From Goats to Ganymedes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kit Heyam
Keyword(s):  
Christopher Marlowe ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Edward Ii ◽  
Sexual Transgression ◽  
Cumulative Process ◽  
Sex With Men

This chapter provides the first scholarly assessment of how Edward II developed a reputation for having engaged in sexual relationships with his male favourites. Edward’s reputation for non-specific sexually transgressive behaviour developed during his reign; however, the first writer to explicitly state that this transgression constituted sex with men was Christopher Marlowe. Following the publication of Marlowe’s Edward II, discourse concerning Edward and his favourites in texts of all genres shifted towards consensus that their relationships were sexual. As well as documenting the cumulative process by which narratives of sexual transgression were shaped, this chapter provides new insights into the significance of Marlowe’s work, and into the ways in which drama as a genre enabled his historiographical innovation.

Beyond Sexual Mimesis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kit Heyam
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Edward Ii ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Anal Penetration

This chapter investigates how a consensus developed that Edward II was murdered by anal penetration with a red-hot spit. I question its interpretation by scholars as a self-evidently sexually mimetic, punitive murder method: in fact, the earliest accounts of this murder present it primarily as painful, torturous, and undetectable through outward inspection. Importantly, too, these earliest accounts emerge before the formation of a consensus on whether Edward’s transgressions were sexual, let alone whether they specifically constituted sex with men. This analysis prompts a reassessment of the place of this narrative in the history of queer sexuality, and of the murder scene in Marlowe’s Edward II, while also further illuminating the literary priorities of medieval and early modern chroniclers.

scholarly journals The relevance of pre-exposure prophylaxis in gay men’s lives and their motivations to use it: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge L. Alcantar Heredia ◽  
Shelly Goldklank
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Peace Of Mind ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Prep Awareness ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

Abstract Background HIV has affected gay men disproportionately in the U.S. for four decades. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) was developed as a prevention strategy for individuals at high risk of HIV infection. Although highly effective, many gay and other men who have sex with men continue not to take PrEP. Researchers have focused on sexual risk behaviors as the primary determinant of who should be on PrEP and identified various objective systemic and societal barriers to PrEP access. Public health measures have promoted PrEP based on these objective criteria. Researchers have recently begun to inquire into subjective and relational motivators for PrEP usage beyond self-perceived risk. Methods Participants were recruited through snowball sampling. Data were collected between August and November 2018 from PrEP users (n = 7) and PrEP non-users (n = 6). Data were analyzed in a modified grounded theory qualitative analysis. Results The thirteen participants’ narratives contained three superordinate categories: (1) what it’s like to be someone on PrEP, (2) an environment of changing sexual norms, and (3) the continued importance of education. These categories comprised ten themes, each of which had various repeating ideas. The ten themes were the following: (1) PrEP’s social acceptability, (2) PrEP and HIV stigma, (3) PrEP and sexual relationships, (4) dissatisfaction with condoms, (5) negotiating risk, (6) peace of mind, (7) developing a relationship with PrEP, (8) putting yourself first, (9) PrEP awareness, and (10) PrEP logistics. Conclusions The gay men in our study took into consideration their social roles and relationships, their personal beliefs, and emotional histories as well as risk as prominent motivators for PrEP use. They stated that PrEP use is associated with their sense of belonging, trust, and security about their sexuality. They also identified the most relevant aspects of the medication (e.g., side effects, adherence, and awareness) to their lives.

Introduction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kit Heyam
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Early Modern England ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Historical Narratives ◽  
Medieval History ◽  
Edward Ii ◽  
Sexual Transgression ◽  
History Of ◽  
Insight Into

This introduction discusses the reputation of King Edward II (1307–1327) in medieval and early modern England, and the implications of this reputation beyond its immediate relevance to scholars of Edward II’s reign and afterlife: as a case study for the history of sex and the changing vocabulary of sexual transgression; as a source of positive depictions of love between men; as a paradigmatic exemplum for discussions of favouritism and deposition, and thereby a case study providing insight into the early modern use of medieval history; as a means of developing our understanding of literary texts such as Marlowe’s Edward II; and as a process that illuminates the literary nature of medieval and early modern historical narratives.

scholarly journals Current levels of gonorrhoea screening in MSM in Belgium may have little effect on prevalence: a modelling study

