Netnography of crystal meth use in sexual practices among men who have sex with men: narratives in digital communities

e202609058

Abstract

BACKGROUND // In Mexico, the sexualized use of methamphetamine (crystal meth) among men who have sex with men (MSM) constitutes a complex phenomenon that transcends physical health, involving dimensions of identity, masculinity, and pleasure. Given the limitations of traditional biomedical approaches for understanding these subjectivities, and the critical role of digital platforms as spaces of socialization and mediation of such practices, it is imperative to analyze the discourses that emerge in the virtual environment. Under this premise, the aim of this paper was to explore the narratives surrounding crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) used during sexual practices among Mexican men who have sex with men (MSM), based on digital content from YouTube channels.

METHODS // A qualitative study using a netnographic approach and critical discourse analysis was carried out. A digital mapping of YouTube videos on chemsex among Mexican men who have sex with men was conducted. Six videos were selected for the final analysis, including two podcasts, one interview from an LGBTQ media outlet, and three testimonial interviews, totaling five hours, thirty-one minutes, and twenty-six seconds of retrieved content.

RESULTS // A polarization was identified between two distinct discourses: a moralistic one based on the guilt of substance use (four videos) and a harm reduction one (two videos). Within rehabilitation centers (anexos), the discourse surrounding crystal meth use was moralistic and coercive, framing addiction as a moral failure and pathologizing MSM behavior as a temporary symptom. Conversely, a counter-discourse emerged from activists who were familiar with or had navigated these experiences, incorporating evidence from harm reduction with a Public Health focus; it rejected moralism, criticized the term chemsex as a stigmatizing import, and promoted peer-led self-care.

CONCLUSIONS // The tension between both narratives demonstrates that the central issue is not merely crystal meth use, but the clash between moralistic models that deny the subject’s agency and a counter-discourse that seeks to contextualize chemsex without stigma. The absence of public policies on harm reduction and the predominance of anexos as a social response in Mexico create a gap that leaves the experiences of MSM trapped between coercive moralism and a lack of evidence-based, human rights-oriented care alternatives.