[Health News] CDC: Half of Black Gay Men Will Be Diagnosed With HIV

Well, there is a biological component. If you are a descendant of a bubonic plague survivor then you have a chance at a natural immunity or resistance to HIV. That would disproportionately help "white" people. I'm sure that can't explain it 100%, but it's probably some of it. Some people just have a higher rate of infection.

 

I wouldn't say "no one" is talking about it. Maybe not in the mainstream media, but the conversation is there. This has been part of a long on-going conversation about homophobia amongst African Americans and black men choosing to live out "on the down low" as part of a sub-culture that seeks to stay hidden, so to speak.

Anyway, I'll at the least be spending time this Saturday at an event in which these issues will be discussed and dramatized. FWIW.

As for why the spike: I have been puzzled by it. I think it is part homophobia and part that HIV isn't as scary as it once was. In the SF area, HIV infection rates are increasing amongst gay men of all ethnic groups.

Here are some useful sources:

http://sfaf.org/hiv-info/statistics/
http://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=69399

 

This is an incomplete theory.

Scientists know that there is a small percentage of Europeans that have a genetic mutation that makes them resistant to HIV, but there is no scientific consensus on the source of that mutation as the way Bubonic Plague attacks the body is inconsistent with this particular mutation making an individual resistant to a viral infection. (BP is not a viral infection)

There isn't even scientific consensus anymore that Bubonic Plague is what ravaged Europe.

That stuff is fascinating to me.

 

I am big in the black gay scene, but I have no special insights here.

On a related note, does anyone watch Bill Maher? He had a doctor on his pre panel interview a few weeks ago which apparently worked with Charlie Sheen. He was so confident in his treatments, he injected Sheen's blood into his own system. He was blasting Dr. Oz and conventional medicines as worthless.

Among other things, he says people are trying to kill him.

Wonder how legit it was.

 

We also had Magic Johnson ruin our college years...

 

How is homophobia responsible? And who is homophobic, black people?

 

Homophobia amongst African Americans. Being gay is still a big deal in some sub-cultures.

I am not saying I fully understand it. And I am probably wrong. I know research has established the Down Low Myth is false. But I suspect that the continuation of a subculture that rejects open homosexuality may contribute to the lack of open conversation and education about safe sex and HIV. These pose particular challenges to community efforts to deal with HIV/AIDS.

If it comes that homophobic culture amongst African Americans isn't a factor. Then I will simply change what I think. I win nothing thinking the wrong thing.

Please note I am suggesting this is a factor. Not the reason/responsible entity.

 

And I still don't understand how it can possibly be a factor. Being homophobic and know how a disease that people of any sexuality can contract seem completely independent.

Lack of education among black people? I have no idea but that at least has some basis in a logical chain of events.

Homophobia > lack of education > ??????? > aids doesn't to me and none of your links provided that chain that I could see.

I'm far from an expert on gay sex or AIDS (hopefully Northside will weigh in) but the prevention tactics seem universal.

 

I've always thought the gays are in danger of dying out. obviously, they cant reproduce and instill extra strong gay morals in their kids. I run in some pretty exclusive social circles and have a lot of gay acquaintances... most don't have maternal qualities or like kids -they just like being ****ed in the ass and spritzers.

It's a me-me culture that will likely cause its own demise, much like the roman empire.

Many black men with girlfriends have approached me and asked if I care to have a tryst. Of course, I've had to politely decline but there is a real problem with closet homo encounters spreading disease. Just another facet of black culture people choose to ignore because they can't blame non blacks.

 

The chain supposedly goes like this:

Outreach for HIV prevention is often public -> The target audience is in a homophobic subculture -> People in the target audience don't come forward to the outreach event/testing out of fear of being stigmatized/recognized -> The outreach/education effort fails -> People in the target audience continue unsafe practices without being tested.

The CDC link describes the chain. I'll quote the relevant part:

"The poverty rate is higher among African Americans than other racial/ethnic groups. The socioeconomic issues associated with poverty—including limited access to high-quality health care, housing, and HIV prevention education—directly and indirectly increase the risk for HIV infection and affect the health of people living with and at risk for HIV. These factors may explain why African Americans have worse outcomes on the HIV continuum of care, including lower rates of linkage to care, retention in care, being prescribed HIV treatment (ART), and viral suppression. Stigma, fear, discrimination, homophobia, and negative perceptions about HIV testing may also place many African Americans at higher risk and discourage testing."

Outside of this, I only have anecdotal evidence I would like to see validated or dismissed via research.

The other links I provided state that homophobia/living on the down low is NOT a factor and that my suspicion is incorrect.

 

I'd say higher testosterone than other races and a lack of impulse control for 6 million Alex.

 

This deserves a new thread.

 

That would have to be correct to even consider it.

I know you get your information about black people from Stormfront though, so asking you to prove it is useless...although humorous to see you flail around in a thread and prove your idiocy.

 

What's your reasoning? Something r****ded like socio-economics?

 

A bevy of factors, many of them mentioned in the article. Yes, socioeconomic factors and just a lack of information...preventing HIV isn't rocket science after all...wait I know...Maybe it is the Jew right?

By the way, Asians are least afflicted by HIV so looks like they beat out your superior Aryan race once again.

 

That probably falls right in with his testosterone theory.

If you have any info on the homophobic levels of asians I would appreciate it.

 

Bold text kek. So you admit it's not hard to prevent HIV, but that it is with blacks......

 

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/pdf/api.pdf

That one is old and has probably changed, the change wouldn't make the point much different.

His testosterone theory is something he pulled out of his behind because he thinks it means black men are sexual predators (his lack of impulse comment). What does testosterone have to do with the susceptibility of either being gay (which increases your chance of getting HIV) or actually contracting the disease? It makes no sense, and testosterone is not something that is set in stone, it can be increased or decreased.

Not only that, where is the credible study that ranks "Races" by their testosterone?