Across nations and cultures, sexuality is universal. And yet, even in 2020, sex is still taboo, across nations and cultures. The following exhibit seeks to record a snapshot of human sexuality during the Covid-19 pandemic. More specifically, in what ways has the pandemic affected the sex lives of gay and bisexual men?

Admittedly, this collection of oral histories was originally intended to represent a broader spectrum of humanity. However, the LGTBQ+ community is hardly monolithic. Seeking out interviews across the entire spectra of gender and sexuality is time consuming. Unfortunately, the scope of this oral history project was indeed truncated by time constraints. Also, not all members of the LGBT+ community are equally straightforward about their sex lives, taboos are powerful forces in society. Additionally, social networks, digital and otherwise, do not universally criss-cross between gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans circles. It should be recognized that countless voices are missing from this exhibit. And yet, diversity still exists, even within a thin slice of the spectrum.

The following voices represent gay and bisexual men of a variety of ages, ethnicities, and professions. As a student of history, it is in my nature to analyze and seek to interpret. However, as the creator of this exhibit, functioning as an archivist, I feel it important to present these voices with minimal distortion. Therefore, this exhibit does not intend to offer analysis nor interpretation. Each voice is accompanied by only a brief expository introduction and a curated selection of quotations from each interview. Please click on a story to the right, and enjoy listening to history from the ground up.