Tenth International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

Online space has come to dominate the way gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) meet for sexual encounters. At the same time, sex is often fueled by various “chemical” influences, such as recreational drugs and more. The landscape within which prevention and risk management of HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBI) must take place has never been so complex. Our research objectives are to: 1) examine the ways in which social networking apps (SNAs) and chemicals are reshaping the gay community; 2) explore how chemicals contribute to how GBMSM understand their bodies and sexual subjectivities; and 3) inform public health and HIV prevention efforts aimed at HIV prevention and treatment and stigma reduction. We conducted an online survey and in-depth semi-structured interviews with fifty GBMSM (twenty in Halifax, twenty in Ottawa, ten in Vancouver). Recruitment took place through online and in-person community venues. The results of this study will be presented. At present, the preliminary analysis suggests several key themes may emerge regarding: how SNAs simultaneously facilitate and complicate discussions of sexual boundaries, HIV/STI prevention and types of chemical use, and tensions surrounding consent. Other themes are likely to include: struggles with addiction and sexual anxiety; how SNAs and substances simultaneously facilitate and erode meaningful connections; and, how SNAs perpetuate and serve to challenge various manifestations of stigma. Our study highlights the ways SNAs facilitate/inhibit risk-taking behaviours, and the role of chemsex in the construction GBMSM’s sexuality.