Bugchasing

Bugchasing (alternatively bug chasing) is the practice of intentionally seeking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection through sexual activity.

Bugchasers, those who eroticize HIV, are a subculture of barebackers, men who have unprotected sex with other men. There are some explanations for the behavior and fantasies of bugchasing, ranging from sexual excitement at the idea of HIV-positive status, to finding a shared sense of community with other HIV-positive people, to suicidality.

The concept earned widespread attention after the 2003 publication of the article "Bug Chasers: The men who long to be HIV+" in Rolling Stone. This article was widely disputed for its statistical methods which over-stated the prevalence of bugchasing, and for fabricating statements from medical professionals. The practice may have existed since the AIDS crisis began in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The practice has since been mentioned in or the focus of pieces of media and popular culture. As of 2021, bugchasing behavior still persists as a niche behavior, in spite of the widespread availability of effective PrEP and HAART treatments that protect against HIV transmission.

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