Ain't I a Man: Gender Meanings among Black Men who have Sex with Men

Abstract

Since the onset of HIV/AIDS, African Americans have been disproportionately affected by the disease. They account for the largest proportion of new HIV diagnoses and AIDS-related deaths in this country; more than half of them are men who have sex with men (MSM). Prevention efforts to stem the spread of this disease have been severely hampered by stigmatization and misinformation about MSM culture and identity. Their focus has been on labels such as “gay” or “down low” rather than on behaviors and, much to the detriment of African Americans, has avoided gender identity. A popular argument for negative attitudes about MSM has been that their male identity is somehow incomplete or flawed, that their sexual identity somehow diminishes and skews their personal identity as men. This perceived incompleteness has been used to justify exclusion and perpetuate disparities in health care and disease prevalence. It has been found that cultural beliefs about masculine identity influence health behaviors among men and as such can contribute to strategies to improve death and combat disease. This article is part of a larger exploration of meaning, identity, and risk that examined and described cultural beliefs of 20 African American MSM in Detroit, MI, using ethnographic methods. Its rationale was that in order to understand sexuality involving two men it was essential to understand the designation of “man” itself. Toward that end, participants responded to the question “What does it mean to be a man?” Data analysis was driven by key characteristics and revealed four significant categories of meaning, i.e., personal character, social expectations, sexuality, and biology. Findings suggest that African American MSM share traditional Western beliefs about gender regardless of their public persona. Prevention efforts with gender as a point of departure may be more effective among African American MSM than those grounded in sexual orientation. This information offers valuable insight into the design and implement of programs to improve health among this group.