Cruising for sex orcruising is walking or driving about a locality, called acruising ground, in search of asex partner, usually of theanonymous,casual,one-time variety.[1][2] The term is also used when technology is used to find casual sex, such as using an Internet site or a telephone service.[3][4]
According to historian and authorTim Blanning, the term cruising originates from the Dutch equivalentkruisen.[5]
In a specifically sexual context, the term "cruising" originally emerged as anargot "code word" ingay slang, by which those "in the know" would understand the speaker's unstatedsexual intent, whereas most heterosexuals, on hearing the same word in the same context, would normally misread the speaker's intended meaning in the word's more common nonsexual sense. This served (and in some contexts, still serves) as a protectivesociolinguistic mechanism forgay men to recognize each other, and avoid being recognized by those who may wish to do them harm in broader societies noted for theirhomophobia.
In the latter half of the twentieth century, decriminalization of homosexual behaviour increasingly became the norm in English-speaking countries. The protective barrier once provided by the term "cruising" as a "code word" has therefore largely broken down and, arguably, become increasingly irrelevant. Thus the specifically sexual meaning of the term has passed into common usage to include the sexual behavior of heterosexual persons, as well.[citation needed]
Public health officials have noted that cruising locations are frequented bymen who have sex with men, but do not identify with being homosexual or bisexual, who are closeted, married, or in relationships with women, do not date men or frequent gay bars, clubs or websites, or have otherwise no other way of meeting men for sex.[6]
The cruising places are often considered meeting places for men who are otherwise living more conventional lifestyles. For instance, it was noted inLaud Humphreys' 1970 study about anonymous gay sex meeting places that most men who visited those places were at least seeming heterosexuals who had families.[7]
In the United States, the term "cruising" was used predominantly to denote exclusively homosexual behavior, but in Australia and the United Kingdom it is used by both homosexuals and heterosexuals to describe their own behavior, as witnessed in the common male heterosexual derivative phrase "cruising for chicks".[8][9][10]
In the United States, cruising often takes place ingay bars,adult video arcades often throughgloryholes,adult movie theaters,public toilets, parks,saunas, gyms orgay bathhouses. Engaging in such activities in public places like parks has led to participants being charged withindecent exposure.
InPoland, the termpikieta (plural:pikiety; translated as "picket" or "piquet") is used to describe a similar practice. Origination around the turn of the 19th century, pickets were especially popular during thePolish People's Republic period, when homosexuality was more taboo and few people decided to be open about their sexuality. InWarsaw, one of the most prominent locations for pickets was the northernfrontage ofThree Crosses Square. In the early 21st century, pickets became less popular due to the development of a network of premises forsexual minorities, such as bars, discos and saunas, as well as communication via the Internet.Karol Hanusz died while cruising.[11][12][13]
In the Philippines, cruising for sex is also calledwalking, which is a form of prostitution that uses social media as a mode of selling his or her body to interested customers, thoughwalkers themselves are not necessarily professional sex workers but rather casual individuals who prostitute themselves as a sideline.[14]
Cruising for sex is alluded to in songs such as "Cruisin' the Streets" by theBoys Town Gang[15] as well as "I'm a Cruiser" by theVillage People, on the album titledCruisin'.
In 1980, directorWilliam Friedkin made the filmCruising, starringAl Pacino. The film introduced many audiences to homosexual activities and the linguistic codes used for them, butgay rights groups perceived a negative depiction of thegay community in the film and protested its production.[16]
Cruising features prominently in the storylines of Joe Pitt and Louis Ironson inTony Kushner's 1991 play about the AIDS crisis in New York City,Angels in America, as well as its2003 miniseries adaptation by HBO. The miniseries specifically depicts the popular cruising location ofThe Ramble alongside other locations inCentral Park.
The opening scene of the first episode of theHBO seriesLooking involves the main character Patrick (Jonathan Groff) cruising in a park, mainly out of curiosity of whether the activity is still in practice or not.[17]
Cruising for sex was explored inCruising Pavilion, a 2018 art installation associated with theVenice Biennale of Architecture.[18]
TheFuck Tree, a tree in a gay cruising area on Hampstead Heath, has been the subject of artworks by Liz Rosenfeld and Trevor Yeung.[19][20]
For display purposes and cruising for chicks at the Renaissance fair only...
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{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)People sat on trunks and hoods and partied, while the center two lanes were bumper to bumper with cars cruising for sex and drugs.
The length of the list might suggest that Auden was in the habit of 'cruising' - picking up boys for casual sex
