Imagining Interventions for Collective Sex Environments

Abstract

Frank's (2018) article provides an excellent summary of transdisciplinary research concerned with collective sex environments, synthesizing highly diverse studies spanning five decades. The contributing papers utilize a broad range of methods and reflect many key sexual health risks across several diverse and distinct populations. For many readers, such as ourselves, with a particular interest in a single population, Frank's synthesis provides a much needed and entirely fascinating wider perspective. This overarching vantage point can teach us about similarities and differences across populations, while simultaneously illuminating the populations and research we know so well through a different lens. As such, the paper provides an essential contribution to the literature. However, rather than champion the paper's many strengths, within this Commentary we wish to grapple with what could be seen as its potential shortcomings. Our aim here is not be critical for the sake of it, but to somewhat playfully push debates further about many issues addressed within the paper. In this way, we wish to initiate more dialogue concerning collective sex, concomitant risks, and imaginative ways to ameliorate such risks. Looking Backwards Not Looking ForwardsFirst and foremost among the "shortcomings" of Frank's (2018) article is the retrospective gaze of the review methodology. Of course, this limitation is not unique to this article and represents a potential failing for all review work. However, the necessary retrospective focus of a review, the demands of synthesis, and the need to build cumulative knowledge though layering new information upon what has gone before brings multiple challenges.Critically, review epistemology in general fails to accommodate recent and contemporary changes and cannot address the anticipation of the future. Adopting a retrograde and consolidating gaze also tends to focus upon the common denominators across previous research. This drags the focus of cumulative knowledge retrospectively and is ill-equipped to grapple with major and more recent change.For us, this epistemological limitation is central to explaining the lack of critical mass identified within the review that is concerned with what could be called the democratization of collective sex. We would suggest that the recent trends in democratizing collective sex have materialized through the world of social media and the proliferation of dating

Condomless Group Sex Is Associated With HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Knowledge and Interest Uptake: A Cross-Sectional Study of Gay and Bisexual Men in Paris, France

“…Although researchers and theorists have debated if group sex settings can be harnessed for safer sex interventions (Flowers & Frankis, 2019;Meunier, Escoffier, & Siegel, 2019), it remains that men involved with group sex seem to have different sexual health risks and needs than their peers. PrEP may have some part to play in helping reduce infection risk among men involved with group sex, and so the possibility of harnessing group sex subcultures and networks to support implementation should be considered.…”