3: ‘Other’ Sexualities and Genders: Experiences of Gay Men and Transgendered People

Question 1

semen in ______

Answer 1

multivocal
= means/stands for/embodies many things

-partner’s physical/emotional being
- gift/treasure
- seed of life

Question 2

safer sex fatigue

Answer 2

abandonment of condoms due to increasing ambivalence on HIV risks

• baseline data, does not explain complex social issues

Question 3

silence about cum

Answer 3

gay men’s relationship with HIV = beginning, still scapegoated as cause

reluctance by medical professionals/researchers to talk about semen

widespread social denial of complexities of “real sexual experiences (especially among stigmatized people)

lack of sexual dialogue about cum among gay male population

Question 4

5 dominant themes from data

Answer 4

1. terminology & images of semen
2. erotic construct
3. intimacy
4. HIV-transmission concerns
5. fertility/reproduction

Question 5

terminology & images of semen

Answer 5

cum = seminal substance, act of ejaculation & orgasming

mostly (+) connotations
- linked with sexual satisfaction
- fun, enjoyable sex

some (-) connotations
- mainly HIV-negative men
- regarding substance itself
- sticky, smells bad, mess

Question 6

erotic construct

Answer 6

Cum = part of being “turned on”

Swallowing = integral to most men (HIV +)
- seek out men of same HIV + status
- positive association w/swalowing linked with pleasure

Semen exchange = psychological or mental connection

those that didn’t enjoy swelling (HIV -)
- dislike of taste
- link to childhood abuse

Question 7

intimacy

Answer 7

HIV (+)
- want to receive partner’s cum internally
- increasing feelings of INTIMACY during sex
- more COMPLETE sexual experience
- treasure, get a gift, having his seed

URAI = protected anal sex interrupts heat of the moment

HIV (-)
- poison to be kept out of body
- thoughts change after seroconversion
- safer sex practices prevailed, but also reported intimacy of URAI

Question 8

HIV-transmission concerns

Answer 8

Link between awareness and disease status

HIV (+)
- somewhat informed about drug resistance strains (HIV-1) & viral load
- transmission, infection
- understood semen as less infectious if taking HIV antiretroviral therapy

HIV (-)
- did not consider/understand viral load or resistant HIV in cum
- freedom of cumming practices

Need for a sexual dialogue
- HIV (+) report grey area around discussing VL and stances on internal cumming
- turn off = stating who is at risk
- share/inform HIV status & preferred sexual practices

Question 9

fertility/reproduction

Answer 9

semen associated with reproduction capacity
- social value, loss = anxiety

metaphorically pregnant
- power of dominant heterosexual meanings of fertility
- sexual & means for reproduction
- “seed”, “would almost be pregnant if woman”

relate seroconversion or becoming HIV (+) to being knocked up
- VL & pregnancy = know risks w/ bareback sex
- an always get pregnant on 1st try (can become HIV + 1st try too)

Question 10

role of internet/chat rooms

Answer 10

described exchange of semen as a gift, including HIV being part of “gift”
- promoting social bonds & identity

HIV creates community
- semen & HIV (+) status = combined to produce identities
- mediated on internet, acted upon in sexual encounters

Question 11

Erasure

Answer 11

defines how transsexuality is managed in culture and institutions, ultimately inscribes transsexuality as impossible

Question 12

TransPulse

Answer 12

= Ontario-wide project that aims to broadly understand how social exclusion impacts the health of transpeople

Making move away from locating erasure in transphobia
- From an individual-based analysis to systemic considerations (broader cultural/political contexts)

Question 13

participants in TransPulse

Answer 13

• relatively poor
• married, have kids
• diversity of gender identities
• diversity in sexual orientations

Question 14

key health concerns

Answer 14

Income instability

Barriers to accessing trans-inclusive health care services

Lack of relevant and accessible information

Systemic social service barriers
(homeless shelters, addiction/SA supports)

Self-esteem and mental health issues

Challenges to finding help

Relationship and sexual health concerns

Question 15

passive vs active erasure

Answer 15

passive
= lack of knowledge of trans issues
= assumption issues are not important or relevant

active
= visible discomfort
= refusal of services
=violent responses to harm/intimidate

Question 16

Informational erasure

Answer 16

lack of KNOWLEDGE regarding trans people/issues and assumption that knowledge doesn’t exist even when it may
- trans = gender identity disorder w/mental health professionals
- blame mental health issues on trans identity

RESEARCH often doesn’t allow for proper identification of trans participants or address questions that are relevant to these communities
- assumes cissexual

Trans research participants have been systematically underrecognized and erased
- trans bodies are not COUNTED
- ex. underrepresented in Toronto agency having more trans clients than “should” exist in the whole province
- often based on surgery-seeking individuals

when trans exists in literature, equates gender identity to sexual orientation
- grouped under LGBT research
- reflects biases and priorities of writers/publishers in normative society

Question 17

“passing off” - informational erasure

Answer 17

passing off trans client to another provider

lack of info of healthcare providers & unwillingness to gain info
- trans have to educate providers

erasure = impossible to know if clients tried to access services or just stopped visiting

results in under-utilization of data and resources

Question 18

institutional erasure

Answer 18

= lack of policies that accommodate trans, including the lack of knowledge that such policies are even necessary

practices that exclude or ignore the possibility of providing service to trans clients
- Forms, medical procedures, prescriptions

Politics of possessing the “correct” anatomy in order to be provided service
- many time choose not based on identity but out of simplicity
- disclosure of trans (or not) = risk denial of care or mistreatment

EX.
- sex on health card
- name on prescriptions
- gender segregated floors/shelters
- billing systems for sex-specific procedures