Religious vs. Secular Communities: Sources of Social Support for Emerging Adult Black Gay and Bisexual Men

This research investigates factors that contribute to emerging adult black gay and bisexual men’s sources of social support. Participants were 20 Black, gay/bisexual men between 18-25 years old (Mage = 22.8, SD = 1.7). Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews and utilized grounded theory to determine intersectionality between participants’ religious upbringing as well as their racial, spiritual, sexual, and HIV identities. Participants who self-identified as bisexual continued to seek social support within churches despite having endured repeated exposure to negative religious rhetoric pertaining to same-sex behavior in religious settings. Participants who self-identified as queer did not seek social support within churches. While a majority of participants who self-identified as gay did not seek social support from churches, gay participants who did seek social support from churches were also HIV positive. A majority of participants indicated having to seek social support from communities that did not encompass all of their identities (racial, sexual, religious/spiritual, HIV) and expressed feelings of not belonging or being fully accepted by those communities as a result. Data from this research indicates a need for further research examining Black men’s sexual and religious identity self-labeling tendencies as well as HIV status as predictors of likelihood to seek social support in religious communities, specifically, black churches. A greater understanding of the factors that contribute to emerging adult, Black, gay/bisexual men’s selection of communities for social support may benefit community organizers in the development of groups that could act as sources of resiliency, especially for individuals who are living with HIV

External vs. Innate: Sources of Resiliency Among Emerging Adults, Black Gay and Bisexual Men

The purpose of this research was to examine the main sources and origins of resiliency that are present among Black gay and bisexual men. Resiliency refers to one’s response to adversity and ability to positively adapt to difficult situations. Twenty participants ranging in age between 18-25 years old (M = 22.8 years, SD = 1.7 years) participated in a semi-structured interview. Participants indicated varying sources of resiliency, which they utilize to encounter hardships. Innate sources (i.e., I was born this way) and external sources (i.e., music, my grandmother’s spirit) were conveyed by participants as mechanisms to overcome adversity. The current findings seek to increase social understanding of the means through which these emerging adults overcome adversity, in effort to decrease social marginalization, stigmatization, and discrimination

Community Member Perspectives from Transgender Women and Men Who Have Sex with Men on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis as an HIV Prevention Strategy: Implications for Implementation

Background: An international randomized clinical trial (RCT) on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-prevention intervention found that taken on a daily basis, PrEP was safe and effective among men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender women. Within the context of the HIV epidemic in the United States (US), MSM and transgender women are the most appropriate groups to target for PrEP implementation at the population level; however, their perspectives on evidenced-based biomedical research and the results of this large trial remain virtually unknown. In this study, we examined the acceptability of individual daily use of PrEP and assessed potential barriers to community uptake. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with an ethnoracially diverse sample of thirty HIV-negative and unknown status MSM (n = 24) and transgender women (n = 6) in three California metropolitan areas. Given the burden of disease among ethnoracial minorities in the US, we purposefully oversampled for these groups. Thematic coding and analysis of data was conducted utilizing an approach rooted in grounded theory. Results: While participants expressed general interest in PrEP availability, results demonstrate: a lack of community awareness and confusion about PrEP; reservations about PrEP utilization, even when informed of efficacious RCT results; and concerns regarding equity and the manner in which a PrEP intervention could be packaged and marketed in their communities. Conclusions: In order to effectively reduce HIV health disparities at the population level, PrEP implementation must take into account the uptake concerns of those groups who would actually access and use this biomedical intervention as a prevention strategy. Recommendations addressing these concerns are provided

What it means to be a man: How emerging adult Black gay and bisexual men navigate gender norms

Young Black men learn what it means to be a man from different sources, including family, church, school, and the media. Traditional views on masculinity can be difficult for men to adhere to if they do not identify with current gendered social constructions. The current study examined how Black gay and bisexual men navigate masculine ideologies instilled in them and interpret these expectations as emerging adults. Participants, 20 Black gay and bisexual men (Mage = 22.8, SD = 1.7) took part in a semi-structured qualitative interview examining their experiences with religion, sexuality, gender expectations, and HIV. Using grounded theory, the data revealed that a majority of participants recognized the norms they learned and filtered out the negative aspects of masculine gender roles. Many young Black men can differentiate the negative traits (hiding emotion, acting tough) from the positive traits (being responsible, taking care of family). While these men are able to effectively navigate positive and negative gender norms, the media and societal norms should be mindful of the messages portrayed of manhood