GAT Launches a Pioneering Portuguese-Language Podcast on Chemsex and Harm Reduction

Listen on Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, and soon on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music

On 1 October, GAT launches Química, a new podcast dedicated to chemsex, sexual health, pleasure and harm reduction. Promoted by GAT from an idea by and produced by Mary Poppers, the project creates a space for conversations free from prejudice, designed to increase literacy, challenge stigma and bring people closer to information and support services.

Presented as the first podcast in Portuguese dedicated exclusively to chemsex and harm reduction in this context, Química emerges from the need to talk about a phenomenon that has been gradually growing in recent years, without moralism or simplistic narratives. The project seeks to promote a broader understanding of the many dimensions of chemsex: pleasure, substances, desire, mental health, identity, community, vulnerability, peer support, recovery and care.

Throughout the season, the podcast brings together health professionals, researchers, activists, artists, community health workers, harm reduction specialists and people with lived experience. Between personal stories and specialised knowledge, each episode adds a new perspective on the reasons that lead people into these contexts, the challenges that may arise and the ways to promote greater autonomy, well-being and safety.

More than explaining chemsex solely through risk, Química proposes a deeper listening to its social, emotional, cultural and community dimensions. The podcast addresses topics such as consent, sexual health, masculinity, gender, HIV, PrEP, drug checking, sexual violence, clinical responses, addiction treatment, psychosocial support, art, identity, recovery and belonging.

The project includes episodes with João Caldas, Gustrava, Cristiana Pires, Sasha, André Silva, Viva Couto, Ângelo Fernandes, Diogo, Tiago Teixeira, Masari, Gustavo, Filipe Gomes, Eduardo Lima and Mary Poppers, bringing together testimonies, critical reflection and practices of care. Among the topics addressed are harm reduction, the role of community services, recovery journeys, inequalities in access to care and the need for responses that are closer to the lived realities of LGBTQIA+ communities.

Premiering on 1 October, Química is available on major streaming platforms, including Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, and soon on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. The launch plan includes the release of the first two episodes, followed by weekly episodes every Thursday, creating a listening and follow-up routine throughout the season.

Química is intended for informational and educational purposes. It does not promote or encourage substance use; its aim is to support safer practices, promote well-being, challenge stigma and contribute to more informed decision-making.