July 12, 1998
Contact: Jody Oesterreicher; (312) 996-8277; [email protected]
UIC STUDY LINKS HOMOPHOBIA, SELF-ESTEEM AND HIV RISK AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN GAYS
A study by a University of Illinois at Chicago researcher says negative attitudes toward homosexuality can lead to low self-esteem and increased risk for HIV among young African-American gay and bisexual men.
The study appears in the latest issue of "AIDS Education and Prevention."
Changing negative attitudes in the community toward homosexuality is important in stopping the spread of HIV, concluded Joseph Stokes, UIC professor of psychology, who conducted the study with a Georgia State University colleague.
"This is a somewhat different way of looking at things. It raises some difficult issues, just one of which is, how can professionals in HIV prevention and members of the community who may oppose homosexuality work together to help young men protect themselves? We want to respect personal beliefs, but get everyone on board to stop the transmission of HIV," Stokes said.
Outreach workers in Atlanta and Chicago interviewed 76 African-American men, ages 18 to 29, who said they had sex with a man in the past six months. Those surveyed generally agreed that negative attitudes toward homosexuality are common and homosexuality is rarely discussed openly in the African-American community.
"If someone in your family is gay, you don't talk about it. It's a hush-hush, 'He's-a-confirmed-bachelor' type of attitude," one man said.
"Black men... are taught to be tough, not show emotions, to keep everything inside. And growing up with that type of mind set, we tend to be homophobic," another man said.
Many respondents, even those who claimed to be comfortable with their homosexuality, said they often hide their same-sex attractions from others because of perceived homophobia.
The men viewed homophobia as more prevalent among African-Americans than whites, though Stokes said there is little evidence to support this view. The men may feel this way because of the importance of religion to many African-Americans, the researcher said.
Despite negative messages about homosexuality from many religious groups, numerous respondents said they and their gay and bisexual acquaintances are active church members. They said their church involvement helps them cope with oppression, feel better about their "sinful" behavior, disguise their homosexuality and meet other gay men.
Many of those surveyed said the church's opposition to homosexuality is a major reason for negative attitudes within the community at large.
"The black church does not embrace its gay children. It shuns them. It has belittled them and made them feel less than human. It adds to the self-hatred, self-loathing you find in many homosexuals," one man said.
Many of the men surveyed agree with the negative attitudes they perceive, the study found. Several men expressed the desire to change their sexual orientation and others revealed their shame at being attracted to men.
"I can't understand why God put these feelings in me or why would I be this way... and I believe that you can't be gay and go to heaven," one man said.
Several of the men commented on the difficulty of living as a "double minority," black and gay. Many saw a connection between homophobia, low self-esteem and behaviors that put them at risk for HIV. Some men said they avoid discussing HIV/AIDS or condom use because they fear being perceived as gay or bisexual. Others said homophobic men are less likely to have steady relationships with other men.
Some respondents said hopelessness and lack of acceptance can lead to risky sexual behavior.
"If I have low self-esteem, then I will look for validation in a sexual experience and, therefore, I want that sexual experience at any cost," one said.
A research team led by Stokes and co-investigator Robin Miller, UIC assistant professor of psychology, is working with organizations on Chicago's South and West sides to address some of the problems highlighted in the survey.
The researchers received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1996 to develop and implement HIV prevention programs targeted at African-American gay and bisexual men ages 15 to 25.
They are helping organizations in the communities that need HIV prevention services most. In Chicago, more African-American gay and bisexual men are being diagnosed with AIDS than their white counterparts, but most HIV prevention programs are held in gay bars and clinics on the city's North Side.
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