is not about sex, but about the absence of intimacy. Brandon’s world is sterile and controlled; his apartment is a minimalist fortress, and his interactions are clinical. He utilizes pornography, sex workers, and anonymous encounters to maintain a barrier between himself and the world. McQueen uses long, static takes—most notably a jogging sequence through the nighttime streets of Manhattan—to emphasize the repetitive, exhausting nature of Brandon’s cycle. The "shame" of the title refers to the crushing weight of a secret life that prevents any genuine connection with others.