‘What does it take to be a man? What is a real man?’: ideologies of masculinity and HIV sexual risk among Black heterosexual men

Abstract

Research documents the link between traditional ideologies of masculinity and sexual risk among multi-ethnic male adolescents and White male college students, but similar research with Black heterosexual men is scarce. This exploratory study addressed this gap through six focus groups with 41 Black, low to middle income heterosexual men aged 19 to 51 years in Philadelphia, PA. Analyses highlighted two explicit ideologies of masculinity: that Black men should have sex with multiple women, often concurrently; and that Black men should not be gay or bisexual. Analyses also identified two implicit masculinity ideologies: the perception that Black heterosexual men cannot decline sex, even risky sex; and that women are primarily responsible for condom use. The study’s implications for HIV prevention with Black heterosexual men are discussed.

A Qualitative Analysis of Father–Son Relationships among HIV-Positive Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men

“…15,32 Endorsement of these traditional masculinity norms, which may include promotion of sexual partner concurrency and negative attitudes toward same-sex attraction, has previously been associated with HIV risk behaviors in both heterosexual and gay-identified black men. [33][34][35] Higher levels of agreement with traditional masculinity beliefs are generally associated with risk behaviors such as sexual partner concurrency and inconsistent condom use. [36][37][38] Some researchers have suggested that growing up with non-resident fathers is associated with less adherence to traditional masculinity norms, 39 which might be interpreted as portending lower sexual risk.…”

Role Flexing: How Community, Religion, and Family Shape the Experiences of Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men

“…16,17 In addition, negative attitudes toward homosexuality and a rejection of effeminate behavior are defining components of traditional ideologies of masculinity in the black community. 18 In 24 MSDH invited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to collaborate in an investigation to understand risks for HIV infection among young black MSM in Mississippi.…”

Preventing HIV among Black Men in College Using a CBPR Approach

“…Although college students have traditionally been considered a low-risk group for HIV, African American/black university students tend to have profound misconceptions about HIV exposure and transmission and may be at risk [8,16,[33][34][35][36][37].…”

“…A paucity of HIV prevention strategies have been demonstrated to be efficacious and effective for African American/black heterosexual men, particularly those of college age [8][9][10][11][12][13].…”