Wired Sex Assemblages among Men who have Sex with Men: Sexualized Drug Use, Hook-Up Apps, and HIV Service Provision

Citation

Holmes, D., Numer, M., Hammond, C., Joy, P., Sinno, J., Patten, S., & LeBlanc, M. (2021) Wired Sex Assemblages among Men who have Sex with Men: Sexualized Drug Use, Hook-Up Apps, and HIV Service Provision. Journal of Homosexuality. 

Abstract

Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise referred to as “radical sex practices”) and is reportedly common among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). With the growth of online technologies, the use of hookup apps has also increased. We refer to men’s use of drugs, apps, and sex form as “wired sex” that forms what post-structuralist theorists Deleuze and Guattari described as an assemblage. Perspectives of the health and social service providers who work directly with GBMSM has not been explored. This research project involved a critical discourse analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with service providers in Canada to understand their perspectives and interactions with wired sex assemblages. We identified several themes reflecting the social and political effects of wired sex assemblages and discuss the implications of these effects on services provision with GBMSM.