Money, drugs, and bodies: Examining exchange sex from multiple perspectives

Research on men who sell sex has primarily focused on psychological profiles and HIV risk factors. Substantially less literature examines the consumers in the male-to-male exchange sex dyad. This article examines the perspectives of venders and consumers. Data come from a qualitative study of a group of 26 men who recently ex-changed sex for money or drugs in New York City. Findings indicate that a complex set of interactions between motivation, communication, medium of exchange, and access to capital-financial, drug, or sexual-shapes risks. This article includes discussion of the potential implications of these findings for practitioners, and future research.