French people. I do not deny my origins, on the contrary, but today I am proud to be French, and that this country recognises me as one of her own.
What or who influenced you as you were growing up? My grandmother. She passed on recently. She was my rock, an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on. I owe her a lot.
You represented France at Mr Gay World in Antwerp in 2013; how were you selected as Mr Gay France?
Through my visibility on the web, via the website of the Gay French publication Têtu and my Facebook page. I was, among other things, noticed by Benjamin, a young gay European blogger who promoted and supported my candidacy to the LGBT Europe and LGBT World Committee. So I became a flag bearer of the European LGBT community, a role-model for young people, and not so young, to reassure them and show that one is not just gay, but well balanced and productive.
Did you enjoy the Mr Gay World experience?
It was a new and rewarding experience for me with beautiful and unforgettable memories. Although, nowadays, I believe that it is what’s within oneself that’s more important than external appearance.
Have you stayed in touch with any of the other national representatives?
Yes, I have kept in touch with Mr Gay Puerto Rico, Juan Ortiz, who I see sometimes when he
My body is an instrument or material that I can provide to others for the creation of artistic works.
I am very worried about the upsurge of racist, anti-Semitic, sexist and homophobic acts… and the way LGBT people are treated in some countries.
travels to Paris and I also stay in contact with others on Skype and on the internet.
You are very natural in front of the camera. There are people who are paralysed in front of the camera or even at the thought of being photographed. They stress, become tense, shut down. It’s an effort to relax and take a good picture. For me, it’s the opposite. The goal transcends me, frees me and I always enjoy this dialogue with photographers. I am somewhat of a perfectionist and I like to improve myself during a shoot, to discover something new and unique about my body. I love to collaborate in creative projects and discover new artistic opportunities.
There are people who are paralysed in front of the camera, they stress, become tense, shut down… For me, it’s the opposite.
Nudity is not about a perfect body… it’s about being happy in your own skin. To live in balance with your body and your mind.
You look just as comfortable with your clothes off as with them on. Have you always been happy naked?
I am quite modest in life, reserved even, but in a photoshoot, nudity has never been a problem for me. My body is a part of me, it is a form of my artistic expression. It is like an instrument or material that I can provide to others for the creation of artistic works. The body, for centuries, has been appreciated in works of art. I hope to continue, in my modest way, this beautiful odyssey. I have worked with talented artists such as Cédric Rouillât.
Does being in good shape make it easier to be naked in front of the camera?
I take care of myself. I pay attention to what I eat. I get enough sleep. I do a lot of sport and have a great trainer. Maintaining my body is a pleasure and also an important part of what I can provide the artistic world. However, it’s not about whether or not one is muscular or otherwise, above all it’s about being happy in your own skin. To live in balance with your body and your mind. Nudity is not about a perfect body, but rather the relationship with one’s own body. Nudism is a conduit for personal development and is not limited to just athletic types.
You’re also a singer and have appeared in several operas – tell us about those.
I had the chance to perform different roles at the opera thanks to Olivier Py, who is a fabulous and original director. So far I have been a minotaur in Ariadne And Bluebeard, the Angel Of Death in Salome, a revolutionary in Aida and a cyclops in Penelope. I was also contacted to audition for the Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg and I was successful. It’s all progressed since then.
You have also been in a French musical called Jesus: From Nazareth To Jerusalem. What was the about? What part did you play?
I had the chance to participate in this great musical in front of thousands of people. It tells the story of Jesus on his journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem, composed by Pascal Obispo and staged by Christophe Barratier. I had several roles in the show: a pilgrim, a sage of the Sanhedrin, and also Saint Thomas, one of the 12 apostles, who believes only what he sees. I loved the historical aspect and the privilege of going on tour with the show all over France. Like many artists, you also have a day job and have a career in real estate. Tell us about that. I’m a real estate advisor in a Parisian branch of a chain headed by Stéphane Piazza. It is an activity in which I blossom. Real estate has always interested me but I especially enjoy having the opportunity to help people realise their dreams, to find their place to settle down and live happily ever after. It is always a pleasure to see the joy in people when signing the contract to buy their apartment. Each sale is different, each situation is unique, and I like to provide clients with my skills and professional expertise.
Do you want to continue your career in real estate or do you propose to develop a career on the stage? Or both?
I can’t answer that question right now. While I’m not able to completely support myself with just artistic work, I cannot live without expressing myself artistically. To do that I need to earn enough through other means. One day, maybe, I will be able to choose! Are you in a relationship?
Since our last interview, I am no longer a heart to take. I share my life with a wonderful boy. I try to keep this relationship private with respect to social networks. A healthy relationship based on trust… away from the problems of professional life and external judgments that can at times be superficial.