Sex: Public or Private?
In the last few weeks, as I've read the extensive coverage about the Larry Craig brouhaha, I've noticed a few recurring themes in the articles and reulting comments. The first is, of course, is the pointing out of the incongruence (hypocrisy!) of doing one thing and saying another; that is, soliciting for a homosexual encounter, while at the same time voting for anti-gay measures in the Senate.
A second theme, which will be the focus of this post, is people expressing disgust at the idea of seeking sex in a public restroom. Some have said that they're not judging him for being gay or bisexual, but wonder why he can't go to a gay bar or something to find a partner. Some elaborate by noting the public nature of the bathroom setting, along with a presumed lack of hygiene.
While I agree that it was poor judgement for someone as prominent as Craig to seek a partner in such a setting, I have to admit that I understand his predilection for public restroom pickups. Though I've never picked a woman up in a bathroom, for obvious reasons, I have found partners and had sex in a wide variety of settings, both public and private. I've written about a couple of the public encounters on my Adventures blog.
The lure of public sex is in its clandestine nature, the danger of discovery, the anonymity, and even the potential seedy grittiness of an encounter, of all of which can be highly arousing and which fuels the passion. At the core, it's a stripping away of the veneer of civilization and surrendering to one's basic animal nature, which can and usually does, add to the intensity of the encounter.
The rush one gets from a public sexual encounter is not dissimilar to other types of thrill-seeking behavior such as auto racing, extreme sports, and the like. It's got everything to do with carnal gratification and nothing whatsoever to do with "making love".
Obviously, I don't have a problem with engaging in public or semi-public sex with a willing adult partner, as I believe that there are all sorts of reasons and places to have sex. Indeed, if not for his hypocrisy, I would have quite a bit of sympathy for Craig's predicament.
Thoughts?
