By Frangiska Mylona,
Chemsex refers to the voluntary intake of drugs in order to facilitate or, even, enhance sexual interactions between (mainly, but not only) homosexual men (or men who want to have sex with other men). The drugs are known as Chems and they include:
1) Methamphetamine, which is a stimulant. It is also known as crystal meth.
2) Mephedrone, a stimulant. It is known as ”meow meow”.
3) Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and Gamma-Butyrolactone (GBL), which are sedatives known as ”G” or ”liquid ecstasy”. They can be accompanied by other substances like Viagra, alcohol, ketamine, cocaine, and alkyl nitrates, however, these substances are casual additions and do not belong to the Chems group.
There is a plethora of reasons why homosexual men sought these drugs while initiating sexual activity. These include:
A) The ”stigma” or the negative attitude by the societal, cultural, and religious beliefs that are associating homosexuality with a ”sinful” act. This disables homosexual men from enjoying sexual intercourse and forces them to suppress their sexual needs.
B) The technological/sexual revolution that intermixed the “hook-up” phenomenon with the newly-formed dating apps which profoundly impacted the experience of gay sex, love, and relationships
C) The ”hook-up” culture itself, a phenomenon that affects greatly the gay community, started creating a rejection profile judging men regarding their external characteristics, such as their body shape, and physical state while creating several expectations regarding their sexual performance. This ”rejection” belief created a burden for gay men that they struggled to overcome.
The phenomenon of sexual intercourse under the influence of drugs is not a current event. It started in the 1980s and lasted until the early 2000s using a different set of drugs than Chems, also preferred for boosting mood, and confidence and encouraging sexual intercourse, while taking away remorse and insecurities regarding the sex act. These were ecstasy, 3,4-Methylenedioxy Methamphetamine (MDMA), cocaine, and alcohol. These drugs enabled socialization, confidence, and connection and helped in expressing hidden fantasies and desires regarding sex. This erased the feeling of guilt or stigma around the gay community. Also, they have fewer side effects than the ones used in Chemsex, where they never caught gay communities’ attention in raising a public health alert in the same way as Chems did.
However, around 2005 several factors were occurring simultaneously that formulated the Chemsex phenomenon. In terms of significance, the development of technology was the most important one. As the “hook-up” culture evolved into an online phenomenon, it shifted from random sexual encounters in public places and clubs to the Internet through the introduction of dating apps. Finding a match was easier and faster where more partners could meet one another just by downloading and searching these specific apps. In this new era, gay men were required to have a basic understanding of their sexual and emotional desires and to express them through the Internet. At that time people were introduced to new ideas, experiences, fetishes, and even drugs. Although this enabled them to liberate themselves from past oppression, the feelings of safety and self-awareness were neglected.
At the same time, this exciting online feature created increased expectations and burdens for men to live up to the increased sexual requirements leading to many finding that these drugs could help. Additionally, the internet made the purchase of these drugs easier and, since fresh concepts were introduced every day, Chemsex was easily introduced too. The second event was that awareness regarding AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) started to grow and modern medicine established improved – but more complex – ways regarding prophylaxis and prevention. Even though HIV awareness and prophylaxis methods were getting more efficient, it led to the belief that gay sex was associated with a higher risk of spreading this disease which provoked fear throughout the gay community, which disabled them from enjoying sexual intercourse. This was greatly reduced by Chemsex, which neutralized ”second thoughts” and inhibitions providing easier arousal. At that point, these three drugs were introduced to cities, like London, San Francisco, New York, Sydney, and Melbourne and, subsequently, to the rest of the world.
Regarding how the Chems affect public health and the individual (apart from enhancing confidence and erasing the fears regarding sexual activity), it is centered on the increase of risk for:
1) Having a negative impact on an individual’s physical, mental, and social health. Regarding medical issues, sexual intercourse over a prolonged period under the influence of Chems can result in rectal trauma or penile abrasions. Secondly, there are adverse drug-drug interactions. As it is mentioned above, other additional drugs are used, like Viagra, alongside Chems where, when taken simultaneously, they can increase the risk of cardiotoxicity. Moreover, the main concern related to methamphetamine is the long-term consequences on the brain due to the damage to dopamine and serotonin release in nerve terminals as well as producing and releasing reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that seem to lead to neurotoxicity. When sexual and social effects are discussed, Chems can induce a phenomenon of dependence where individuals may not enjoy sexual intercourse without consuming them. People also report that these drugs are harming their social lives and interactions.
2) It can lead to engaging more in unsafe sex; when the individual is under the influence of these drugs, condomless intercourse is most preferable leading to a significant increase in the risk of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, like AIDS, while other recent studies concluded an increased risk of sexually transmissible enteric infections whose transmission may be associated with Chemsex. Shigella Flexneri is an example, a bacterium of the genus Shigella that can cause severe bacillary dysentery in humans.
3) It can lead to issues around consent. While consuming these drugs, people often fall asleep or become unconscious. This leads to not being able to recall if they gave their consent in order to engage in the sexual act. Consent is not permanent and can be withdrawn at any time. Consent is not just about the law, it is about positive sexual experiences that all people involved want.
The adverse effects can be prevented by following some simple rules regarding sex. First of all, it is advised to avoid these types of drugs while engaging in sex-related activities. It is also advised to always use prophylactic measures such as condoms to reduce the risk of infection with a sexually transmitted disease. Furthermore, it is imperative to get tested regularly for STIs (sexually transmitted infections) and establish rules that clearly outline your sexual desires during sex.
In conclusion, the Chemsex phenomenon introduced to the world a group of behaviors and events that the gay community struggled to overcome for a very long period of time. These unpleasant behaviors stemmed from the ancient and false beliefs about homosexuality, regarded as an unhealthy way of expressing love, attraction, and romance between two individuals of the same sex. The failure of accepting the homosexual community provoked fear regarding the free expression of their desires and attractions resulting in traumatizing them deeply. Therefore, the adoption of a healthy sexual lifestyle became difficult among gay men.
For these reasons, it is needed to eradicate the negative behaviors toward homosexuality and embrace the people identified as members of the gay community and, by extension, of the LGBTQ+ community by listening to their struggles, experiences, and needs. Due to this stigmatization that the community struggles to overcome, many individuals consume drugs to enjoy sex. This phenomenon needs to stress more attention to and develop more support services that will help people in need as well as by encouraging the rest of society members to support one another. After all, love is love and it should be regarded this way, no matter the individual’s preferences. By understanding one’s different needs and desires, sexual intercourse will remain an enjoyable activity and hopefully, the need for Chems and their harmful effects on health will be eradicated.
