MSM (Men Who Have Sex With Men)

MSM stands for men who have sex with men. Public health and HIV researchers have used it since at least the late 1980s to describe sexual behavior rather than identity, since many men who have sex with men do not call themselves gay or bisexual and may not use LGBTQ+ health services. The term helps epidemiologists study risk and design outreach without assuming a person's identity. It remains standard at agencies like the CDC and WHO, which note that men who have sex with men carry a disproportionate share of HIV worldwide. Some advocates criticize MSM for erasing identity and for letting policymakers avoid naming gay and bisexual men directly. Both the behavioral term and identity language have their place.