Sex Clubs Research Articles

Epidemiology of MDMA and Associated Club Drugs in the Seattle Area

Club drug use, MDMA in particular, appeared as a growing problem in the Seattle area in the late 1990s. To understand more about the patterns of MDMA use and to evaluate the current state of MDMA use, multiple data sources were examined. The seven data sources utilized included local community-based club drug surveys collected in 2003 at raves, treatment agencies, and gay-oriented bars and sex clubs; school surveys (collected in 2002); mortality data (deaths between 2000 and 2002); data from the sexually transmitted disease clinic (October 2002 to October 2003); focus groups (2003) with men who have sex with men; emergency department drug mentions (1995 to 2002); and drug treatment admissions (1999 to 2003). Taken together, these data indicate moderate levels of MDMA use and relatively low levels of mortality and acute morbidity. However, there are several areas of concern including possible mental health effects and high levels of suspected adulteration of MDMA. Some data point to a relationship between MDMA use and risky behaviors including unprotected sex. Implications for prevention, intervention, and treatment are discussed.

Dissecting the Gash

Dissecting the Gash

Beyond the interaction membrane: Laud Humphreys’ tearoom tradeoff

Investigates “cruising” (how homosexual men move around to various meeting sites), and how men keep this from intruding into their “normal” lives. Highlights how Laud Humphreys researched this phenomenon through, initially, observing 12 “tearoom” regulars, while acting as a lookout. Herein the author primarily observed a highway rest area, but also urban parks, tearooms and commercial sex clubs – interviewing 19 regulars. Gives more specific details in the article. Concludes that cruising sites are not constant and uniform.

The San Francisco Bathhouse Battles of 1984

Summary In the mid-1980s, controversy emerged in a number of American cities over the roles gay bathhouses and sex clubs might play in the spread of AIDS, and in raising safe-sex awareness. In 1984, San Francisco became the first city where political debates broke out over AIDS-related policies for bathhouses and sex clubs. These debates were dominated by questions of public health and gay civil liberties. A variety of proposals were put forward during 1984 to try to reconcile these two concerns, or to give one a higher priority than the other. Certain officials in San Francisco's government, and members of its gay/lesbian/bisexual community, strongly disagreed over whether the businesses should be closed, should make their own AIDS-prevention efforts, or should continue operating under new regulations. Policies implemented for the city's baths were disconnected from the known AIDS risk of different sexual behaviors, and from research findings on AIDS and the local baths. Political and judicial decisions concerning San Francisco's bathhouses and sex clubs that were made in 1984 had continuing influences on these businesses through the later 1980s and the 1990s.

Beyond the Baths

Summary After their successful review of the local bathhouses, Helquist and Osmon conducted another investigation, this time of other sex businesses in San Francisco, including sex clubs. Once again, these investigators approached their work systematically. Their article provides a thorough description of what was happening in the sex clubs and other sex businesses at that point in the AIDS epidemic. The original paper was published in the September 1984 edition of Coming Up!(pp. 19-24). As with all the reprinted papers in this volume, no editorial changes were made to the paper and only minor typographical errors were corrected.

Number and Distribution of Gay Bathhouses in the United States and Canada

Summary Although gay bathhouses have been the subject of debate and some public health policy for decades, the relative number and geographic distribution of these establishments has not been described. As a result, it is easy to miss or ignore them in making public policy in response to disease prevention. No straightforward methodology for such a description is available, so we used a series of gay travel books, first published in 1965 by the Damron Company, to estimate this distribution in the United States and Canada. Each of the annual guides published from 1968 to 1999 were reviewed for listings of bathhouses and sex clubs. The results suggest that bathhouses and other similar establishments exist in most states and provinces and in most large and many moderate-sized cities. Furthermore, the largest numbers of listings for bathhouses were in the same six cities across the decades, three in the U.S. and three in Canada. The greatest change in the number of listings was seen in the three U.S. cities where a public policy of closure was attempted. Nevertheless, the numbers of venues in these three cities have been increasing again since the early 1990s, although nothing near the numbers of listings in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The Beggar's Benison: Sex Clubs of Enlightened Scotland and their Rituals

1University of Berkeley, California The Beggar's Benison: Sex Clubs of Enlightened Scotland and their Rituals DavidStevenson East LintonTuckwell P. 2001265£18.99

Sexual and drug-using practices of HIV-positive men who frequent public and commercial sex environments

An ethnically diverse sample (69.7% men of colour) of HIV-seropositive MSM from the New York City and San Francisco metropolitan areas were recruited from a variety of social settings. While only 27.0% of the participants were recruited from PSEs (public sex environments where men 'cruise' for potential sex partners, such as parks) and CSEs (commercial sex environments where an admission is paid for entrance, such as bathhouses and sex clubs), 49.6% reported attending PSEs and 40.7% reported attending CSEs. Only a minority of participants from the full sample reported sexual behaviours that would have placed a partner at highest risk for HIV seroconversion. However, differences between those who frequented CSEs and those who did not emerged on several psychosocial factors (sexual sensation seeking, depression, perceived responsibility towards protecting sexual partners from HIV infection), sexual risk behaviours (unprotected oral and anal sex) and types of recreational drugs used. Fewer differences were found between those who frequented PSEs and those who did not.