2018 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Buyze ◽  
W. Vanden Berghe ◽  
N. Hens ◽  
C. Kenyon
Keyword(s):  
Exponential Family ◽  
R Package ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Antibiotics Resistance ◽  
Graph Models ◽  
Considerable Uncertainty ◽  
Random Graph Models ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Day By Day

AbstractThere is considerable uncertainty as to the effectiveness of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) screening in men who have sex with men. It is important to ensure that screening has benefits that outweigh the risks of increased antibiotics resistance. We develop a mathematical model to estimate the effectiveness of screening on prevalence. Separable Temporal Exponential family Random Graph Models are used to model the sexual relationships network, both with main and casual partners. Next, the transmission of Gonorrhoea is simulated on this network. The models are implemented using the R package ‘statnet’, which we adapted among other things to incorporate infection status at the pharynx, urethra and rectum separately and to distinguish between anal sex, oral sex and rimming. The different screening programmes compared are no screening, 3.5% of the population screened, 32% screened and 50% screened. The model simulates day-by-day evolution for 10 years of a population of 10 000. If half of the population would be screened, the prevalence in the pharynx decreases from 11.9% to 10.2%. We conclude that the limited impact of screening on NG prevalence may not outweigh the increased risk of antibiotic resistance.

scholarly journals The social organisation of sexual relationships: an exploratory qualitative study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pothoulaki ◽  
Gabriele Vojt ◽  
Fiona Mapp ◽  
Melvina Woode Owusu ◽  
Catherine Mercer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Sexual Scripts ◽  
Social Organisation ◽  
Health Clinics ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Sexual Health Communication ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Sexual Health Clinics

This study shows how contemporary understandings of relationships are wrought with the legacies of the past, while also being shaped by an increasingly complex, often technologically-mediated, novel social environment. Understanding these shifts in the social organisation of sexual relationships is vital to inform policies, tailor effective interventions to prevent the transmission of STIs, and to improve sexual health communication, services and outcomes. We explored the social organisation of sexual relationships through analysing qualitative data from eleven focus groups conducted in Scotland and England with members of the public and participants recruited from sexual health clinics. Purposive and convenience sampling elicited 57 participants (heterosexual, n=30, aged 18-30 years; men who have sex with men, n=27, aged 18-65 years). An initial thematic analysis was subsequently explored further in terms of its resonance with key constructs from sexual script theory. The study shows how the ways people perceive and talk about their relationships relates to the changing and multi-layered social organisation of relationships. Our findings emphasize how recent, labile, socio-cultural scenarios are shaping fluid and emerging interpersonal and intrapsychic sexual scripts leading to both new uncertainties and opportunities in the ways we relate to each other sexually.

scholarly journals The Reputation of Edward II, 1305–1697

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kit Heyam
Keyword(s):  
Romantic Relationships ◽  
Early Modern ◽  
Early Modern England ◽  
Literary Texts ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Cultural Impact ◽  
The Past ◽  
Edward Ii ◽  
Sexual Transgression ◽  
Political Pamphlets

During his lifetime and the four centuries following his death, King Edward II (1307-1327) acquired a reputation for having engaged in sexual and romantic relationships with his male favourites, and having been murdered by penetration with a red-hot spit. This book provides the first account of how this reputation developed, providing new insights into the processes and priorities that shaped narratives of sexual transgression in medieval and early modern England. In doing so, it analyses the changing vocabulary of sexual transgression in English, Latin and French; the conditions that created space for sympathetic depictions of same-sex love; and the use of medieval history in early modern political polemic. It also focuses, in particular, on the cultural impact of Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II (c.1591-92). Through such close readings of poetry and drama, alongside chronicle accounts and political pamphlets, it demonstrates that Edward’s medieval and early modern afterlife was significantly shaped by the influence of literary texts and techniques. A ‘literary transformation’ of historiographical methodology is, it argues, an apposite response to the factors that shaped medieval and early modern narratives of the past.

