Amid the coronavirus outbreak and GLAAD’s warning that LGBTQ+ communities are “particularly vulnerable to the negative health effects of this virus,” gay culture is hitting the pause button. DragCon has been called off, Los Angeles Pride has been postponed, and at least one gay sauna is refusing anyone too “hot,” temperature-wise. But what about hookups?
“Serious question: Are you guys hooking up on the apps, business as usual, or are you cutting back because of corona?” a Reddit user recently asked his gay and bi brethren. “I’m horny, but I’m also scared.”
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Not so surprisingly, many commenters said they were holding off on getting off.
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“Totally cutting back,” one replied. “I’ll wait and see how this unfolds. No need to do anything stupid. Sex is just not that important to me. Keeping me, my friends and family safe is important to me. Especially my older family members whom I interact with regularly.”
Another echoed those sentiments. “Cutting back here. I’m not concerned for myself, but I have a close relative with cystic fibrosis, and I’d rather not have to isolate myself from him just because I fancied a few rando f*cks.”
Added a third: “I’ve decided not to hook up indefinitely until I know it’s safe. My health is more important than a two-minute hookup.”
A different user, meanwhile, is exhibiting symptoms, so he’s been self-quarantining and self-disclosing. “I’ve started having common symptoms reported for COVID,” he wrote. “I work closely with the public. It’s not at all unfathomable that I might have caught it. I am telling my app matches this, and asking to revisit the situation once I know one way or the other. I can’t and won’t be another infectious vector for this situation.”
Another guy thinks guys can be cybering during social distancing. “Part of me thinks it’d be best to go back to pics or sexting or Skype, but not many guys wanna do that, at least in my area,” he wrote.
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There was one dissenting vote in the thread, however. One Redditor said he’s hooking up as usual. “I’m avoiding large group gatherings,” he wrote. “Most people don’t have corona. We’re trying to stop it from spreading, so avoid large gatherings and orgies. That doesn’t mean two healthy people can’t hook up.”
Another user replied to tell that chap that “healthy” can be hard to gauge in the age of COVID-19. “You don’t have any symptoms for up to a month while you’re contagious,” he wrote. (A study led by Johns Hopkins researchers suggested that the median incubation period is actually 5.1 days, but his point still stands.)
And finally, one dude offered comic relief on the thread, writing, “‘Horny but scared’ sounds like the night I was deflowered.”
djmcgamester
Pornhub is offering free membership, for whatever that’s worth. Better than risking a hookup at this point.
Whatever that one guy thinks, we can’t really tell who does and doesn’t have corona. If you’re healthy it probably won’t have much impact on you, personally. Your immune system can most likely fight it off. It’s those with other issues that are in danger if you pass it on to someone else. If your immune system is compromised in any way (no, I don’t specifically mean HIV) you can be susceptible, as could someone else in a similar situation.
I understand that people make their own choices. The real question is whether alleviating horniness with a person outside of your home matters more than the safety of self and others. I don’t have a lot of fears about myself. I’m healthy. But if someone passed it to me and I passed it to my 86 year old father then I’ve been irresponsible to the point where it might cause his death.
Josh447
Actually, now it’s showing that some very healthy people with healthy immune systems, throughout the age spectrum are getting Corona and dying. It’s no longer just older people with underlying conditions and children that are the most infected, though older people show the most deaths. That idea is off the table just in the last few days. CBS just reported that 1/3 of US cases were between age 20 and 44. So anyone can get it at any age healthy or not, and can potentially die.
Social distancing really is the golden rule to go by, 6ft apart from people etc at all times if out and about.
Talktu Sampson
You got a link to that free porn hub premium??
djmcgamester
@Josh447: There’s been ONE young person from LA (I think) who died from it. Even then, they said it was a “complex situation”. IOW, they’re not sure what it’s all about. Don’t let the fears take you. Age isn’t immunity against infection. If anyone said that they’re misinformed. Right now, based on stars from coronastats.net, there’s a .044% death rate. Now, that’s 18,700 people dead so that’s not good in any way. If you go to worldometers.info, you have strictly US stats. It’s true that 838 people have died while only 393 have recovered. HOWEVER, there are a total of 63,098 people infected who are not dead.
Ultimately, all of the statistics are irrelevant. Follow the guidelines (social distancing, six feet apart and so forth) and you’ll be fine. No reason to freak out. My job requires me to be in regular contact with other people. Short of quitting my job – a bad decision these days – I technically have high risk. So far so good with me.
justsimple
What we all do is delete grinder and scruff
I hate to say that
BUT
Remove the temptation
It’s very depressing right now but we all have to think 6 weeks down the road and not rush a random encounter.
WashDrySpin
Gay men are horny for a few reasons:
1. They are men
2. Too much of the community is focused on SEX…use other parts of your brain, read a book, learn to do something with your hands, gardening, building something, learn a language, the list is endless
3. YES, delete the apps too much time is spent hunting for sex…let it go…you have probably had enough sex before this outbreak…write a journal about your most exciting sex, most daring sex, the hook up that was almost a marriage, the hook up that was too dangerous…
Honestly, always wanting to have sex is a lazy and basic way to address the things going on in your head expressed threw your penis or your backside
Mundo
Bien dicho!
evanxx
Easy for you guys to say; you’re still young, and will have plenty more opportunities to hook up. At my age, if it’s right in your face, NEVER pass it up. It may be my last chance at being intimate with a man anyway. I already wasted 35 years in isolation with AIDS. I’m running out of time. I’m not going to miss out.
D_Bro
so you are willing to put your potential partners at risk? Because that is what happens when someone makes selfish decisions. This is about saving lives, not getting laid.
djmcgamester
I’ll be 50 in October. I’m not going to be selfish because I’m “running out of time”. But do what you have to do.
Prax07
I’m distancing…can’t afford not to. My FWB messaged tonight about getting together and had to say no. He works as a valet at a casino, and while he’s not showing any symptoms…with that job and him getting in so many random vehicles throughout his shift…just not gonna put myself at risk.
enlightenone
And haven’t learned a damn thing in the short time you have left!
Joshooeerr
If you can’t hook up and socially distance at the same time, then you don’t have a very good imagination.
Matthewnow
I’m FAT. That’s my own social distancing. But hey. I can lose weight and alot of people are fugly.
MusicBoi74
“‘Another guy thinks guys can be cybering during social distancing. “Part of me thinks it’d be best to go back to pics or sexting or Skype, but not many guys wanna do that, at least in my area,” he wrote’.”
Um…isn’t one of the points of cyber to not let distance be an obstacle? Why do they have to be “in your area”?
cthomas59
Well a lot of New Yorkers and Bostonian’s have hit Ptown to hunker down… and they are playing.. a good amount of them tho.. normally in March to early April its the same locals on line. now there are a lot of men in from NYC and Boston that have 2nd homes.. so not all taking heed and keeping it in hand.
FRE0
Covid-19 isn’t just about dying. Someone who becomes infected is far more likely to experience serious and permanent disability instead of dying. The virus is capable of damaging every organ in the body.