Sebastian and I spent a large part of our summer on what the WA AIDS Council (WAAC) calls The Beat Project or, as Sebastian’s friends like to call it, Gaywatch.

The Beat Project is a cooperative effort between WAAC, local government authorities and the police service. Basically, the project aims to provide information to and about men who cruise public places for sex. I expected something akin to a John Rechy novel: coloured handkerchiefs, single earrings, keys, subtle signals to indicate desired sexual positions and acts. When I thought about cruising I conjured up images of cowboy boots, unbuttoned shirts and moustaches, but the beat wasn’t anything like that. About the only thing I got right was the presence of moustaches, but since the beat project is conducted during the now-trendy Movember, I guess the jury is still out on the moustache-cruising correlation.

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Beat users certainly are an eclectic bunch – Audi drivers, P-platers, dog lovers, Eagles supporters and, surprisingly to novices like Sebastian and I, young fathers and watersports enthusiasts. Beat users are hard to define demographically and their motives seem equally varied. The project opened my eyes to the diversity of the cohort bearing the label MSM (men who have sex with men).
But it wasn’t the lack of handkerchiefs or the presence of a ‘baby on board’ sticker that provided the biggest surprise. At the risk of sounding like a crestfallen voyeur, rather it was the LACK of sex that was most astonishing.
There was no shortage of beat traffic. The weather was mostly fine, even summer-like, but overall the conditions seemed ripe for some public lewdness.

Yet, it seems that beat users are a tad shy, not that I can blame them. Public sex is an illegal act, not to mention the serious dangers associated with cruising. Moreover, the cruising crowd aren’t completely impervious to the fear of rejection. With Grindr just a convenient download away, cruising may very well be a dying sport.

In phase two of The Beat Project, Sebastian and I will move from the role of observers to one of outreach. We will chat with beat users, offer safer options, hear their stories and gain a clearer picture of the community. I’m sure the project’s next phase will be equally enlightening and continue to break down some of the preconceived notions we have about beat users.

The Beat Project and Project X are both run by the WA AIDS Council (WAAC) For more information on any of their services please contact (08) 9484 0000.

Gareth Durrant

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