#blacklivesmatter

[wood]

I believe you are very much  'on-topic'. Statistics tend to suggest that black men are more uninhibited sexually than white men. Statistics tend to suggest that black men are more promiscuous than white men. My personal experience, having been with both black and white men, is in agreement with those statistics.

 

Whether you believe there is inherent racism to say that black men are more sexually virile than white men is a matter of personal opinion. Personally I believe that African American men tend to have less inhibitions in the bedroom. The CDC's most recent statistics adds credibility to my beliefs.  According to the CDC, 50% of gay and bisexual black men in the United States will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime; 1 in 4 gay Hispanics will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime; But only 1 in 11 gay white men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime.  The CDC says that gay black men have the highest risk due to socioeconomic factors. 

Actually that is somewhat false, at least based on official surveys and statistics.  Here's some of the links on statistical data and modeling.  It includes data broken down by race.  The first link is the best, but you have to click on all the tables and read through all the data.      

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356996/

 

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/bmsm.html

 

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/sexualbehaviors/pdf/hiv_factsheet_ymsm.pdf

 

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/racialethnic/africanamericans/

 

The basic synopsis is that gay black men tend to have fewer sexual partners, and have higher reported usage of condoms that other groups such as gay white men, or gay latin men or those of mixed racial backgrounds.  What is happening is that GBM are having sexual relations much more so only within their own demographic.  Because of this any STI's including HIV are amplified within GBM as a subgroup.  When you combine that factor with the fact that GBM tend to live in areas with lower socioeconomic status, and have less access to healthcare its a perfect storm for high rates of HIV infection.  With the proper care, HIV is hard to spread.  People who get tested regularly, and if infected are on treatment are highly unlikely to spread the virus.  However, a person who is undiagnosed even one year is VERY likely to spread the virus to sex partners.  The issue has become even more skewed with the affordable care act because many black people, including GBM tend to live in the south and other states that choose NOT to take federal funds for medicaid expansion which would have covered many people with quality heathcare for free.   

 

For example, you have one GWM, and one GBM who are both versatile.  Both become infected at the start of a one year period.  In the next year the GWM gets tested and on treatment at 3 months, and goes on to have 30 sex partners the rest of the year.  During the same time the GBM has 20 sex partners, but doesn't get tested.  Because he has been highly infectious for a longer period of time, he is at a far greater chance of spreading HIV, despite having fewer partners.  Additionally because he is more likely to only have sex within the smaller subgroup GBM, he is more likely to infect other GBM.    

 

Now its important to remember that this is all based on numbers, and it doesn't take into account things like feelings of passions or the idea of being "uninhibited"  For statistical purposes the length of the sexual act doesn't matter.  A three min no talking pump and dump is that same as a three hour all over the house passionate fuck fest, as long as sperm goes in a hole.     

[misterpiggy]

As a black man I am numb to the racism I experience with white sex partners in the bedroom. If the connection is made online I'm usually asked how big is my cock. When a white guy asks me how big is my cock I just don't know if a certain cock size will disqualify me or if it will validate me...after all I'm supposed to have a big cock. Right?

Then some white guys want to know if it's ok to call me nigger while I'm breeding them. Hell no. It's not ok. Calling me nigger in the bedroom seems like a gateway to more racist behavior...like the next step seems like white guys will be asking me if it's ok to feed me bananas and call me a monkey during our fuck session. With my big black cock.

[travelingbutthole]

Interesting stats and correlative reasoning. I've also wondered about the prevalence of HIV in Africa. Gay sex is less culturally acceptable (or at least was in the past), but I infer a strong male with male subculture. 

 

My understanding is that one of the mechanisms that has led to HIV spreading so far and fast in Africa is more complex.

It's called Levirate Marriage.

 

Essentially a man will take his brothers widow as his own wife sometimes in addition to his current wife.

A husband travels for work, uses a lady of negotiable affection, returns to his wife and unknowingly exposes her to HIV.

Inadequate healthcare leads to his passing and his brother is exposed to HIV via his new wife.

Naturally the issue is worsened by the HIV/AIDS Denialists who have sometimes taken advantage of the historical distrust between Africa and the primarily western pharmaceutical companies.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levirate_marriage

[tallslenderguy]

Maybe we all have racist tendencies. And we tend to mask our racist tendencies by convincing ourselves that we are attracted to certain types. Or we declare that we are entitled to our preferences. There could be a lil bit of racism in all of us.

 

 

We are the sum of our life experiences so some negativity lurks within us all to some degree or another.

 

Lets just hope that humanity can learn to not let it control us when the chips are down.

