Homophobia is killing Negroes

I read a disturbing article today at work.

It stated that though we make up only 13% of the population, African Americans make up 49% of new HIV/AIDS cases in the United States. It also reported that about half of black men with HIV contracted the disease through homosexual contact. Meanwhile, 3/4 of black women with HIV contracted it through heterosexual contact. Now, I'm no statistics major (ok, fine I am), but those numbers just don't seem to add up. The only thing I can come up with is that despite America's best efforts to reduce the high HIV and STD rates in the black community to minorities engaging in more high-risk sexual behavior and intraveneous drug use (which actually is emperically INCORRECT), the reality is, infact, that homophobia is killing black people.

Still not convinced? Let's just think about this a bit. Homosexuality is without a doubt, a lot less accepted in minority communities than in mainstream (white) culture. Sure, there's that one guy who does hair or dresses in drag and calls himself "Miss Jay" that we generally acknowledge is a fruitcake. But when it comes to the average, deep voice, no-swishin', no-lisping, masculine prototypical black man, we just don't want to admit to ourselves that there's a possibility (about 1 in 12 chance to be exact) that he might actually like to take it up the rear. Whether it be our deep ties to Christianity (I'm still looking for that commandment, thou shall not be queer), our general reluctance toward the discussion of sexuality and sexual behavior, or simply our sinful pride, we as a people make it extremely hard for homosexual men to be openly gay in the black community.

So what do gay black men do? They have girlfriends, get married, have children, live a normal life in the public eye, all while satisfying their general inclination toward the male sex in private (You know I wanted to be more explicit but it's 2008). Meanwhile, they're spreading a disease that originated in the gay community (no offense queers, but it's true) to now be a black epidemic.

And it's all our fault.

Ok, fine. Black men also need to take responsibility for their careless behavior and get tested, be aware of their status, and be honest about their sexuality. But we as a community also need to make some changes. We need to stop being so closed-minded about homosexuality and start being more open about sex in general. Because not talking about it doesn't make it go away. Infact, it just means we're not doing anything about it and allowing diseases like HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and genital herpes (all of which blacks have the highest rates) to infest our community.

And frankly, why do we even care? What people do in the privacy of their homes is their damn business. I have a lot to fix about myself in order to get into heaven; I don't have time to be worried about anyone else.

This is an easy fix to a cataclysmic problem.

And furthermore, everyone needs to get tested; not just homos. Fear of testing positive is a pathetic excuse for not protecting yourself and everyone else. PERIOD.

By the way, if any of my exes (none in particular) is reading this and feels inspired to come out of the closet, I will support you and love you regardless. :) :)