Queer sexuality is a profound and powerful aspect of our lives. It is a source of pleasure, connection, and community. But it is also a form of resistance, a tool for advocacy, and a fundamental human right. For over two decades, MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights has been at the forefront of harnessing the power of queer sexuality to advance health and human rights.
The organization was founded 20 years ago with a bold mission: to prioritize and invest in the lives and sexuality of gay, bisexual, and queer individuals worldwide. This mission is rooted in the radical notion that queer health and human rights are inseparable from our sexuality. As Alex Garnersenior director of Strategic Initiatives and Communications at MPact, puts it, “Our sex has always been a critical part of our organizing.”
Queer Sexuality in Hostile Environments
In many parts of the world, queer sexuality is criminalized and persecuted. In Senegalhundreds of gay men have been arrested in recent antigay crackdowns. In Indonesiapolice raid gay sex clubs and saunas, parading arrested men in front of the media. These actions aim to harm, denigrate, and stigmatize the queer community. Despite these challenges, gay men in these environments continue to cultivate their sexuality, find connections, and foster community. Their courage is a testament to the fundamental role of sex in our lives and relationships.
The Role of Queer Sexuality in the HIV Movement
HIV is sexually transmitted, and for 45 years, the queer community has defiantly pursued sexuality in the midst of this pandemic. Even during the darkest years of AIDS, people continued to have sex, creating underground cruising cultures and clandestine sex parties. As the epidemic evolved, our sexuality persisted, adapting to new realities like bareback culture, undetectable status, PrEP, and DoxyPEP. Risk has always been incidental to our sex, but our pursuit of pleasure has been undaunted.
MPact has centered queer sex in its movement to reinforce the principle that sex is a fundamental human right. It is nothing to be ashamed of or to run away from. Pleasure, intimacy, and connection deeply impact our quality of life. MPact has created activations like the International HIV Kiss-In to celebrate the sexuality of queer people living with HIV and to make a political point about stigma, immigration policies, and access to HIV health care.
Queer Sexuality as a Form of Resistance
As our communities and sexualities continue to come under attack, we must be bold and brazen. We cannot allow others to use our sex as a weapon against us. We must be shameless and fearless. As Garner states, “We must be bold and to be brazen.” Our sex is an incredible form of political resistance and also one hell of a good time.
MPact’s work with adult content creators allows them to collaborate with intrepid creators who understand and leverage the economic and cultural power of sex. Together, they develop health promotion content to build community and inform people about vital sexual health options.
The courage and audacity of the queer community in pursuing sexuality, even in the face of adversity, have transformed cultures and been central to over four decades of our HIV movement. As Garner concludes, “This type of courage has transformed cultures and has been central to over four decades of our HIV movement.”