 

Very interesting point of view. That last statement is a dose of reality for all of us..."People don't want to admit the uncomfortable truth about what they are." Your discourse fits very well in the narrative of the OP. We should all look at ourselves in the mirror and reflect on the idea that racism and homophobia come in the same package.

I think you are all hitting on the same note, and I so appreciate the tone. 

 

I believe racism is a subset of ethnocentrism, that it is taught and is not natural. The problem with ethnocentrism is the attitude that we are right just because it is what we've always known or done, because it was passed on to us by our families, churches, schools, friends-i.e., culture.

 

 I think that it's not so much the blatant, obvious habits or traits that harms us, but the subtle presumed habits that we have and live because we have never questioned or had them questioned.  Having those things examined or questioned can make us squirm because few people want to be 'bad' or thought of as ignorant. It seems to me that ignorance derives from an attitude of knowing though.  I.e., when one already "knows," one generally stops inquiring or looking because one no longer feels the need to inquire about something they already 'know.'  

 

I've been tricked by my own nature enough times to where it seems prudent to always take the approach: "this is how it seems to me now, but I could be wrong..."  Having these kinds of discussions for me is a way of "looking in the mirror" (as  Misterpiggy suggests), because relationship is a way of seeing your reflection. Other people reflect us and can show us things about ourselves we may not see through our own glasses.  

[RideMyBlkDik]

Lately we have been bombarded with conversations about racism. I wonder how that affects our sexual appetite. The media won't let go of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy. The media is all over Donald Trump's refusal to unequivocally condemn white supremacist David Duke and the KKK. Mr. Trump, of course, has used the media to his advantage to stoke anti-immigrant fears among American citizens.  Are we willing to believe that's not having any effect on our interracial sexual relationships? A common thread in this discourse is the media. The power of the media cannot be underestimated. And psychological warfare in this era dominated by social media is winning the hearts and minds of many individuals. Facebook and Twitter are pushing out the messages and agendas that affect so many areas of our lives.  We need to connect the dots to understand how our young people become radicalized to join terrorist organizations. We need to connect the dots to understand why our gay teens become suicidal based on institutionalized homophobia, depression, drugs, and of course bullying.

 

Homosexuality is not color blind.

 

Let's be clear that the next time we have a breeding session with a Mexican, more than likely we won't be thinking that he must be a criminal or a rapist for whom a wall is needed at our country's border. But if we view the gay community as a subculture and a metaphor for society itself then we can begin to understand why gay men tend to have sexual relations within their own demographic. Here's where the media is a powerful catalyst. Homophobia and racism seem like 2 peas in the same pod.

[misterpiggy]

Homosexuality is not color blind.

 

That sounds like a colorful way to say that racism exists in the gay community. Yes some gay men have prejudices too...and they will discriminate against other gay men based entirely on the color of their skin.

[PhoenixGeoff]

Maybe we all have racist tendencies. And we tend to mask our racist tendencies by convincing ourselves that we are attracted to certain types. Or we declare that we are entitled to our preferences. There could be a lil bit of racism in all of us.

I think there's a lot if truth to this. We're hardwired as human beings to prefer people from within our "tribe", that is people who look, talk, act and think like us. That's basically what culture is (all of the artistic side of culture is basically about signaling to the tribe what they should value or how they should be, whether it's a picture of the Madonna or "I like big butts and I cannot lie")

So if we prefer to have sex with guys who are close to us in terms of appearance and values that's not surprising. Is it racist? Well, yes, I suppose it is, but unless you're prepared to argue that no-one has a right to shoot anyone down, then I think we're just going to have to chalk it up to human nature.

So here's another way of looking at it. I'm in my mid 40s. There are guys out there, some of them my age or older, who I am attracted to but who only go for guys in their 20s. Is that ageist? Sure is. And they're missing out on a hell of a good fuck, if I do say so myself. But that's their prerogative. None of us is ever owed sex.

To my mind, there are relationships where it really is important to overcome our natural proclivity to prejudice. Employment is one. Our relationship to the law and government is another. Education is a third.

Then, there are relationships where I think we do ourselves a disservice if we're not prepared to act least explore a little outside our cultural comfort zone. Friendships are an obvious example. In these areas, I think it's better to try to be open to others, but it's not required.

But when it comes to NSA sex? That's so trivial a relationship that I think keeping within (or transgressing) cultural boundaries hardly matters. In that area I'm quite happy following my instincts.

[misterpiggy]

Then, there are relationships where I think we do ourselves a disservice if we're not prepared to act least explore a little outside our cultural comfort zone. Friendships are an obvious example. In these areas, I think it's better to try to be open to others, but it's not required.

