Chemstories – a podcast about PnP/chemsex (English-language edition)

Chemstories is a podcast series created by gay, bisexual, queer men, as well as trans and non-binary people who wish to share their experiences related to chemsex*.

For Chemstories, we worked for over a year with our editorial board made up of individuals with firsthand experience of chemsex. Three members even became hosts for group discussions in their respective cities—Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax—whom you will meet in the upcoming episodes. From the very beginning, it was essential that this podcast be truly by and for the community.

But Chemstories is more than a podcast — it’s the result of a collaborative investigation into the lived realities of chemsex. Together, we set out to explore one central question: "Why is it important for people with lived experience of PnP/chemsex to tell their stories in their own words?"

This question came directly from our editorial board. They saw it as vital — because too often, people with lived experience have been silenced, stigmatized, or spoken about rather than with. Through Chemstories, they take back that space — to speak for themselves, and to be heard. So thank you for listening.

The views expressed in this podcast reflect personal experiences and opinions. Chemstories addresses themes that may be sensitive for some listeners.

For a list of support resources, visit: https://qollab.ca/en/ressources-services-chemsex/

Visit our website: chemstories.ca and contact us at chemstory@espum.umontreal.ca

* “Chemsex” is a contraction of “chemical” and “sex.” It refers to the use of illicit drugs with the intention of having sex, primarily within GBTQ+ communities. It is also known as Party’n’Play (PnP).

Chemstory is a research project approved by the ethics committee of the Université de Montréal (CERSES-20-157-D). Chemstory is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The testimonies shared in this podcast reflect individual experiences and personal opinions. Your own experiences and opinions may differ from those expressed here.