QUEER CONNECTIONS - COMMUNITY, THE SCENE, AND AN EPIDEMIC

This article examines assumptions behind ''gay community, contrasting them with the experiences or homosexually active men on the commercial gay scene. in-depth interviews with mainly young men in Melbourne, Au stralia revealed that while the informants considered ''the scene'' to be a central part of the gay community, they were critical of the sce ne with respect to attributes of ''community'' Anticipated components of community including unity, support, friendliness, and acceptance we re not features of the informants' accounts. Conversely, the data reve aled fragmented social networks involving various social groups, categ ories of people, and an ''in/out'' culture. The article also identifie s a range of social dynamics associated with the scene, including comm ercial pressures, sexualization, and gender negotiations. Network char acteristics and dynamics tend to work against the establishment of clo se and supportive friendships. Social influences on the adoption of '' safe sex'' are also discussed.