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Dating apps are regularly used as a means of connecting to others on the chemsex scene. Dating platform providers shut down profiles to limit their use in this way, so to prevent this, and to avoid detection by police, those using dating apps have developed alternative ways to communicate their chemsex preferences. Shortcuts using emojis, abbreviations or alternative lingo are used, but are not always understood by all.
Turning Point Wellbeing Recovery Worker Anthony, who has lived experience in the chemsex scene, explains:
“There are loads of different little abbreviations and emojis that they're now using in apps. It's progressing in the sense that it's taken on a new level and morphing into something else.”
In his experience, using dating apps to connect with others in the scene led to greater exposure to harder drugs and more dangerous techniques of using them.
“A lot of these guys are injecting. I got approached on Grindr, and at that time I was going through a breakup with a partner. I always swore I would never inject, but that person got me at a point where I was really, really low. I’m not blaming him, it was my decision…but I thought, you know what, let me do it.”
“When he messaged me and said, ‘Are you into slamming,’ I said I've never done it and I wouldn't know what to do. He said ‘Don't worry, I'll do it for you.’ So people are risking their own freedom as well. Because if you do one thing wrong in injecting somebody else, that's when you're then being put in prison.”
Chemsex shorthands
Shorthands are an ever-evolving form of communication on dating apps, but there are some that have been commonly used for some time. Understanding shorthands arms those using dating apps with clarity to help prevent unexpected encounters. Anthony and Euan, LGBTQ+ Recovery Worker & Chemsex Lead outline the most common abbreviations below:
- H&H, HnH: High and horny, denoting sex with drugs.
- P&P: Party and play
- T, Tina, ice: Crystal meth
- G, Gina: GHB
- Meow meow, Mcat, drone, M: Mephedrone
- Slamming: Injecting (injecting T or M)
- Booty bumping, lugging, hooping, up your bum, or UYB: Using drugs by putting them up your anus
- Straight to the point: Shooting up meth then having sex
- Points: Points are needles
- BB, Bareback: Intentional condomless anal sex
- ☕️4️⃣⛵️: This combination emojis means crystal meth for sale
- 💎: This emoji indicates they charge for sex
- AVAILABLE: On a profile's title, this means they charge for sex
What chemsex support is out there?
Turning Point works with local London LGBTQ+ charity London Friend to provide an LGBTQ+ specific offer called Antidote. We are here if you want to have a chat around chemsex, drugs and alcohol.
We offer you free, confidential one-to-one support and/or connect you to a queer sober community of others making positive changes around drugs and alcohol. We support those who want to cut down and those who want to stop completely, there is no judgement here.
Refer yourself here to Antidote, Turning Point and London Friend’s drug and alcohol support.