Sexuality is not BLACK-AND-WHITE …nor is HIV/AIDS risk

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Greater support for bisexual men in general is vital to decreasing the secrecy involved in many bisexual men’s sexual encounters, as well as its potential health risks.

“Bisexual men have long been the object of scorn from both heterosexual and homosexual individuals and communities,” said Brian Dodge, associate director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University Bloomington. “Until we begin to accept that individuals are not ‘black-and-white’ in terms of their sexual orientations and behaviors, the myths and stereotypes surrounding male bisexuality will continue to flourish.”

Dodge and his research colleagues recommend that HIV prevention efforts should begin to broadly educate both women and men on HIV acquisition from male partners, any of whom could be bisexually active, rather than placing the burden of protection upon bisexual men alone. Dodge also says that evidence of bisexual men’s female and gay male partners expressing intolerance toward bisexuality clearly warrants broader social and structural interventions with women and gay men, with the aim of increasing awareness and acceptance of bisexuality, if disclosure is to become an expectation among bisexual men.

“Prevention is still the best medicine we have for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections,” Dodge said. “But as long as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health entities continue to polarize HIV transmission in the mutually exclusive categories of ‘men who have sex with men’ (MSM) and ‘heterosexual,’ without specifically looking at the intersection of these groups, we will continue to live in the dark in terms of understanding the sexual behaviors and potential risks of bisexual men.”

* Background: Most male-focused HIV/AIDS research and interventions have concentrated on “gay men” or “MSM.” Limited studies on bisexual men have highlighted unique HIV risk factors and prevention needs. Findings have shown that the specific factors involved in the sexual risk behaviors of bisexual men have been inadequately addressed in previous MSM-targeted interventions, most notably prevention skills with female partners. Recent research suggests that black bisexual men, in particular, are at relatively high risk for HIV transmission when compared to other risk groups. In the mass media, these so-called “men on the Down Low” have been the subject of intense public scrutiny and stigmatization. However, little to no scientific information is available with which to temper popular images and stereotypes of these men.

During the past five years, Dodge and colleagues at Columbia University and the University of Florida have conducted research in New York City focusing specifically on black and Latino bisexual men.

“Contrary to popular depictions, these men do not appear to live in a vacuum in terms of knowledge and awareness of the potential risks associated with their sexual behaviors. Rather, they exist within a society which is, on the whole, extremely ignorant and intolerant of their bisexual attractions, desires, and behaviors—so secrecy and risk should really come as no surprise,” Dodge said.

In their studies the research team found numerous unique risk and protective factors for bisexual men in comparison to other men. Here are some of the findings:

* Condom use and sexual partner’s gender. Among black bisexual men, nearly three-fifths of the research sample reported that they would use a condom during vaginal intercourse even if female partners were on the pill or other form of birth control, and most consistently used condoms with female partners—primarily for pregnancy prevention purposes. However, nearly half of the participants also reported instances of not using condoms specifically with female partners, because they perceived those partners to be ‘safer’ in terms of HIV risk. This phenomenon is specific to bisexual men but has not yet been incorporated into HIV research and interventions.
* Disclosure—“coming up from the Down Low.” The vast majority of these men reported it was easier to discuss their bisexuality with male sexual partners compared to female sexual partners. Additionally, disclosure of bisexuality was reportedly easier if the male partner also engaged in bisexual behavior and/or identified as bisexual. When asked why, most participants reported that male bisexuality was “bothersome” to women and gay men, and that disclosure could result in a variety of serious physical, emotional and social consequences (including violence, public humiliation and even death).
* In contrast to media stereotypes. Most of these men did not wish to keep their wives and girlfriends completely ignorant of their bisexual behaviors. The majority of the men expressed that they would like to disclose to partners in serious and more long-term partnerships but, due to environmental constraints, simply could not. “Many of our participants lived in areas in which they could be seriously harmed if their bisexuality was publicly known,” Dodge said. “In reality, these men have very logical reasons for why they do not typically disclose their bisexuality.”

The Center for Sexual Health Promotion is part of the Department of Applied Health Science in IUB’s School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2007, the center is sponsoring an address by internationally known sexual health researcher David Malebranche, M.D., of the Emory University School of Medicine and the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, on Thursday, Nov. 29. The address, “Black Bisexual Men and HIV: Time to Think Deeper,” will be held at 7 p.m. in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Dogwood Room.

Source: Indiana University

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