The nversatn around nsent for gay men has been stifled. We mt regnise the culture of sexual asslt that exists, wr Michael Segalov
Contents:
WHY HASN’T THE GAY MUNY HAD A #METOO MOMENT?
Most gay men n remember the first time they set foot a gay bar: the awkwardns as they walked up to the bouncer, ID (fake or otherwise) hand, clasped tightly. But as the #MeToo movement rolls on, and the nversatn turns to nsent and datg dynamics between men and women, there’s an unfortable realy on the gay scene that also needs to be nonted.
Acrdg a survey by gay men’s health chary GMFA, some 62% of Brish gay men have been touched or groped a bar whout nsent. In the US 40% of gay and 47% of bisexual men have experienced sexual vlence other than rape, pared wh 21% of heterosexual ’s a culture of silence, and ’s not difficult to unrstand why.
Regnisg the sexual vlence you have experienced isn’t always easy, pecially when the are some of your earlit sexual enunters, or when memori are cloud by alhol and nversatn around nsent for gay men has been stifled: most of were never tght the language wh which to expla or unrstand the experienc of our youth. For many young gay men, the boundari and the logistics of sexual ntact are an wasn’t long ago that our relatnships were looked down on by both society and the state, wh our sex liv taboo and crimalised. When the typ of timacy we engage viate om “lights off, bed, wh a long-term monogamo partner every other Friday” – which, of urse, n have s own problems – ’s not an act of betrayal to pot out that there are more opportuni for thgs to go, for stance the “dark room” – a space few people will speak of outsi the nf of the gay scene’s sweaty, hedonistic heart.