|
|
|
August 02, 2009
In other nonnews, Nonsullivan admits having lots of nonsex
When I saw an eye-catching mouthful in a post by Ann Althouse, I wondered whether Andrew Sullivan had finally succumbed to one of the fatal smackdowns that have been inflicted on him over the years. But alas! To my great disappointment, the startling admission did not come from Andrew Sullivan, but some writer I'd never heard of at the City Paper: He would have sex with as many as 10 or 15 men in the course of a normal day, while still logging a full day's work at the typewriter. He puts his lifetime total at something on the order of 50,000 partners. "I don't know whether it resolves any particular conflicts," he says. "You learn a lot about different people, different groups -- and it's a lot of fun." Although he does not practice safe sex, he has remained HIV-negative, in part because he engages only in nonpenetrative sex.Aren't we forgetting that this is not sex? And seriously, if oral sex is nonsex, then nonpenetrative activity is like really really nonsex! Considering the sheer volume, it must have been pretty anonymous nonsex too. But "You learn a lot"? What's to learn? It strikes me that doing the same non-thing 50,000 times would get to be a little repetitive. About as exciting as putting caps on 50,000 bottles in an assembly line. Yeah, I know each anonymous human being is different, but so is every snowflake. Would that make looking at 50,000 snowflakes one at a time a learning experience? I'm not arguing that the guy is immoral, mind you. That he may have done something 50,000 times does not alter the nature of whether what he did was immoral. But it would almost make it more interesting if it was. MORE: Can I say nonsex sucks, or would that be wrong? AND MORE: I hate to have to spell out my inner suspicions, but one of them was that this piece might just be exaggerated. Rereading the headline, I realize I should have quoted it: Chat it up with The Polymath. Whoa, he's slept with how many dudes?Slept with 50,000? Sorry, but no human life contains enough time for that much sleep. MORE: At least one commenter ("Twisted_Colour")at the City Paper calls Delany's sexual assertions "bullsh*t." posted by Eric on 08.02.09 at 12:35 PM
Comments
Trouble is, oral sex is not as safe as Sullivan apparently thinks. His nom de web was Angelsboi, for he had a crush on the character Angel from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". His real name was Ryan Boelle. Ryan was a homosexual, born with an impaired immune system. Once Ryan had a fight with his partner, and while the two were estranged went to a party that featured homosexual sex. One of those at the party was HIV positive. No one had penetrative sex with the man, but they did engage in oral sex. One of the participants was Ryan. When it happened Ryan also had an abcessed tooth. Ryan became ill shortly there after. The test for HIV came back positive, and the progression to full-blown aids went swiftly. Ryan had trouble with his medication, trouble with Medicaid bureaucracy, and trouble with the virus. He was removed from life support in the presence of his family just a couple of years after his fatal encounter. There may be other stories like this, but that's the one I now. I corresponded with Angelsboi through a message board, and wrote him a few times through his blog. There are others who remember Ryan Boelle fondly, for he was an interesting, vital character; full of life even when deathly ill. Even Andrew Sullivan thinks sticking to oral sex keeps him safe, then he is a fool. Alan Kellogg · August 2, 2009 08:25 PM Eric: I wouldn't brag about not knowing Delaney. He's really rather important in the SF world. He's also a damn fine writer. John Burgess · August 2, 2009 11:29 PM Did I brag? I thought I was merely expressing disappointment that the quote did not involve Andrew Sullivan. I don't doubt that Delaney is a fine writer, and while I might be wrong, it struck me that he's the one who is bragging. About something other than his writing. BTW (not that it makes any difference), but I think his name is spelled "Delany." Eric Scheie · August 3, 2009 12:20 AM Post a comment
You may use basic HTML for formatting.
|
|
August 2009
WORLD-WIDE CALENDAR
Search the Site
E-mail
Classics To Go
Archives
August 2009
July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 May 2002 AB 1634 MBAPBSAAGOP Skepticism See more archives here Old (Blogspot) archives
Recent Entries
• Honoring the natural born truth
• "Add glue and find a pole!" • Feynman Physics Lectures Video • In other nonnews, Nonsullivan admits having lots of nonsex • The simple logic of free will • Hot Tuna • Cash For Clunkers • Gonad Nazis of the world, hands off! • Better Than Ezra (and Ben as well) • Why no good deed goes unpunished
Links
Site Credits
|
|
"Would that make looking at 50,000 snowflakes one at a time a learning experience?"
If you're studying snowflakes - certainly.
But what Sullivan's studying... well, I ain't gonna speculate since it'd be in bad taste.