There is so much truth in your statements.  Yet we tend to limit ourselves because comfort zones are, well, comfortable. In general it seems to me that black barebackers tend to prefer fucking with other black barebackers.  And lots of white barebackers would prefer not to even explore barebacking with a black guy.

 

Being open minded sounds good in theory. But it's exactly like you said:  We're hardwired as human beings to prefer people who look, talk, act, and think like we do.

 

Perhaps it's not fair to call that racism. Because we are all guilty to a certain extent when it comes to defining our "preferences".

 

Having said all of the above, we would be naive not to acknowledge that racism exists in the gay culture.  And I think it's sad and dumb.  It's sad when we see it and experience it in the gay community because gay men have faced plenty of oppression in the past. Just think of the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village; or think about gay men being stigmatized in the 80's and 90's as the ones spreading AIDS all over the world.  And many, many gay men have fought hard and have died to pave the way for us to live our lives freely today. So the fact that we would turn on each other over race is completely pathetic.

[evilqueerpig]

Is racism inherent in the gay community?  Absolutely, but there are also prejudices of all kinds.  I shed my prejudices when I came out as queer and it's the best decision I ever made.  There's a whole wide world of wonderful men and if you're limiting yourself to certain types, you're missing out of some great experiences.  Only one thing turns me off and that's bad attitude.

[RideMyBlkDik]

Democrats and Republicans must face the black lives matter movement in this upcoming presidential election. It's a movement that has far reaching political implications in today's American society.

The death of Nancy Reagan has reminded us of the legacy of the Reagan administration. Ronald and Nancy Reagan were completely indifferent to HIV and AIDS when it reared its head back in 1981. At that time the crisis was manageable enough but the Reagan administration turned its back on gay men, IV-drug users, and Haitians. Those were the populations vilified in the media. Historians directly attribute the decimation of the gay community in the 80's as a direct result of the marginalization by the Reagan administration. Gay men had no rights. Even gay sex was illegal back then. It wasn't until 2004 that Sodomy laws were overturned in the United States. In short, politics matter. Nevertheless weak powerless activists were able change the national dialog on HIV and AIDS.

So today we need to have a national discussion about racism. The discussion begins with each of us. In your world and in my world. The politics of racism goes far beyond the achievement of a black man in the White House. In part we should recognize that GBM and GWM can have mutual respect for each other inside and outside the bedroom. It's not all about the color of my skin or the size of my cock. Let's get to know each other as human beings.

Edited March 8, 2016 by RideMyBlkDik

[evilqueerpig]

Well said, RideMyBlkDik, but the discussion must be global since racism isn't just a national issue.  There are those whose minds can never be changed, but if we don't make the effort, nothing will happen.  Perhaps generations will need to die before we see everyone as only members of the human race.

[RideMyBlkDik]

There are those whose minds can never be changed, but if we don't make the effort, nothing will happen

You are so right. Racism, sexism and other forms of prejudice are still alive in the gay community. Let's not gloss over or ignore failings among gay men. Bigots may be on the losing side in appealing to our hearts and minds.

It's not hard to believe that racism and homophobia will always be around us and will never go away no matter how much we fight it. But we must tackle the problem head on. Never accept prejudice.

As in many other areas of life, when it comes to interracial barebacking, it's good to be mindful that racism can be intentional or unintentional. Words can hurt, whether you mean them to or not.

[evilqueerpig]

Maybe it's my Brooklyn roots, but I've always had a big mouth and when I see racism, homophobia or any kind of bigotry, I call the person out and if I'm not successful in educating the guilty party, they know I find their behavior offensive and reprehensible.  I describe myself as QUEER as my way of reclaiming the term and making it no longer a slur.  There are those in the black community who have reclaimed the "n" word and while they have every right to do so, I refuse to use it myself.

 

If you can change the mindset of even one person, it might not be great progress, but it's progress nonetheless.

[misterpiggy]

I believe there is definitely a link between racism and homophobia. Racists and homophobes are blind to their real issues.

You can use statistics to say all black men are like this; or all gay men are like that.

You can never satisfy someone who objects to what is fundamentally a part of you.

No matter how many glass ceilings you shatter you will never truly be "one of the boys."

[RideMyBlkDik]

Is racism inherent in the gay community?  Absolutely...

Thank you for highlighting the fact that racism is inherent in the gay community.  Why would the gay community turn on each other other the issue of race?  Haven't we learned any lessons from the oppression we faced in the past?  Prejudices of all kinds are rampant among gay men, it's not just about skin color.  We should never accept prejudice.