Covid – The Deadliest Killer
With the start of the new decade, no one could anticipation the carnage that the Coronavirus (Covid19). This disease would inflict on the world not to mention the gay community and nightlife industry. Millions of men had to remain at home without a variety of entertainment options. Most men refrained from hooking up using apps while a few were more courageous.
As the number of deaths and hospitalization diminished, then came the realization that life may not return to “normal”. However, our “new normal” is face-covering, social distancing and other hygiene precautions to prevent the spread of the virus. A virus that has become the most deadliest phenomenon the world has ever seen. With any type of change, comes methods of coping with the news of deaths, illnesses, and uncertainty of stability. One of the coping mechanisms has been the return of cruising for sex.
History of Cruising
Cruising is a social activity when someone going out with the intent to have a sexual encounter with other people. Cruising originated in the 1970s. The scene was invented by gay men who were not out and couldn’t host at home. It’s a gay slang that is used in gay groups in the presence of mixed company. Cruising for sex occurs in various remote places as well as unexpected public places under guise of non-participants. It’s a blend of excitement and danger of getting caught in the act. From parks, parking lots, and beaches to public bathrooms, steam rooms and saunas
Hookup (Cruising) Apps
Hookup apps were the death of cruising for guys. Cruising went from wondering aimlessly in public places to have a plethora of men at one’s fingertips. Grindr follow by Scruff rewrote the human connection between gay men. Hookup apps propelled us into the new digital era with more “social networking” apps in tow. These apps were the birth from the consumption of smartphones in the hand of millions of men. Smartphones allowed men to cut the restraint of having to go home to log on a pc to meet someone. With the new devices, they can go on an app find what they want, get it and then return home.
Cruising Notoriety
Throughout the decades, the cruising scene saw less traffic. It was prominent in infamous places like the Rambles in Central Park and Meat Rack on Fire Island. The Rambles was illustrated in the film, Cruising. The film starred a young Robert De Niro going undercover to catch a killer murdering gay men in cruising spots. The Ramble served as the backdrop for cruising scenes in the park. The latter is a thicket of beach sand and trees known as the Meat Rack. A cruising spot located between two villages: The Pines and Cherry Grove .
The Meat Rack became infamous around the world when Pre-PrEP bareback-only porn studio Treasure Island Media released videos. The porn scenes had several cruising scenarios. The same company filmed scenes in other cruising spots such as Hempstead Park in England. Another porn company filmed scenes in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. A Spanish island that’s apart of the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa.
The Art of Cruising
Cruising is an art form that must be experience firsthand. Cruising is a skill that must be learned by paying attention to non-verbal social cues. Eye contact, head signals to follow them and more can help you to learn the culture. Cruising comes in with cautions from incarceration to robbery. With the proper preparations, many cruising scenarios can be avoided and prevented. Some cruising spots the vibe is obvious while other scenes are more inconspicuous. Men who have mastered the art of cruising can apply it anywhere. They understand the social cues and vibes of other gay or bicurious men. Cruising doesn’t always lead to sex. It can be used as foreplay for a later rendez-vous.
For many men, cruising is the only way to have intimacy with other gay men. Cruising is not with its criticism and slut-shaming. From other gay people saying it shows gay men in a bad light to looking down to other gay men with disgust. Not to mention, slut-shaming that anyone who cruise is disease-infested sluts. Most cruising spots are the only safe spaces for many gay men without inviting complete strangers into your home.
Not all cruising is met with doom-and-gloom. Many cruising spots are met with social acceptance. For instance, the Dick Dock in Provincetown, Massachusetts. P-town is a peninsula east of Boston that serves as a summer escape for gay men. The Dick Dock is beach spot under a pier that transforms into a cruising ground after sunset or when the bars close. It’s worth mentioning that P-Town, is considered a gay city. A city that caters predominantly to gay men.
Cruising in the Digital Era
Squirt.org is a mobile/web site that features cruising spots around the world. The site functions as user-based submission of cruising spots with locations, images, cruising tips and you can chat with guys in local area. Guys new to the cruising scene can explore, ask questions and make new friends with other cruising patrons.
With Covid19 coming into the picture, cruising has appeared on social media platforms. One social media that has seen an uprising in gay cruising is Twitter. Many men are turning to the site to watch, share and discuss gay cruising in public. Largely from the fact, many bars, clubs and bathhouses are closed due to Covid. Men must now get creative and find other ways to cruise since they’ve been cooped up in their homes for months. Gay cruising has now replaced the social interaction that one’s received at gay clubs and bars. Guys are using tags like #gaycruising #cruisinggay to connect with other guys into gay cruising for sex. It’s happening in other countries and other languages in bathrooms, parks, rest stops and more.
Safety & Cruising
With public cruising comes responsibilities, one must understand the laws in your area and places where it is not safe to go cruising not to mention times and locations. Cruising responsibilities include not cruising by schools or playgrounds, exposing yourself to everyone and my personal suggestion, keeping your cruising spots free on litter and trash as I like to refer as green cruising. Covid is still running rampant throughout the country in many states. So face masks, condoms, hand sanitizers, (baby) wipes and coughing into your sleeve are paramount in reducing the spread while cruising for sex.
If you decide go to cruising, it’s my personal recommendation that you get tested every two weeks for Covid. It’s the same logic we use when getting tested for HIV and STDs. Guys on PrEP please continue to get tested for both so that you don’t relapse on your medication.
Did I mention Squirt.org also has links on knowing your rights in case you get caught by law enforcement.
Overall, I think it’s a great time to try cruising for sex which will give you a much needed reprieve from cabin fever and more options are meeting gay men. Life as we know it will return to our old ways in most cases and cruising will once again die down and become the contact sport for the marginal gays.
HAPPY CRUISING