ABSTRACT

Our grounded theory analysis derives from in-depth interviews conducted with 24 gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) living in Toronto, Canada, to understand their experiences of sexual coercion. Participants drew on discourse from the #MeToo movement to reconsider the ethics of past sexual experiences. The idea that gay or queer sex is inherently risky and unique from heterosexual relations made negotiating sexual safety challenging. These notions were enforced by homophobic discourses on the one hand, and counter discourses of sexual liberation, resistance to heteronormativity, hegemonic masculinity, and HIV prevention on the other. Biomedical advances in HIV prevention such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and undetectable viral load affected how some participants felt about sexual autonomy and safety. Participants held themselves responsible for needing to be more assertive within sexual encounters to avoid coercion. Many believed that unwanted sex is unavoidable among GBM: if “you’re gay, it’s just what happens.” Targeted education aimed at GBM communities that incorporates insights on GBM sexual subcultures is necessary. This work must be situated within a broader understanding of how gender norms and hegemonic masculinity, racism, HIV status, and other power imbalances affect sexual decision-making, consent, pleasure, and sexual harm.

摘要

我们的扎根理论分析源自对居住在加拿大多伦多的 24 名男同性恋、双性恋、酷儿和其他男男性行为者 (GBM) 进行的深入访谈，以了解他们的性强迫经历。参与者利用#MeToo 运动的话语重新考虑过去性经历的伦理。同性恋或酷儿性行为本质上是有风险的，而且与异性恋关系不同，这种想法使谈判性安全具有挑战性。一方面，这些观念受到恐同话语的强化，另一方面是反对性解放、反对异性恋、霸权男性气质和艾滋病毒预防的话语。艾滋病毒预防方面的生物医学进步，例如暴露前预防 (PrEP) 和无法检测到的病毒载量，影响了一些参与者对性自主和安全的看法。参与者认为自己需要在性接触中更加自信，以避免受到胁迫。许多人认为，GBM 中不想要的性行为是不可避免的：如果“你是同性恋，那就是会发生的事情”。针对 GBM 社区的有针对性的教育是必要的，其中包含对 GBM 性亚文化的见解。这项工作必须更广泛地理解性别规范和霸权男子气概、种族主义、艾滋病毒感染和其他权力失衡如何影响性决策、同意、愉悦和性伤害。