A chara, – With new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men in Ireland at historic highs, I am heartened to see The Irish Times taking an interest in our sexual health. The complex issues surrounding drugs, sex and HIV in our community are of real consequence here in Ireland as well as the UK, and they deserve frank and serious attention.
How disappointing then that Mark Hennessy's article ("London 'chemsex' parties face gay club scene HIV fears," July 3rd) offers us only a jumble of data framed by judgmental condescension and glib clichés.
To his credit he acknowledges that his work is largely drawn from an excellent BBC Radio 4 programme. What a shame that in his zeal to record the most sensational bits he overlooks the context and nuance that the BBC report captured so well.
With a subject so fraught with taboo, precision and clarity matter. Any sense of the humanity of the men whose lives are discussed is lost among the clumsy explanations of slang terms and alarming statistics strewn about willy-nilly. Equally troubling is the lurid, provocative language. Scolding references to “hedonism” and “men indulging in days-long orgies . . . fuelled by drugs”, may titillate readers, but they perniciously reinforce shame and stigma, two major obstacles to effectively addressing the sexual health needs of our community.
Surely it is possible to talk about gay men, sex, drugs and HIV accurately and sympathetically without resorting to disparaging and stigmatising language? – Yours, etc,
ANDREW LEAVITT
Russell Street,
Dublin 1.