Dallas Bragg traces how a fictional gay man named Colby spirals from bullying and shame into methamphetamine addiction. Bragg argues meth use among gay men isn't just chemical dependency but an escape from internalized stigma, following Colby from his first use on Grindr through homelessness and sex work.
Let me explain to you why meth takes over gay men. Let's look at Colby, for example. Colby was bullied mercilessly growing up. He spent his teenage years feeling awkward, different, and out of place. In college, he was exposed to other gay men, and he began feeling a little more comfortable in his own skin. In this exploration of his sexuality, he met a local couple on Grindr who offered a hot 3-way. The couple also offered him a hot pipe. I mean, why not? He's a young, eager college student. How hot would it be to transform him into a Tina sex zombie? And for the first time in Colby's life, he felt free. He didn't hear the voices of the bullies anymore in his head. He didn't second-guess his own mannerisms. And for that night with the couple, he felt wanted, included, and a part of something. All of his shame was gone. It was the greatest night of his life. Within 2 years, He had chased that feeling so hard that he dropped out of college. Moving back in with his parents reminded him of what a loser he was, a failure. And what better way to make that emotion and those thoughts disappear than going back out to the pipe, then the needle? Eventually, Colby was thrown out of his house and he became an escort to try and survive. Colby now lives in fear of being followed by police. He's being watched. He doesn't have the mental fortitude now to even escort. His life, his personality, and his light have all gone out. This is what gay men are addicted to— not a chemical dependency, but a way out of their shame. This is a problem that is taking over the worldwide population of men who have sex with men. Please share this video so that we can increase awareness and get this conversation really started.
