Cruising is one of those delicious words that belong to gay men in the know. Mention you’re up for a bit of cruising to heterosexuals and they’ll likely think you’ve booked an all-inclusive voyage on an ocean liner. You may indeed be about to go up The Nile. Just not in the way so-called ‘respectable’ people think.
Cruising is gay slang for seeking sex in cruising grounds. These are frequently outside. But Cruising also happens in sex clubs. And public toilets. More on those shenanigans below.
The term was popularised in the 1960s. But gay men have been cruising forever. Just look at the Mollies in 18th Century London. Not to mention those gorgeous Greeks and rampant Romans.
Gay Cruising is intricately linked with legislation. Back when homosexuality was illegal, it was one of the few ways men could meet and get frisky with one another. But the march towards gay rights and equality still hasn’t killed off this ancient and sacred art. And you’ll find active cruising grounds all across the world.