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Bedeutung von Poppers für die Gay-Community

Importance of Poppers for the Gay Community

There are many ways to get sexually aroused and experience a hot session with your partner. For many gays, bottles of poppers are now part of their “standard equipment”. Whether at home, in clubs or at parties, poppers are increasingly becoming a “mobile turn-on” in the bedroom or on weekend trips to the gay scene.

What are Poppers?

Poppers are volatile nitrites that are very often used as inhalants in the gay community. They cause short-term muscle relaxation, dilation of the blood vessels and a feeling of euphoria. Originally used in medicine to treat angina pectoris, they have long played an important role in the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly among gay men.

Because there are many different types of gay sex besides anal penetration, poppers manufacturers have developed different types of poppers that are suitable for a wide range of sexual experiences. As BDSM and fisting, for example, are very popular in the community, special poppers with a strength of 6 and different ingredients have been launched on the market. They have a very intense and long-lasting effect, which makes fisting easier, among other things.

Historical significance of Poppers in the Gay Community

Poppers have been an integral part of the queer subculture since the 1970s. Especially in the club and party scene, they have gained an important place as a means of intensifying the sexual experience and as a tool for relaxed anal sex. At a time when gay sexuality was still considered an absolute taboo, poppers played an important role in the fight for equal rights and sexual liberation.

The effect of poppers is not just a purely “chemical” one, but also a cultural one. The sight of the brown bottles evokes numerous cultural associations. Even today, the topics of sexuality between men and queer identity are about experiencing a feeling that many gays are still unable to enjoy, namely feeling good in complete freedom. Here, Poppers becomes a bridge connecting the peaks of personal exploration and the peak of communal celebration. The brown bottles are still a symbol of the courageous and wordless rebellion against the still prevailing social norms.

Design for an entire era: Rush Poppers

If you were asked which poppers you first came into contact with in the gay community, your answer would probably be Rush, right? For most people, this brand is like the door opener to the wide field of poppers. Thanks to their ingenious design, the red and yellow bottles with the distinctive lightning bolt have become a cultural artefact that everyone recognizes immediately. The bottles of Rush poppers are not just aesthetically pleasing. They also evoke emotions that are precisely tailored to their purpose. People want to feel good, rebel, experiment and enjoy hot sex alone or with others in the midst of all social constraints.

Rush and all other poppers fit comfortably in your pocket or on your bedside table. What it says makes it a product that feels personal and also communal. Poppers are a horny little secret that you can pass on to friends or strangers in the glow of a club. They are understated and iconic at the same time. This two-sidedness has allowed Rush to become a staple in queer culture and beyond.

From Product to Statement: Poppers overcomes Boundaries

It wasn’t just artists like Troye Sivan who ensured that poppers extended their influence beyond the bedrooms and dance floors of the gay community. In the 1990s, poppers were given a new lease of life by the rave scene. Again, Rush, probably the best-known brand, was responsible for this. At some point, the Rush poppers design found its way onto T-shirts and accessories, making its way into the fashion industry and has been worn as an ironic and glamorous statement ever since.

Drag queens in particular led the way here by making the brand their own, transforming it into wearable art and thus combining humor with rebellion. As a result, Rush became a symbol of defiance and fearless self-expression. The red and yellow poppers bottles also found their way into the film industry thanks to John Waters and “A Dirty Shame”. Through the playful use of poppers, Waters succeeds in motivating Rush fans to explore the history and cultural influence of poppers, beyond the contents of the bottle.

This phenomenon is called crossover and the fact that Rush made the leap into pop culture as a product underlines his position as an icon. These poppers have become synonymous with liberation, the afterlife and, above all, free sex like no other. In this respect, the Rush poppers and all other brands are a powerful symbol of queer identity and freedom.

Why are Poppers used?

In fact, after alcohol, poppers are probably the most commonly consumed substance in the gay scene. The main reasons for the use of poppers in the gay community are manifold. It is mainly about:

  • Sexual relaxation: Poppers relax the sphincter muscles of the anus and can therefore make anal intercourse or masturbation with anal toys easier.
  • Increased sensory perception: Poppers create a more intense feeling of pleasure and ecstasy.
  • Part of club culture: in many gay clubs and at gay parties, they are now a natural part of the lifestyle. They are simply carried in a trouser pocket or worn as a stylish inhaler with a leather strap as a chain around the neck.
  • Experimentation: The queer scene is considered to be very open to sexual experimentation and poppers enable new, previously unknown experiences by reducing the fear and inhibition threshold.
  • Promoting community: Consuming poppers in social or intimate situations can strengthen the sense of community and create a bond between partners or circles of friends.

Conclusion: Poppers is an Integral Part of the Gay Community

Poppers have a long history in the gay community, dating back to the 1970s. They are more than a product, they are a cultural treasure. With every puff, you inhale decades of history of queer identity, wild nightlife and liberated joy. Rush is the brand that belongs to everyone and no one. Its history is intertwined with the history of liberation and self-expression. It is a symbol! Poppers don’t just make you feel good; they remind you that feeling good is a legacy you should celebrate. Whether you’re dancing in a club, having sex somewhere or meeting your friends, realize that poppers are so much more than colorful bottles. Poppers are a movement, a cultural symbol and a reminder that you should and are allowed to enjoy the rush of life.

Source: https://www.vice.com/de/article/vom-herzmedikament-zur-partydroge-eine-kurze-geschichte-von-poppers/