Bug Chasers

[juju]

I don't know how I missed this, because apparently it's been going on for a long while.

Apparently, there are people in gay community who <i>want</i> to get HIV. In fact, there's a whole subculture that idolizes and erotocizes it. Those people who want aids are called "Bug Chasers", and those that are willing to give it to someone are called "Gift Givers". Here's an article about it. It's a fairly long read, but certainly worth reading.


small excerpt:

Condoms and safe sex are openly ridiculed on bug-chasing Web sites, with many bug chasers rebelling against what they see as the dogma of safe-sex education; constantly thinking about a deadly disease takes all the fun out of sex, they say, and condoms suck. Carlos agrees and says getting HIV will make safe sex a moot point. "It's about freedom," he says. "What else can happen to us after this? You can fuck whoever you want, fuck as much as you want, and nothing worse can happen to you. Nothing bad can happen after you get HIV."