''The Gift'' is a 2003

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

by filmmaker Louise Hogarth documenting the phenomenon of deliberate

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

infection; such practices are known colloquially as

bugchasing ''Bugchasing'' (alternatively'' bug chasing'') is the rare practice of intentionally seeking human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection through sexual activity. Bugchasers—those who eroticize HIV—are a subculture of barebackers, men ...

, for seeking and providing voluntary HIV infection, respectively. The film follows the stories of two "bug chasers" who are seeking "the gift" of

infection An infection is the invasion of tissue (biology), tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host (biology), host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmis ...

. Interviews are also conducted with

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

activist and author,

Walt Odets Walt Whitman Odets (born February 4, 1947) is an American clinical psychologist and author. He has written about the early development, psychological and social experiences of gay men and their communities. Odets' earlier writing focused on the ...

, PhD, and HIV positive and negative men. The film explores the normalization and glamorization of HIV/AIDS and discusses the isolation and division caused by HIV status in the

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...

community.

Synopsis

Doug Hitzel, a young man, reveals that after a year of unsuccessful

dating Dating is a stage of Romance (love), romantic relationships in which individuals engage in activity together, often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the cate ...

he decided to engage in

unprotected sex Safe sex is sexual activity using methods or contraceptive devices (such as condoms) to reduce the risk of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs), especially HIV. "Safe sex" is also sometimes referred to as safer se ...

in an attempt to fit in; he is then seen crying. Kenboy, another young man, explains he moved to an LA sex house with sex parties and was relieved to finally catch HIV; the sex parties were known as "Standard

Fuck ''Fuck'' () is profanity in the English language that often refers to the act of sexual intercourse, but is also commonly used as an intensifier or to convey disdain. While its origin is obscure, it is usually considered to be first attested ...

Parties".

Condom A condom is a sheath-shaped Barrier contraception, barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a Sexually transmitted disease, sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both external condo ...

s were traditionally barred from use, though at the time of filming the rule had been changed to mere discouragement of condom usage. Anywhere from 100 to 120 men would typically attend these sex parties. The sex party attendants were equipped with numerous sexual paraphernalia for participating in a variety of sexual acts. There were "fuck pews" for bottoms to kneel on while their "top" sexual partners penetrated them, and there was an area reserved for the

fisting Fisting—also known as fist fucking (FF) and handballing—is a sexual activity that involves inserting one or more hands into the rectum (anal fisting) or the vagina (vaginal fisting). Fisting may be performed on oneself (self-fisting) or perf ...

men, who tended to aggregate together. In the event of good weather, some of the men who go outside to engage in various sexual acts in the well-maintained courtyard. This in particular was considered to be quite romantic by the sex house residents. From then on, Kenboy would not have to worry about getting AIDS or not, or using a condom (failing to think of the possibility of catching other STIs). A group of older men, who did not get HIV on their own volition, explain how they lost many of their friends and lovers to HIV, and how they do not want a relationship because they do not want their

boyfriend A boyfriend is a man who is a friend or acquaintance to the speaker, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is platonically, romantically or sexually involved. A boyfriend can also be called an admirer, beau, suito ...

having to bury them too. They also talk about the medication which they must take, and about its side-effects - particularly cardiac attacks, which seem to have replaced direct death from the virus itself. Advertising for prevention is also exposed for being too positive and showing images of attractive men with AIDS.

Reception

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...

'' wrote that "The reaction of the

press Press may refer to: Media * Publisher * News media * Printing press, commonly called "the press" * Press TV, an Iranian television network Newspapers United States * ''The Press'', a former name of ''The Press-Enterprise'', Riverside, California ...

in Australia and the United States to ''The Gift'' and the ''Rolling Stone'' article bout bug-chasinghas largely been to report the controversy, but not to investigate the phenomenon."Queer take on gift of life will shock
" ''

''. March 11, 2003. Retrieved on March 30, 2014.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gift, The 2003 films Documentary films about HIV/AIDS 2003 documentary films 2003 LGBTQ-related films 2000s English-language films HIV/AIDS in American films 2000s American films American LGBTQ-related documentary films English-language documentary films