Rice & Gravy

Gay Men and Body Image (2): Shame and Drug Use

I am currently conducting a research on gay men and their use of club drugs with a networking/training organization focusing harm reduction. What is interesting yet at the same time disturbing about this topic is not only the fact that gay men are into certain specific club drugs, such as Crystal Meth, particularly with a view to increase their sexual encounters and pleasures; but also that they take a combination of different types of drugs as well as alcohol and prescribed drugs to complement their effects. For example, gay men who take Chrystal Meth often take Viagra to enable them to have a multiple number of sex for hours without interruptions; they also take sleeping pills to enable them to sleep after two-three days of sleepless sexual encounters which is made possible by Meth. Their combined use of different drugs obviously increase their risk in getting heart attack and other fatal physical damages and diseases.

Speaking of Chrystal Meth, one of the reasons that many gay men are hooked on this specific drug is not only to enhance their sexual experience, but also to "erase" their physical appearances in front of their sex partner(s). This means that gay men who are not confident about their bodies (e.g. too fat, too thin, dick size etc) can escape from their self-perceived physical "defects" by taking Meth and getting high; so that they can engage themselves in sex without being ashamed. Needless to say, this raises an issue of self-confidence among gay men as well as what sex means to them.

Anyone for SHABU or SHABU-SHABU?

Chrystal Meth is becoming synonymous with gay men because of its popularity in the gay community, despite the fact that it is also widely spread among heterosexuals (particularly white) in rural areas in the US.

Having said the above, Crystal Meth, or Methamphetamine, was originally synthesized by a Japanese chemist in 1919. And there's no doubt - it is widely spread still in modern day Japan, and it is called Shabu on the street.

In Japan, Shabu is associated with an image of Yakuza: Yakuza, in this case, is a Meth dealer rather than a user. I think it is part of the Japanese police campaign to make Shabu synonymous with Yakuza so as to scare people off from using Meth. Yet, as a result, it is also hiding some facts. Many Japanese businessmen, housewives and students are hooked on Meth and this is not widely known to the public. At the same time, other facts, such as its use and harms, are also not well disseminated. Instead, the Japanese Meth users are criminalized as a result of association between Shabu and Yakuza.

By the way, Shabu-Shabu is a totally different thing: it is one of the expensive Japanese delicacies like Sushi and Tempura. You dip thinly sliced beef into a pot of boiling water, cook it till medium rare (or well-done) and dip into sauce (usually sesame-based or soy-sauce based). It is not known as widely as Sushi or Tempura, but it is really good and healthy. If you are in New York and want to taste it, give me an e-mail and I will let you know a really good Shabu-Shabu restaurant.

Urban Legend among Gay Men: Recreational Use of AIDS Drugs

LA times reported that some HIV-negative men are taking AIDS drugs and engaing themselves in unsafe sex. Furhtermore, these drugs are as available as Viagra in party/bar settings. Seemingly, more people want to bareback so badly??

Because of the ARVs, HIV/AIDS is getting like an "endemic" disease rather than "epidemic", and people are not getting so serious about the consequences of HIV/AIDS; perhaps it was in such an environment where this "urban legend" (i.e. taking AIDS drugs before having sex prevents infection) was born.

Link to the LA Times article on this topic