The Guardian

Why hasn’t the gay community had a #MeToo moment? | Michael Segalov

The conversation around consent for gay men has been stifled. We must recognise the culture of sexual assault that exists
Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community take part in the annual Pride Parade in London on July 8, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / NIKLAS HALLE'N / Getty Images

Most gay men can remember the first time they set foot in a gay bar: the awkwardness as they walked up to the bouncer, ID (fake or otherwise) in hand, clasped tightly. Discovering others with a specific experience similar to your own, finding community, is a powerful feeling. But as the #MeToo movement rolls on, and the conversation turns to consent and dating dynamics between men and women, there’s an uncomfortable reality on the gay scene that also needs to be confronted.

According a survey by gay men’s health charity GMFA, some have been touched or groped in a bar without consent. In the have experienced sexual violence other than rape, compared with 21% of heterosexual men.

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