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Aundaray's article makes a cogent argument that HIV educators and experts need to look deeper at the social barriers gay black men encounter in order to understand why some gay black men are becoming HIV positive. Access to services is important because let's face it white gay men have white privilege, they can go to their local gay community center or gay AIDS organization and access services. Black gay men encounter barriers in relation to race, class, and gender. Some HIV & AIDS services probably don't understand or care to understand how to reach black gay men. Of course, gay black men have to be sexually responsible since they are adults. An adult should have enough common sense to seek out HIV/AIDS services. However, I think one area Aundaray ignores is pornography. A black gay American writer Dwight McBride wrote a book a couple of years ago called Why I Hate Ambercrombie & Fitch and one character discuses the sexualization of gay black men by the white gay community and the porn industry. The only so called "images" of black gay men being allowed to express our sexuality is in porn. The quandary is, a lot of the porn out there has barebacking videos which I believe contributes to some gay black men not practicing safer sex. The gay pornography isn't just about sex I think the porn conditions gay black men to not play safe. The gay pornography often stereotypes and categorizes gay black men into categories such as thugs, and just as sex objects. I am not saying people should not watch porn. But I think the gay porn has a contributing role in black gay men not practicing safer sex. Racism and also homophobia are two powerful forces I believe which have contributed to gay black men HIV rates increasing. For example, unlike white gay men, black gay men cannot go to a community where they are accepted. In the African American community, the issue of homophobia is a serious social problem. So, where are gay black men who are closeted and don't know about HIV services going to go? These men are probably not going to go to the black community and certainly not the gay community.
I loved reading your blog. I am a mithddle age gay white male positive for about thirty years. For many years, I was concerned with the social stigma of dating a black man. Ans I matured and bwcome better informed, I could care less about what other people think about my dating men of colir. It is not because of their equipment. That is just lust, I have learned gay black men are more passionate and O love thw conteast between myself and my partner. The young gay black men are out there using their equipment to rip off older white men. They feel entitled to these monetary benefits solely based on their equipment. The realitt is no guarantee that every black gay man has exceptional equipment
Thank you for this. I agree that mainstream media do not provide role models for young gay men. I'm tired of seeing the only black gay men represented on TV and in gay theater as either outrageous queens - like the waiter in True Blood and the nurse in Angels in America - not to cast any aspersions on them - but there's a lack of just regular guys unless they're rich and famous - where are the middle class guys next door?
THE END! Thanks for your views!
Tommie Johnson
It’s very hard for a black man to be accepted weather he is gay or straight in America. The gay community itself has racism with in it. So black men need to step up and form their own HIV & Prevention Centers to help their community. If you want something done right then do it yourself and advertise. There are plenty of black men with social work degrees that can get this started in our community. I like the Idea of talking about the 360. There is a program called Many Men Many Voices. That’s a start where I know that many black men are skilled and capable of getting this done. I myself will be willing to help.
December 8, 2012