In gay culture, “body count” refers to how many people you’ve slept with. And whether it’s high or low, it often feels like a no-win situation. Have a low body count and you risk being seen as repressed, inexperienced, or undesirable. Have a high one and you’re either celebrated… or slut shamed.In this off-the-cuff conversation, we unpack why gay men are stuck between purity culture and performance culture, and how both distort our relationship to sex, desire, and self-worth.We explore:Why body count became a stand-in for confidence and masculinityHow sex gets turned into proof of worth instead of a personal choiceThe difference between sexual freedom and sexual pressureWhy sex positivity isn’t about having more sex, or less sexWhat sexual empowerment actually looks like when shame isn’t running the showThis episode isn’t about judging how much sex you’ve had. It’s about reclaiming choice, agency, and a healthier relationship to desire.Join the Sexual Empowerment 101 7-week men’s group LinkToday's Hosts:Michael DiIorio - Take the 360° Self-Review for Gay MenMatt LandsiedelSupport the Show - viewer and listener support helps us to continue making episodes- CONNECT WITH US -Watch podcast episodes on YouTubeJoin the Gay Men's Brotherhood Facebook communityGet on our email list to get access to our monthly Zoom calls Follow us on Instagram | TikTok Learn more about our community at GayMenGoingDeeper.com- LEARN WITH US -Building Better Relationships online course: Learn how to nurture more meaningful and authentic connections with yourself and others.Healing Your Shame online course: Begin the journey toward greater confidence and self-worth by learning how to recognize and deal with toxic shame. Gay Men Going Deeper Coaching Collection: Lifetime access to BOTH courses + 45 coaching videos and 2 workshop series. Take the Attachment Style Quiz to determine your attachment style and get a free report.