Stories emerging from this community reveal a rich sexual culture. Many who utilize glory holes report finding comfort and understanding among both straight and queer peers who visit these venues.
Jonah, a gay twentysomething from D.C., uses glory holes during a pandemic as they offer him an easy and guilt-free way of hooking up with potential partners while reducing coronavirus transmission risks.
Origins
Glory holes – small openings in walls or partitions found between public lavatories and adult video arcade booths that offer sexual services – have long been associated with queer male sexual culture. Long before police surveillance of homosexual sexual activity made Oscar Wilde an outcast and sodomy illegal, glory holes predated the modern-day popularity of pornography and gay-oriented clubs.
Glory holes were an integral component of gay-themed bathhouses during the 19th and early 20th centuries before homosexual acts became legal worldwide, according to Queerty. Their purpose was reportedly to help individuals quickly connect with partners willing to be their partners — or perhaps even lovers! Such facilities were an essential part of a quick hookup lifestyle that existed at this time when sexual perversion was criminalized.
Kink enthusiasts have also utilized glory holes found in erotic bookshops and fetish clubs as venues to engage in sexual encounters through these glory holes. Men can slip their dicks through these spaces to either be suctioned by another male through these openings or arrange beforehand with another man to meet somewhere and engage in sexual relations through them.
Kink enthusiasts frequently utilize glory holes at home. Newcomers to the scene may discover their first glory hole right there in their bathroom or bedroom — and its effects can be as satisfying as any other form of sexual pleasure. Many respondents reported finding their first glory hole by placing their penis through the toilet window!
The majority of our respondents were gay, sharing stories that shed light on the development of queer male kink culture. But our responses also came from straight or self-described heterosexual men, providing similar stories as our queer respondents to illustrate why glory holes remain an oasis for sexual utopia despite being rarer still than previously expected. The most frequently mentioned reasons included anonymity needs or desires, straightforward sexual experiences without social interactions, and being able to focus on pleasure above all else.
Signaling
Glory holes are a type of erotic portal typically installed into toilet cubicles and walls or booths to facilitate intimate encounters and sexual escapades without risk of detection. They’re popular at parties, fetish clubs, and in private homes – with people being drawn towards these tiny apertures for intimacy, connection, eroticism or sexual encounters with low risk of detection. But what attracts people to them in particular?
Queer history scholars were struck to find that men of all sexual orientations and generations used glory holes. Men wrote in to share their own experiences of glory holes spanning generations; offering insight into how queer sexual culture has developed over time. Their responses revealed many motivations why people turn to glory hole sex such as anonymity and being able to focus solely on pleasure without having to interact socially – these factors being just three among many that influence people turning to glory hole sex.
Glory hole use may be shrouded by sexual repression and the stigma of homosexuality, yet remains popular within a subculture of gay men. While some find the small opening provides intimacy and safety for them; others find the open communication channels attractive; regardless of its purpose or reason for use, glory hole activity presents certain risks that include potential sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Repressing LGBTQ identity has left many seeking alternative sexual experiences and venues, and glory holes provide one such way of doing this. Glory holes are erectile sex device that enables users to suck, fuck or rub anal tissue through their hole; often used with lubricants or condoms and can effectively cause orgasms.
Glory holes are commonly seen as a way of exploring sexual desires; however, they can be utilized for non-sexual purposes as well. Prisoners have used glory holes as an escape route during searches by guards; public health organizations often utilize glory holes for providing anonymous HIV testing and counseling services through glory holes.
Communication
Glory holes, according to Wikipedia, are holes found within partitions between lavatories or adult video arcade booths which provide people with an opportunity for sexual activities.” A glory hole typically accommodates sexual acts using either penis insertion, fingers insertion, or even tongue usage; and they can be found everywhere from public restrooms, porn cinemas, and bookstores up to fetish clubs and other locations.
Although some may find the idea of glory holes intimidating, members of the queer community have long accepted and welcomed them into their culture. Glory holes are an integral part of cruising and queer culture; cruisers use them both as places for socialization with other men as well as an anonymous way of engaging in sexual encounters.
Glory holes have become an iconic term among LGBTQIA communities due to their widespread association with sex and prostitution in gay bathhouses from the late 19th to early 20th centuries when glory holes were popular. At that time, sexual acts were illegal and could even result in imprisonment or even death, giving gay men strong incentives to hide their sexuality and keep themselves hidden from view.
Glory hole use was increasingly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing safe and anonymous sex for many. While glory holes offer many people a safe sex experience without the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), participants in glory hole activities must always exercise caution and prioritize consent and safety first when engaging in them.
Glory holes have long been part of LGBTQIA culture, either as a method for communicating or for anonymous sexual exploration. Furthermore, glory holes have even found their way into straight pornography as an instrument to induce urophagia or humiliation fetishes; for instance, in Jackass #2 there was even an episode featuring one cast member dressing their penis as a mouse costume and inserting it through one such glory hole into a snake cage!
Safety
Glory-hole sex involves intimate physical contact between strangers through a barrier, so those participating must be mindful of safety concerns. This includes following proper etiquette when signaling or communicating through glory holes as well as protecting their health; sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose one of the greatest threats from using glory holes; to limit this risk participants should use protection and discuss potential partners about any previous experiences they might have had with sexually transmitted infections before engaging in mouth sex or intimacy through glory holes.
Participant interviews revealed they discovered glory holes through word of mouth at gay clubs, porn video stores, and queer bookstores; additionally, the internet provides many resources for finding glory holes nearby.
Glory-hole sex can be attractive for many reasons. Navigating relationships can be difficult for those living in the closet; glory holes provide an anonymous space where individuals can explore their sexual fantasies with people they may otherwise never meet. Furthermore, this may help alleviate feelings of shame or guilt associated with sexual experimentation and help overcome feelings that prevent seeking cultural education and support that could help them accept themselves as LGBT+ individuals.
Glory-hole sex can be physically excruciating for those participating. Some participants report the sensation of their penis being forced through the hole, while others feel like their genitals are being severed off – similar to Bob Flanagan’s castration acts which included sewing up his scrotum and nailing his penis to a board.
Glory holes offer people an anonymous space in which to seek sexual encounters with strangers, yet can have severe social and legal repercussions. Public sex is illegal in some areas, and participants interviewed during our study reported experiences of harassment or robbery while using one. Furthermore, online reports depict men having their penises severed while engaging in glory hole sessions – evidenced by numerous men having their penises severed by other users while participating.
