Crisis: 42% Of Black Men In Milwaukee Who Sleep With Men Are HIV-positive
According to the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that 42% of black men who have sex with men in Milwaukee are HIV-positive.
This info came from the CDC’s HIV Surveillance Report, 2008 Vol. 20, released on Tuesday. This report presents data for cases of HIV infection and AIDS reported to CDC through June 2009. The scenario concerning African American men and HIV/AIDS is just not a pretty picture. Read the following statistics from HIV Overview In The US report also released yesterday:
- Blacks/African Americans are the racial/ethnic group most affected by HIV. Blacks/African Americans represent approximately 12% of the US population, but account for almost half of all new HIV infections.
- At some point in their life, 1 in 16 black/African American men will receive a diagnosis of HIV, as will one in 30 black women.
- The rate of new HIV infection for black/African American men is six times as high as that of white men, nearly three times that of Hispanic/Latino men, and more than twice that of black/African American women.
- The rate of new HIV infection for black/African American women is nearly 15 times as high as that of white women, and nearly four times that of Hispanic women.
- From 2005-2008, estimated HIV diagnoses increased approximately 12% in blacks/African Americans. This may be due to increased testing or diagnosis earlier in the course of HIV infection; it may also be due to uncertainty inherent in statistical estimates.
- From 2005-2008, the rate of HIV diagnoses among blacks/African Americans increased from 68/100,000 persons to 74/100,000.
While cities like Milwaukee are currently stepping up prevention programs and outreach to African Americans it makes you wonder what’s happening with these brothas? Why is this happening? What is it that has created this deadly disconnect in our community with HIV and self-preservation? And the thing is, there’s really no answer to these questions that aren’t connected to another aspect of the black gay male’s psyche. Meaning things like self-esteem, self-worth, value of one’s being. These things have to be tied into the infection HIV rate of the black gay community. This is not about promiscuity as it is about some kind of imbalance of the heart, soul and mind.
It’s almost instead of asking the question why is the HIV infection rate so high among our brothas maybe we should be asking why do so many of our brothas feel so bad about themselves?
Maybe if our young brothas could tell their story like the amazing Xem VanAdams featured here in the following YouTube videos, if they were able to express their feelings, their fears and their need to be loved—-we bet if a good number of them had the opportunity to do that the HIV infection rate among our young black men would drop considerably.
Check out more of Xen VanAdams videos at his YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/XemVanAdams
The Body: HIV in the United States: An Overview
Tags: African American community, African American LGBT
Community | Derrick Mathis June 16, 2010
12 Comments to “Crisis: 42% Of Black Men In Milwaukee Who Sleep With Men Are HIV-positive”
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By Cleo Manago, June 16, 2010 @ 4:18 pm
Year after year, for over 25 years now, the same basic report; that Black males who have sex with males are severely impacted by HIV and AIDS. Report after report saying the same thing, never with any analysis or explanation of why, as if Black men are just organically and perpetually screwed up, and that’s just the way it is! When the truth of the matter is that the Black HIV AIDS field – for over 25 years now- is chiefly ran by a peculiar mixture of gay identified Black men, who clearly are not effective at Black male HIV prevention.
By Cleo Manago, June 16, 2010 @ 4:19 pm
This group is made up of highly ambitious, untrained (in public health or prevention), usually HIV positive, gay identified Black men, who only interact with Black men to exploit the AIDS issue, as their personal lives are exclusively laden with White male lovers and community. Or they are untrained (in public health or prevention), usually HIV positive or in recovery, gay identified Black men, who jumped on the lucrative HIV issue to fund their desire to compensate for low-self-esteem – by being the Executive Director of another ineffective (especially regarding prevention) Black AIDS organization. This needs to stop!
By Cleo Manago, June 16, 2010 @ 4:20 pm
This field needs to be professionalized and acculturated with Black men (and others) whose personal vision; lives and community consist primarily of Black people, and who are sufficiently trained. Not these hyper-gay identified Black men whose interaction with other Black men who have sex with men is the equivalent of a detached cultural safari. The so-called in the Black HIV/AIDS leaders from this tradition finally need to be forced into gaining some skills and training – regarding Black cultural competence and relevant preventive health approaches – or get out of this field. Despite that if it was not for HIV/AIDS few would pay much attention to them. This is serious! Black men’s lives matter, and HIV/AIDS is 100% preventable.