DAVID STEVENSON, The Beggar's Benison: Sex Clubs of Enlightenment Scotland and their Rituals

DAVID STEVENSON, <i>The Beggar's Benison: Sex Clubs of Enlightenment Scotland and their Rituals</i>

MDMA (‘ecstasy’) use, and its association with high risk behaviors, mental health, and other factors among gay/bisexual men in New York City

This study assesses patterns of use of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ‘ecstasy’), and the characteristics of users, in a sample of 733 men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City. Among respondents, 13.7% reported using MDMA in the past 6 months, with mean frequency of use of 6.24 times in that period. MDMA users were found to be younger, less educated, to have had more male partners, more one night stands with men, more visits to bars or clubs and sex clubs or bathhouses, to have unprotected anal sex with a male, to be likely to have been the victim of physical domestic violence, to have more gay/bisexual friends, to have disclosed their sexual orientation to more friends, family members, and coworkers, and to have higher levels of gay community participation and affiliation. Among MDMA users, higher frequency of MDMA use was associated with being younger, having more visits to bars or clubs, more gay/bisexual friends, and having an HIV negative test result or never having been tested. MDMA users thus constitute a group at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, and other problems. The data suggest that MDMA use is associated with being more ‘out’, which may be advantageous in helping gay men deal with harmful psychological effects of stigma, but may place individuals in settings that expose them to MDMA. These men have also presumably already been well exposed to safer sex messages within the gay community, thus raising challenges for interventions aimed at prevention, as well as opportunities (e.g. MSM and community specific interventions) that need to be further explored.

Are healthcare providers talking to HIV-seropositive patients about safer sex?

HIV-seropositive men (n = 250) from San Francisco and New York city completed a self-administered survey assessing health care providers delivery of safer-sex messages. 1 out of 4 men had never received safer-sex counseling from their healthcare provider. Men at highest risk for transmitting HIV were no more likely to have been counseled than men at lower risk. Physicians should regularly provide tailored safer-sex messages to all HIV-seropositive patients who have entrusted them with their care. (authors)

A Double Epidemic

Emerging research on methamphetamine use among gay men suggests that growth in the use of this drug could present serious problems for HIV/AIDS prevention within the gay community. This article summarizes current studies on the extent, role, and context of methamphetamine use among gay men and its relationship to high risk sexual behaviors related to HIV transmission. Methamphetamine is often used by gay men to initiate, enhance, and prolong sexual encounters. Use of the drug is, therefore, associated with particular environments where sexual contact among gay men is promoted, such as sex clubs and large “circuit” parties. Research with gay and bisexual men indicates that methamphetamine use is strongly associated with risky sexual behaviors that may transmit HIV. This relationship, coupled with emerging evidence that methamphetamine use is on the rise among gay men, suggests that the drug could exacerbate the HIV/AIDS epidemic among this community. The article offers recommendations for further research and suggestions for prevention programs regarding methamphet-amine use by gay men.

Facilities and HIV prevention in bathhouse and sex club environments

This project evaluated the extent to which businesses with a primary purpose of providing opportunities for sexual encounters between men (e.g., bathhouses and sex clubs) have implemented strategies that target their customers with important HIV and STD prevention messages. Between October 1996 and February 1997, we conducted structured telephone interviews with 63 businesses throughout the United States in order to describe their facilities and their HIV education and prevention efforts. Types of facilities offered were related to what businesses called themselves and the kinds of sex space they provided. All of the businesses reported that they provided condoms and lubricant on site; 95% provided educational materials such as posters and flyers about HIV/AIDS; and 40% provided HIV testing on site, with half of these also providing some type of STD testing. Although some level of HIV prevention and educational efforts by these businesses are described, further investigation into their efficacy is required.

(Serious) sadomasochism: a protected right of privacy?

Several adult male members of a sadomasochistic sex club were arrested for violating a U.K. statute passed in 1861--The Offences Against the Person Act. The sex acts spanned a 10-year period and were videotaped. They involved manipulation of the genitalia with hot wax, sand paper, fish hooks, and needles. The sexual interactions were consensual. This analysis tracks the case from trial, to the Court of Appeal, to the House of Lords, and on to the European Court of Human Rights. It examines whether or not these sexual behaviors should be protected under a right to privacy. It contrasts state concerns of bodily harm, albeit consented to, in sex with those incurred in sport.

HIV testing in gay sex clubs

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a programme of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody testing at gay sex clubs. Conducting secondary analyses with 2 datasets, we evaluated HIV-testing preferences of patrons at 2 sex clubs and compared their risks to testers at a standard testing clinic. Sex club testers had significantly more partners and were significantly older than their clinic peers. Sixteen per cent of sex club testers reported that they would not test if testing were not available at the sex club. Gay sex clubs offer an opportunity to reach men at high risk for HIV, some who otherwise may not test.

