Hypersexuality or sexual addiction is defined as a dysfunctional preoccupation with sexual fantasy, often in combination with the obsessive pursuit of casual or non-intimate sex; pornography; compulsive masturbation; romantic intensity, and objectified partner sex for at least six months. You may wonder how this related to the LGBTQ+ community but there is a direct correlation. There are various stigmas regarding the community regarding hypersexual activity leading society to assume that is what members of this community are all about. I’m here to tell you that this is not the case.
Mainstream media
Hypersexuality when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community in media portrays gay men as overtly flamboyant in their mannerisms, attire, and voice. Women are often portrayed as sexual objects or oversexualized, especially those who are openly more feminine. Due to western media’s hetero-normative and white-dominated ideologies, communities that don’t fit this description are often alienated.
Dating apps
Gay psychiatrist Jack Turban has his take on dating apps within the gay community regarding men. He says “Apps like Grindr, with 3 million daily active users, and others like Scruff and Jack’d, are designed to help gay men solicit sex, often anonymously, online. I am all for sexual liberation, but I can’t stop wondering if these apps also harm gay men’s mental health.” Other apps such as Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Her, among many others, are meant for people to connect on more than just a sexual surface level. A typical conversation you can expect to see is something that goes like this:
Him: How you doing beautiful ++
Me: hiii nothing much, just honing out, hbu?
Him: Nothing much same haha
Him: So what are you seeking?
Me: Well, I’m looking for something more serious with the right person
Him: oh okay, I mean I want something more casual… just going with the flow you know?
This very real and boring conversation between a friend of mine and a match on Tinder goes to show that these apps promote nothing other than hookups. Almost transactional in a way.
Common Misconceptions
Members of the LGBTQ+ community, specifically those who identify as Bisexual, are often dehumanized or sexually exploited. Statistically speaking, 50% of the LGBTQ+ community identifies as bisexual but is more likely to experience bi-phobia, which is prejudice and hatred that undermines bisexuality. Statements such as “it’s just a phase” or “you can’t like one gender more than the others are extremely toxic and only invalidate that individual.
Regarding transgender individuals, there is a petrifying prejudice that trans individuals are predators who trick people into having sex with them without knowing the true nature of their identity. Trans individuals are often referred to in derogatory terms such as transvestite or a tranny among many others. The issue with these kinds of allegations and insults is that they can lead to violence and oppression, even on a legislative scale. In 2015, Miami Republic set out to ban transgender individuals from using public toilets.
Coming to an end?
The toxicity has been around since the formation of this community and has slowly developed rapidly over time. The community was supposed to be formed based on inclusivity, having people to relate to and to call home. Nowadays, everything is about sexual activity or people in the community “doing the most” because of the way they speak or dress. All these stigmas and misconceptions are going to be difficult to conclude since most have been engraved into the media, but it affects the perception of this community.
Source (s): Belken, B. B. (2017, October 11). Bisexuality faces erroneous opposition and toxic perceptions in LGBTQ community. Daily Titan. https://dailytitan.com/opinion/bisexuality-faces-erroneous-opposition-and-toxic-perceptions-in-lgbtq-community/article_7a23b58b-6589-55cc-9aaf-a9485bb2f4cd.html
Hornet Networks. (2020, June 21). Op/Ed: Can the Gay Community Survive Without Hyper-Sexuality? Hornet. https://hornet.com/stories/gay-hyper-sexuality/
Jones, O. (2017, December 19). We need to see realistic LGBT people on our screens, not toxic caricatures. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/16/need-realistic-lgbt-people-screens
Turban, J. (2018, April 4). We need to talk about how Grindr is affecting gay men’s mental health. Vox. https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/4/4/17177058/grindr-gay-men-mental-health-psychiatris
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