Circuit parties with a side of E

Circuit parties are notoriously hard to define.

There are hundreds of promoters around the globe trying to cash in by calling their upstart events ‘circuit parties’.

Most circuit parties follow a certain template whether in a club, on a cruise ship or a beach. It is a several-day, several-location spectacular, with lights, big-name DJs, decorations and performances. Themes are mandatory. Many parties are tied to holidays, like Mardi Gras in Sydney or Songkran in Bangkok. Some clubs like Jump in Taipei organize a regular end-of-month party and is always well- attended.

Everywhere you look at these events there are men, men and more men. ”When I told my aunt I was gay, she said, “It’s a very lonely life”.

..If she only knew! I’m obviously not the only gay in this village!

To outsiders, the less well-informed and the biased, circuit parties are all about drugs, sex and spectacle. To the travel industry, they represent a profit-making opportunity. For many circuit party aficionados, the weekend celebrations are essentially a year-round extension of the ability to put ourselves out there and have a great time. It’s important for our gay identity to know that we’re part of a community that knows how to have fun, albeit safely.

Drugs – always a controversial part of the circuit life, were not part of the routine to begin with. Champagne was the only intoxicant most of my friends touched all weekend, despite dancing until the wee hours. Not everyone exhibits such self-control, of course. The circuit party scene is fueled by Ecstasy, much as the rest of any club scene is. Now it’s GHB and methamphetamine, better known as crystal meth. Not only does crystal meth give revelers the stamina to stay up for three days without a nap, it also enables marathon (and often unprotected) sex sessions.

While drugs may be a ‘don’t-ask-don’t-tell’ affair at these circuits, plenty of flesh-baring is certainly not a discreet topic. When I step on the dance floor, my shirt usually come off. It’s an excellent excuse for us to check out the latest in men’s underwear. Men with shaved chests and impeccable abs greet each other with hugs and kisses and dance with their arms around one another’s waists.

I define this as a form of liberation, this whole act of being able to flirt shamelessly without judgment or guilt. It’s just something I choose to call ‘life’.

And ‘life’ is a drug I could OD on.