Pleasure, Affection, and Love Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) versus MSM of Other Races: Countering Dehumanizing Stereotypes via Cross-Race Comparisons of Reported Sexual Experience at Last Sexual Event

Abstract

Black men have historically been stereotyped as hedonistic, aggressive, and animalistic in their sexual interactions. This study sought to describe pleasure, affection, and love experienced by Black men who have sex with men (MSM) during their last male-partnered sexual event and to examine differences relative to White, Latino, and Asian MSM. A total of 21,696 (793 Black, 18,905 White, 1,451 Latino, and 547 Asian) U. S. men ages 18–87 (MAge = 39) were recruited from social/sexual networking sites targeting MSM in 2010–2011. Participants reported multiple dimensions of sexual experience (pleasure, affection, and love) occurring at their last male-partnered sexual event, partner relationship, and sociodemographic characteristics. Across relationship categories, a sizeable percentage of Black MSM reported pleasure (72–87 % orgasmed, 57–82 % experienced high subjective pleasure) and affection (70–91 % kissed, 47–90 % cuddled). Love was primarily reported for events involving main partners (felt love for partner: 96 %; felt loved by partner: 97 %; verbalized love to partner: 89 %). Latent class analysis with MSM of all races, adjusting for partner relationship and sociodemographic characteristics, revealed three distinct profiles of sexual experience: affection and love (Class 1); affection in the absence of love (Class 2); and neither affection nor love (Class 3). Pleasure was probable across profiles. Some racial differences in profile probability were present, but no overall pattern emerged. Contrary to Black male stereotypes, Black MSM commonly reported pleasure, affection, and love at their last male-partnered sexual event and did not show a meaningful pattern of difference from other-race MSM in their likelihood of experiencing all three.

Gendered Social Institutions and Preventive Healthcare Seeking for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: The Promise of Biomedical HIV Prevention

“…Researchers have applied the term ‘compensatory masculinity’ (Harrison, 1997; Whitehead, 1997) to describe how economically marginalized men respond to economic restructuring—and subsequent financial insecurity—by demonstrating their masculinity through other outlets. This concept is limited and yet useful: limited, because it implies a set of psychological processes that are invisible to the researcher and takes an economically determinist approach to culture, and yet useful because it calls attention to the possibility that risky behaviors (e.g., violence, substance use, demonstrations of strength and increased number of sexual partners) (Calabrese, Rosenberger, Schick, & Novak, 2015; Goff, Di Leone, & Kahn, 2012; Kogan, Yu, Allen, Pocock, & Brody, 2015; Whitehead, 1997) may result from marginalization and discrimination.…”

Real Talk: Developing a Computer-Delivered Sexual Health Program for Black Men Who Have Sex With Men

“…As one San Francisco focus group participant explained:

I think part of problem is that within gay culture there are so many things that are acceptable that are not acceptable within mainstream culture. Like when did it become okay to say “I don’t do Black guys,” “I don’t do Asian guys,” and “Oh well, you’re cute for a Black guy.” If you were a straight guy and you said that to a Black woman, you’d be crucified for it.

And even when non-Black men desire Black men, the underlying attraction may be grounded within racialized and class-based fantasies of hyper-masculinity (Calabrese et al, 2015): A Black man is always in demand on the streets, that’s a lot of people’s fantasy. You have a good-looking guy, a good-looking Black man with a big dick, and you’re gonna get what you know.…”

“…Despite the severe impact of HIV on Black MSM and the complex processes that produce HIV vulnerability in Black MSM communities—including racism, homophobia, internalized stigma, endogamous sex networks, and testing and treatment utilization patterns (Ayala, Bing, Kim, Wheeler, & Millet, 2012; Bowleg et al, 2013; Calabrese, Rosenberger, Schick, & Novak, 2015; Maulsby et al 2014; Raymond & McFarland, 2009)—there are relatively few evidence-based HIV prevention interventions designed specifically for Black MSM (Maulsby et al, 2013). 1 Nor are there currently any demonstrated efficacious computer-delivered HIV prevention interventions targeting Black MSM, notwithstanding the emergence of a new wave of effective computer-delivered sexual health programs (Noar, 2011).…”

Shared Decision Making Among Clinicians and Asian American and Pacific Islander Sexual and Gender Minorities: An Intersectional Approach to Address a Critical Care Gap

“…57 These sexual roles within the gay male community have roots in racist stereotypes. [58][59][60] While little data are available on AAPI trans individuals, AAPI SGM are often marginalized both by AAPI and by SGM communities, affecting their experiences inside and outside of the clinic.…”