Pornography and sexual relationships: Discursive challenges for young women

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 489-507
Author(s):  
Sarah Ashton ◽  
Karalyn McDonald ◽  
Maggie Kirkman
Keyword(s):  
Young Women ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Sexual Content ◽  
Sexual Freedom ◽  
Clinical Support ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
The Ideal

In Australia and many countries, pornography offers omnipresent, stimulating, easily accessible sexual content; it is an increasing contributor to social meaning-making in women’s sexual lives, including their relationships. Previous research tended to focus on adverse outcomes without considering how women might experience pornography’s interaction with intimacy and relationships. We therefore sought women’s perspectives through in-depth interviews about pornography conducted with 27 young self-identified women, who have or intended to have sex with men, living in Australia. Analysis of their accounts revealed that young women are perplexed by the interaction of pornography with relationships and attempt to make sense of what it means through discourses of intimacy, fidelity, and sexual freedom. Seven associated (often contradictory) systems of statements contributing to these discourses were identified: Pornography mediates intimacy; Men are the gatekeepers of intimacy; For intimacy, women need to objectify themselves to compete with pornography; Religions equate pornography with infidelity; Using pornography is relaxation and therefore not infidelity; Men have an inherent right to sexual fulfilment; and Sexual freedom is paramount. Women’s accounts prioritised the needs of men, relationships, and the ideal of sexual freedom; no discourse prioritised women’s needs. These insights can be used to understand the complex association between women’s sexual relationships and pornography and as a contribution to appropriate clinical support when it is requested.

scholarly journals Understanding and managing HIV infection risk among men who have sex with men in rural Uganda: a qualitative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Jacenta Nakiganda ◽  
Stephen Bell ◽  
Andrew E. Grulich ◽  
David Serwadda ◽  
Rosette Nakubulwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Hiv Risk ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Rural Settings ◽  
Sex With Men

Abstract Background Same-sex sexual relations are criminalised in Uganda, and men who have sex with men (MSM) experience a high burden of HIV infection. In Uganda, health promotion policies focus on equity in healthcare and creating enabling environments. At present there is limited evidence upon which to enhance engagement of MSM in rural settings into effective HIV prevention. To fill this gap, our study explored MSM’s understandings of HIV risk and strategies used to reduce HIV risk in their sexual lives. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen MSM in rural communities in Southwestern Uganda. Inductive thematic analysis examined men’s perceptions of HIV risk and strategies of reducing their own HIV risks. Results Understandings of HIV risk and risk practices were framed by lack of access to condoms, challenges negotiating condom and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use, and condomless sex being reported as more pleasurable than sex with condoms. Strategies men perceived as enabling them to manage HIV risk included: PrEP use; condom use; knowing partners’ HIV status; avoiding partners associated with HIV risk; oral sex; withdrawal before ejaculation and washing one’s penis after sex. There were several misconceptions arising from poor HIV prevention knowledge. Strategies reliant on communication and negotiation with sexual partners were inhibited by gendered powered imbalances. Conclusions Our findings illustrate that MSM in rural settings in Uganda are making concerted efforts to implement strategies that might reduce risk of HIV transmission and infection within their sexual relationships. Key HIV health promotion and service-related strategies to support MSM with these efforts include an effective condom and lubricant supply chain; a PrEP program in trusted local health units, implemented via discreet community-outreach mechanisms; and same-sex specific HIV-related health promotion.

Getting the terminology right in sexual health research: the importance of accurately classifying fuck buddies among men who have sex with men

2017 ◽  
Vol 94 (7) ◽  
pp. 487-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Bellhouse ◽  
Sandra Walker ◽  
Christopher K Fairley ◽  
Eric PF Chow ◽  
Jade E Bilardi
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Sexual Relationships ◽  
Sexual Practices ◽  
Emotional Attachment ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Partner Types ◽  
Public Health Strategies

ObjectiveThe aim of this report was to raise the issue of the definition and classification of partner terminology in men who have sex with men (MSM) research, particularly in regards to ‘fuck buddies’. If definitions in research differ from general consensus in the MSM population, it is possible that public health strategies will be ineffective as the target population may be inaccurate.MethodsThirty semistructured interviews with MSM attending the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre were conducted, focusing on the willingness to change sexual practices to reduce the risk of pharyngeal gonorrhoea. As part of these interviews, men were also asked their views on the terminology they used to describe their relationships and sexual partners.ResultsThe degree of emotional attachment often defined the type or classification of relationships. There was a consensus among men that partners they engaged with for ‘sex only’ were classified as casual partners and partners with whom there was an emotional attachment or formalisation of the relationship were classified as ‘regular partners’. However, the classification of ‘fuck buddy’ as a regular or casual partner was less clear.ConclusionsFurther research is needed to ascertain the ways in which men conceptualise sexual relationships and define or classify partner types, particularly ‘fuck buddy’ relationships. A third category for sexual relationships should be considered to encapsulate fuck buddy relationships.

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