By cleo manago, June 16, 2010 @ 4:22 pm
Regarding the “Young Gay In America” video:
The deluded young Brother featured says something along the lines of, ‘Black men go to the gay community for comfort.’ That sentiment is gay-mythological PC, on camera shtick. There is little that is comforting or powerful about the Black “gay” life style. If it is so comforting why doesn’t it prevent HIV/AIDS? (It did so for White gays, because “gay” affirms them). This whole gay paradigm has become a self-inflicted wound that Black males need to refrain from before we are all compromised. The guy in “Young Gay In America” video speaks about his father saying, “I can’t stand the sound of another faggot’s voice.” This empathy inducing line perpetuates a classic gay implication that so-called homophobia prompted by heterosexuals is particularly painful and disappointing.
By Cleo Manago , June 16, 2010 @ 4:24 pm
Or particularly frequent. It’s time that Black SGL men snap out of this deluded, divisive [White] gay paradigmatic training. It keeps our community from being internally self-reflective and effective toward conflict resolution. A lot of homosexual men can’t stand the sound of a “faggot’s” voice also. Not because anti-homosexual and/or anti-feminine male attitudes are the exclusive real estate of Black heterosexual folks, but because these attitudes are of the larger culture and society. The largest and most powerful ant-homosexual force in the country is the White male (and sometimes Whit homosexual male) run Christian right wing. Another influence on tendencies to attack “faggot” voices among Black homosexual and heterosexual people is mass levels of insecurity (based on a real history of institutional abuse) among Black males – homosexual and heterosexual.
By Cleo Manago, June 16, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
Ever heard of a homo-thug? Ever encountered "gay" porn featuring Black men? It's all themed as "thug" sex. More hypermasculine drag, derived from the same sources who hate "fagoot" voices. This "hatred" goes beyond, way beyond heterosexuals. This video – along with perpetuating myths and underdeveloped takes on same-gender-loving (SGL) Black males, is also a promotion of the ballroom scene as if this often dysfunctional, Black-self-hate driven sub-culture is some kind of social OASIS. It is made up of Black male “mother” led social networks of young people who reward each other for how well one of them can mimic rich men and women of European descent. This done through “houses” with Eurocentric names reminiscent of high-end brands of clothing, i.e. the House of Gucci. These houses aren’t preventing HIV either. Someone needs to make a video that is more dimensional, thoughtful, and less gay paradigmatic, and more affirming of diverse Black SGL and bisexual males. The “Young Gay In America” video certainly didn’t represent me at a young age, nor most young people I know!
By derrick9, June 16, 2010 @ 2:34 pm
Cleo, thank you for your feedback and thoughts on this matter. In watching these videos I have to wonder if you're reading more into it than is presented. I will however say in defense of Xen VanAdams that he is who he is. I didn't post those videos for anyone to assault the young man and the way he identifies but to showcase just one young African American gay man's perspective.
Whether it is representational of the masses is not the point. He's telling "his" story. And I most definitely feel whatever one identifies they should be encouraged to tell their story. I also disagree on your take on Xem saying that young gay men go to the gay community for comfort. I don't think he was saying that as an affirmation. I think he was saying that as many of these young people have nowhere to turn to get the support they need.
And last but not least—Cleo are you serious? The kid talks about how his dad says he doesn't like the sound of a faggot's voice—so what about that is problematic for Xem to have brought up? Once again, it's his story—-not yours or anyone else's.
What concerns me about your perspective is the level on which you reject, dismiss, invalidate and pretty much disrespect someone else's truth. There's no possibility in communication for that—certainly no place where discourse can take place.
By Cleo Manago , June 16, 2010 @ 4:31 pm
Affirmation, skilled leadership from, living with and in love with Black men and community, and the encouragement of critical thinking are what is needed to fight HIV, internalized oppression (self-hate), ignorance and the additional barrage of challenges facing this community.
By RimmJock, June 16, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
Is this…accurate or distorted as Gay male. Ethic is inappropriate' they always say. Non majority
as well France no most. Postive are males whom prefer anal sex. Without condom see the Gay
attitude is. Yes from experience [My Partner] different this what. They say while crusing I'll use
protection? Or do most men another factor, not incline. To caution activity as while drinking or
eating. Your feces level increase most do no this. Before anal sex wipe your anus. This what
saves me, regarding the list information. I doubt this number is accurate if prostitution. Yes,
but how many Gay men in the area. Why statistic regarding White males you say in general.
I do not believe this as always HIV/AIDS is African no. Own up to it majority positive us Gays!
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