Kitaka's Experiment or Why I Started the Ecstasy Lounge

SUMMARY The owner of Ecstasy Lounge describes her lesbian sex club that operated in San Francisco in 1991 through 1996. She tells how her philosophy and desires led her to start the business, and how the sexual habits of lesbians and bisexual women were influenced by the existence of this club.

Group sex in gay men: Its meaning and HIV prevention implications

HIV/AIDS continues to pose a serious health hazard for gay men. Large numbers of men continue to become HIV infected each year, despite access to knowledge concerning how HIV is transmitted. Although gay men changed their sexual practices early in the epidemic, there is growing concern that there is a resurgence of risky sexual activities occurring in this group. Of particular concern is the resurgence of group sex activities. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of group sex in gay men to gain insight into the meaning of group sex to these men, the context in which it occurs, and men's views of how group sexual encounters relate to HIV transmission. The study used a qualitative approach to data collection. Ten self-identified gay men who reported engaging in group sex activities were interviewed concerning their experiences. Men reported that the most likely place for them to engage in group sex activities was in sex clubs, and a majority of their discussions centered on these clubs. Study data were analyzed using content analysis. Two overall categories of responses emerged from men's descriptions of their group sex experience: sexual desire and HIV/STD risk behaviors. Four themes--access to sex, sexual excitement or stimulation, sexual options, and control and sexual freedom--comprised the category of Sexual Desire. The themes identified within the category of HIV/STD risk behaviors included reframing risk, rejection of safer sex, and alcohol and drug use. The findings of the study suggest that sex in group settings such as sex clubs is a reality that must be addressed by HIV prevention efforts. Additionally, results indicate that current HIV prevention messages are being rejected by many gay men and need to be reevaluated for relevance two decades into the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Prostitution in Riga, Latvia--a socio-medical matter of concern.

To study the background and the working and socio-economic conditions, and the prevalence of some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), among street and sex club female Latvian prostitutes. Structured in-depth interviews, as well as clinical examination and laboratory tests for gonorrhea, syphilis, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, ectoparasites and HIV-infections. Approximately half of the 107 women stemmed from rural Latvian villages, the rest from the capital city of Riga. Of the women, 15-43 years, 36% were ethnic Latvians and 56% ethnic Russians, as compared to 58% vs. 32% of the population of Latvia. Poor economy with unemployment and miserly living conditions were the main reasons for recruitment to prostitution. The income per client was in the range of 25-30 USD (10-15 Ls), but the pimp and brothel/sex club owner often requires half of the women's fees. Unprotected intercourse was common. Twenty of the women were found to be pregnant. One tenth used narcotic drugs, e.g. ecstasy. The prevalences of gonorrhea, active syphilis, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and ectoparasites were 10.2%, 15.7%, 68.2%, 35.5% and 15.9% respectively. None was HIV-infected. There is an urgent need for regulation of the Latvian 'sex industry', means for providing prostitutes with adequate contraceptives, and to allocate resources to clinics for investigation, therapy and counseling.

Stud: Architectures of Masculinity

Stud is an interdisciplinary exploration of the active role architecture plays in the construction of male identity. Architects, artists, and theorists investigate how sexuality is constituted through the organization of materials, objects, and human subjects in actual space. This collection of essays and visual projects critically analyzes the spaces that we habitually take for granted but that quietly participates in the manufacturing of maleness. Employing a variety of critical perspectives (feminism, queer theory, deconstruction, and psychoanalysis), Stud's contributors reveal how masculinity, always an unstable construct, is coded in our environment. Stud also addresses the relationship between architecture and gay male sexuality, illustrating the resourceful ways that gay men have appropriated and reordered everyday public domains, from streets to sex clubs, in the formation of gay social space.Essays include Steven Cohan on the bachelor pad, Ellen Lupton on the electric carving knife, Diana Fuss and Joel Sanders on the psychoanalytic office, Lee Edelman on the urinal, Marcia Ian on the gym, D.A. Miller on the piano bar, and George Chauncey on the street. Visual projects include work by architects Rem Koolhaas, Mark Robbins, Violich and Kennedy, and Interim Office of Architecture, and artists Matthew Barney, Renee Green, Vito Acconci, and Flex-Torreros.

Foucault in America: Biography, "Culture War," and the New Consensus

5W ho was Michel Foucault? A corrupter of youth? A sixties activist intellectual who later answered the call of totalitarian nihilism? A confirmed sadomasochist who paid with his life for his perverse tastes? A willing carrier of HIV who spread death in underground sex clubs? As grotesque as they may seem, these judgments about the French philosopher have been circulating in the United States for some years and have come to represent part of accepted opinion about Foucault's significance. Further, they have enjoyed a new lease on life since the publication of a biography entitled The Passion of Michel Foucault. Written by James Miller, a former book and music critic for Newsweek and now a professor at the New School for Social Research in New York City, it is the sec-