Cruising 101
We all know Sniffies–and the pandemic–ignited a gay cruising renaissance in cities around the world. But where did cruising begin and how has it changed over time? This week, Gabe and Chris welcome writer and activist Leo Herrera to talk about his new manual, “(Analog) Cruising”, which offers tips and tricks for making the most out of your cruising experiences, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro.
A Note From the Director, Adam Baran
I was on my way home from a concert Tuesday night when I decided to check Sniffies to see what was happening at the cruisy spot at the park near my apartment. I logged into the app, found the big orange circle, clicked, and saw that about 10 guys were checked in.
Inside the park, I quickly found a group of four guys jerking off. I knew what I wanted. I got down on my knees in front of one and sucked him for what couldn’t have been more than a minute or two before he nutted in my throat.
I first started going to this park to hook up during the pandemic after I’d had my vaccine doses. It was so useful to have Sniffies to check and see how many people were there, and what the vibe was. I don’t think this was unique to me. Suddenly, after the PrEP explosion gave us back the sense of abundant sexual freedom gay men and relative safety gay men had in the 1970s, the pandemic let us experience the world of park cruising on a scale not seen since the 1960s, pre-Stonewall.
So, after checking cumdumping off the essential list of topics for Sniffies’ Cruising Confessions, I knew we had to take a deep dive on cruising itself for episode two. I also knew the perfect person to be our expert interview subject: author and friend Leo Herrera, who was in the process of writing his new cruising guidebook “(Analog) Cruising”.
Leo offered a truly fresh and insightful perspective on cruising. It is, as he explains, a part of queer culture that’s truly unique to us. As such, it’s worth continuing to refine and think about our approach to this pastime, so that the generations that cum…er…come after us have an easier time knowing how to act. Building an understanding of the art of cruising can also help us learn to better confront the various forms of stress that cruising can provoke—from the fear of arrest to the internal damage that can result when we’re using sex to try to fuck our pain away. Throw in several cruising confessions both hot and hilarious from Gabe, Chris and Leo, and you have a recipe for a great episode you should watch or listen to before you next log into Sniffies.
Happy Cruising! Happy Pride!
Follow the hosts:
Gabe Gonzalez
Chris Patterson-Rosso
Guests featured in this episode:
Leo Herrera