MascGuy, I certainly agree with your concern that the gay community is no less at risk from substance abuse as from STDs. It makes me sad to see young men giving their lives away to cigarettes, booze and drugs.
The gay culture seems to be a naturally self-destructive one, presumably brought on by the pressure of society to fit into a heterosexual template and not being able to meet that requirement. "I'm doomed by institutionalized homophobia and cultural stereotypes anyway, so why not just give myself over to all the other vices that are out there?" At least that's how I see it.
Upon first reading your message I disagreed with your suggestion that substance abuse is equivalent to HIV and hepatitis as a destructive force. At first I thought they are very different in that HIV is a communicable disease, and those other activities are not. (Not that I would defend those activities either, because I do not.) But after giving it some thought I believe it's not at all an inaccurate comparison, since, like those who smoke and drink and overeat, taking a potentially deadly dick in one's ass is no less a choice than taking a potentially deadly drag on a cigarette, or a potentially deadly snort of coke.
It all boils down to the choices we make. We are all guilty of making poor choices somewhere in our lives. The trick is to strive to make fewer poor choices. But not too much at the expense of enjoying life.
Thanks, man. This is a good discussion.
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