Coming to Voice as Total Top or Total Bottom : Autobiographical Acts and the Sexual Politics of Versatility on Reddit

Abstract

For gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (GBMSM), sexual versatility encompasses both insertive (top) and receptive (bottom) sexual practices. By contrast, “total top” and “total bottom” roles are often marginalized by those who advocate versatile roles for GBMSM. This article explores how GBMSM “come to voice” as total tops and total bottoms on the social media platform, Reddit. Reading posts and comments as autobiographical acts, the article analyses how total tops and bottoms assert the validity of their claim to sexual knowledge as total top or total bottom while negotiating the sexual politics of versatility on Reddit and beyond.