'What does it take to be a man? What is a real man?': ideologies of masculinity and HIV sexual risk among Black heterosexual men

Research documents the link between traditional ideologies of masculinity and sexual risk among multi-ethnic male adolescents and White male college students, but similar research with Black heterosexual men is scarce. This exploratory study addressed this gap through six focus groups with 41 Black,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Culture, health & sexuality health & sexuality, 2011-05, Vol.13 (5), p.545-559
Main Authors: Bowleg, Lisa, Teti, Michelle, Massie, Jenné S., Patel, Aditi, Malebranche, David J., Tschann, Jeanne M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Adult
African American culture
African Americans
AIDS
Bisexuality
Black communities
Black heterosexual men
Black or African American
Black people
Blacks
condom use: USA
Condoms
Condoms - statistics & numerical data
Disease prevention
Disease risks
Focus Groups
Gender
Gender roles
Heterosexuality
HIV
HIV Infections - epidemiology
HIV Infections - psychology
HIV Infections - transmission
HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Ideologies
Ideology
Interview, Psychological
Male
Males
Masculinity
Men
Middle Aged
Risk
Sexual Behavior
Social Identification
Sociology
U.S.A
United States - epidemiology
Young Adult
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Summary:Research documents the link between traditional ideologies of masculinity and sexual risk among multi-ethnic male adolescents and White male college students, but similar research with Black heterosexual men is scarce. This exploratory study addressed this gap through six focus groups with 41 Black, low- to middle-income heterosexual men aged 19 to 51 years in Philadelphia, PA. Analyses highlighted two explicit ideologies of masculinity: that Black men should have sex with multiple women, often concurrently, and that Black men should not be gay or bisexual. Analyses also identified two implicit masculinity ideologies: the perception that Black heterosexual men cannot decline sex, even risky sex, and that women should be responsible for condom use. The study's implications for HIV prevention with Black heterosexual men are discussed.
ISSN:1369-1058
1464-5351
DOI:10.1080/13691058.2011.556201