One of the unexpected consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic is that we’ve got health officials encouraging us to use glory holes.
We’re not making this up. New York started the conversation, and British Columbia have recently issued some guidance confirming that if you want to have sex but minimise your risks of acquiring Covid-19, then getting it on through a glory hole should be near the top of your list of options.
What is a glory hole?
A glory hole is a hole in a wall – the purpose of the hole is so that you can stick your cock through and have it serviced by someone on the other side. Alternatively, you could be the one servicing whatever anonymous cock comes through the hole.
Usually the focus is on oral sex, but if the positions are right then you can get fucked through a glory hole. Some glory holes are designed to be big enough to enable fucking or rimming or whatever you’re into.
When did gay men discover the joy of glory holes?
It’s unlikely we’re going to find a history thesis that puts a precise date on the emergence of glory holes. If we were going to take a guess, we’d probably give the credit to the Ancient Greeks – they seem to have had a bit of a flair for sexual shenanigans. But the earliest documentation about glory holes dates from the early 1700s in London. What’s clear is that glory holes are not a new thing.
In contemporary terms, we tend to associate glory holes with public restrooms, truck-stops, and adult video stores. They became an essential part of our cruising culture – particularly in the days when guy-on-guy action was generally on the down-low.
But a glory hole encounter is an experience that guys really connect with and is still very popular. You can still find glory holes in popular cruising spots, bathhouses and saunas often include glory hole spaces, and some guys set up a glory hole in their house so they can fulfil that fantasy for guys looking to have their cock serviced by an anonymous mouth.
What’s the etiquette of glory holes?
When it comes to navigating a glory hole encounter, the main technique is described as ‘teasing the hole’ – if you’re looking at a glory hole and the guy on the other side runs his finger around the rim of the hole, then you know that it’s game-on.
Anonymity is generally one of the key elements of a glory hole experience. Don’t expect much chat or discussion about who’s doing what to whom.
If you run your fingers around the hole, then the cock is going to come through to you. You don’t get to be too choosy – if you’ve teased the hole and a cock comes through, then you’re expected to get to work.
Obviously, you don’t have to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.
Can I catch Covid-19 if I use a glory hole?
There’s still a lot that we don’t know about Covid-19, so the medical advice around the virus is continuing to evolve. Also, we’re not doctors – we do our best to share what we know but don’t rely on us for medical information.
It seems that the most likely way that Covid-19 is transmitted from person to person is through droplets of saliva from the body. If you have the virus and you cough or spit on someone, then it’s quite likely that you’re passing the virus on to them. That’s why kissing is seen as a fairly high-risk behaviour in this context.
Glory holes are a good option because the wall creates a physical barrier between the two of you. If the only contact is between your mouth and his cock, or your cock and his mouth, then you’re minimising your risk of exposure.
Obviously, it’s not foolproof – there’s still risks. For example, if he spits on his cock to lube it up a bit before he pushes it through the hole, or if multiple guys are sucking the same cock.
Do what you can to minimise your contact with the spit of other guys. Carry some hand-sanitiser with you, and have a shower when you get home.
Can I catch STIs if I use a glory hole?
The short answer is yes. There’s a number of STIs that can be transmitted orally – syphilis and gonorrhea are top candidates. If you’re getting fucked through the glory hole, then that increases your potential STI exposure.
Plus, one of the great things about a glory hole encounter is that you really don’t get much conversation. It’s unlikely you’re going to be having a detailed chat about STI testing history when you’re presented with an anonymous cock pushed through a hole in the wall.
How to find your nearest glory hole?
Interested in a bit of glory hole action? The good news is that the Squirt.org community has already done the work for you.
Over the years, the guys who use Squirt.org have been documenting and road-testing glory holes around the world.
Log in and hit the Cruising option – this will give you a guide to your nearest cruising spots. This also lets you see the comments that guys have left about their experiences at the various cruising spots, and lets you chat with guys who are arranging to meet up for a bit of glory hole action.
Get out there and start teasing that hole!
