Opinion par Roger-Luc Chayer (Image : AI / Gay Globe)
There are people who seem to exist only to spread hatred on the Web, notably by using Google reviews to try to destroy businesses, tarnish the reputation of certain commercial sectors or, quite simply, spread their prejudices and, through their actions, provoke genuine hatred.
This is the case of an individual whom I will not name here, but whose initials are M.R. and who, draped in a rainbow-colored shirt, publishes deeply hateful and false messages about gay saunas in Montreal, and more particularly about certain establishments.
In two messages dated yesterday, August 12, he states about a first sauna: » I don’t understand why so many people go there… The owner brags about having (phrase masked by Gay Globe so as not to identify the sauna), but the place is not operating at 100%. There are rooms, but far too many for it to be a “sauna”: there is practically no sauna, precisely. All in all, there are more rooms than places in the saunas and jacuzzis. It looks more like a hotel by the hour with a few facilities than a real sauna. It is also not particularly clean, which is why no rooms are showcased on the website or Google. There is nothing online to give you an idea, unlike their competitor (Name masked by Gay Globe so as not to identify the sauna). Nothing more: both are simply dark and gloomy places where you can get taken by surprise. Places like these are what cause gay people to have less self-esteem toward others and contribute to all the hatred we receive afterward. You should be ashamed. » And, obviously, he gives it only one star.
In a second message posted an hour later, he states about another sauna: « I searched for photos of the interior on the Web, without success. I had absolutely no idea what to expect when I went inside and I find that extremely unfortunate, but I understand better now. The premises are not presentable. It is very dirty, the rooms are old, battered and “cringe.” The facilities are cramped and filthy. You can see recent renovations that are actually nothing more than camouflage for the problems. There is no proper way to clean yourself afterward, the clientele seems as dirty as the premises, several filled condoms are scattered on the floor, there are not many garbage cans, the smell is more than questionable, and there is no way to book a room online on any website in 2026, so whatever happens, happens. I recommend that you stay away from the place: this establishment is conducive to the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and constitutes a genuine breeding ground for widespread infections. » And once again, he gives this sauna only one star.
I therefore retain two elements from what he says: the condition of the premises and the idea that saunas would be vectors for sexually transmitted infections. I will first address his prejudice, which he freely spreads by claiming that men’s saunas would promote the transmission of STIs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia or HIV, for example.
While he claims that saunas are vectors of disease, he says that he saw used condoms scattered across the floor. However, he does not seem to have made the connection between infection prevention and the fact that the use of condoms actually demonstrates that preventive measures are being practiced.
The prejudice mainly comes from a confusion between the venue and the sexual behaviors that may sometimes take place there.
During the 1980s and 1990s, amid the HIV/AIDS crisis, gay saunas became strongly associated in the media and in public discourse with sex between men. Because some men had sexual relations with multiple partners, these establishments became symbols of “promiscuity” in the eyes of some people. The particularly derogatory term “sidatorium” emerged in this context of fear and HIV stigmatization.
But a sauna does not transmit an STI by itself. Certain behaviors can lead to transmission: unprotected sex, sharing equipment contaminated with blood, etc. Simply entering a sauna, sitting in a jacuzzi or visiting a gay establishment is not a mode of HIV transmission.
The prejudice therefore rests on a fairly simple, but false, line of reasoning: “several sexual encounters take place in this place, therefore the place is a vector for disease.” The risk is attributed to the venue when it actually depends on individual practices, prevention, testing and, in the case of HIV, highly effective tools such as condoms, PrEP and antiretroviral treatment.
It should also be remembered that a used condom found on the floor is not evidence that an establishment is a “breeding ground for infection.” It may instead indicate that people are actually using a prevention method, although leaving condoms on the floor obviously creates a hygiene and cleanliness problem.
The real issue is not whether an establishment is frequented by men who have sex, but whether hygiene conditions, information, access to prevention tools and sexual behaviors help reduce risks.
When this man claims that gay or men’s saunas create a negative image of homosexuals among the general population, it is rather statements like his, filled with prejudice and bordering on lies, that cause the most harm.
Now, let’s talk about the condition of the premises, which this man describes as dirty, with run-down rooms, awful smells and so on. Regardless of which sauna he is referring to in his statements, this man is far from the truth, and we have to question the motives that drive this person to make such statements.
Having personally visited certain men’s saunas in Quebec or knowing their conditions through descriptions from trusted friends, I can tell you that, as with any business, it is not necessarily the establishment that is the problem, but sometimes certain customers. And this happens everywhere: in saunas, restaurants, bars or even clothing stores.
As for the two saunas in question, and even the other establishments in Quebec, all but one have carried out significant maintenance or renovation work in recent years. Claiming that these places are run-down is therefore false. Establishments of this type have made considerable efforts since the pandemic, particularly to improve their facilities and provide premises that are cleaner, better maintained and more welcoming than ever.
So why spread such falsehoods?
It may first be a matter of a genuinely bad personal experience, amplified by an extremely negative perception of these establishments. This person may have visited certain saunas, been disappointed by the condition of the premises or by certain aspects of his experience, and then generalized his opinion to all men’s saunas in Quebec. A bad experience can happen anywhere, and it is perfectly legitimate to talk about it and criticize a business when you feel that the service or facilities do not meet expectations.
But in the case we are examining, the statements go much further than simply criticizing cleanliness or the condition of the facilities. His comments also reveal an obvious prejudice against establishments frequented by gay men and against certain sexual practices that take place there. He specifically establishes a direct link between saunas, sexual relations, STIs and what he presents as a negative image of homosexuals among the general population.
From that point on, we are no longer simply talking about a dissatisfied customer criticizing an establishment. We are entering into a much broader discourse that risks reinforcing prejudices that are already deeply rooted against gay men and the venues intended for them.
Another possibility would be that there is an intention to discredit certain establishments. This is where the problem becomes particularly interesting. Repeatedly making statements associating gay saunas with STI transmission goes far beyond commercial criticism of an establishment. It contributes to maintaining a negative perception of these venues and, by extension, of the men who visit them.
Finally, and this also needs to be discussed: could his great frustration and public anger toward men’s saunas stem from the fact that he did not get what he wanted there, that he didn’t “get his rocks off,” as they say? I wouldn’t be surprised.
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