Are African American Men More Secure In Their Sexuality?

I guess I can tell you all, I am a white male. But I have spent a lot of time around African Americans.

I grew up in an African American neighborhood. My grade school was about half AA, when I graduated.

And one thing I seemed to notice, African Americans, African American men in particular, seem to be more secure in their sexuality, than white men.

I'll share with you all a few of my observations. I know among black boys, calling them gay wasn't the worst put down you could use. Or in any event, it didn't seem to make them too angry. The following year, when I went to an all-white high school, it was actually a prelude to a serious fight, I soon found out.

Also, take this whatever way you wish, African American men often wear hairstyles and other things that white men would consider, well, effeminate. Braids, corn rolls, beads in their hair. Also, I think it is an established fact, that black men often form closer friendships with other males, than white men do. Among white men, it is often called a bromance, or other words that I can't repeat, that imply homosexuality. Because there is this code, among white men, that men are not supposed to become that close, even when it is clearly non-sexual. I surely am not the first person to notice all these things.

Kudos to them if they do, of course, black men, I mean. I just don't know where African American men stand on gay rights in general. I am sure they are open-minded and reasonably compassionate, like the rest of us. I know they are less likely to support marriage equality--statistically, at least. I don't know where they stand on anti-discrimination laws in general, though, because the media rarely reports on it. That actually is a good question though: Where do black men, in the USA at least, stand on gay rights in general? I would be interested to know.

And as to my main point, has anyone else have any thoughts on what I just submitted? It is interesting, I know.

:afro:

 

How you handle your sexuality is far more of a cultural issue than anything else.

Majorities or leading cultural majorities tend to impose very strict cultural rules on almost every aspect of the conduct of their group members. The minorities that are NOT trying to emulate the leading majority usually tend to differentiate themselves as much as they can by, among other things, adopting their own, somewhat unique cultural traits.

The actual concept of culturally leading majority presupposes that its members see themselves as very relevant and self-important in many ways. This is usually not the case with non-emulating minorities.

So, you call a white HS kid 'gay' in your town and this can be a prelude to a possibly serious fight. A black kid of the same age in the same time, shrugs off with his shoulders, makes a remark or two and moves on. What you think of him does not really matter that much in his world, and even how he sees himself is hardly a matter of overwhelming importance at all.

If you think about the issue you have brought up here you'll probably conclude that at the very core of it is the self-(mis)perceived relevance/importance of some people in some communities vs. a bit of a more grounded view that may be predominant in other communities and groups.

If you read these or any other boards for that matter, you'll come across a countless number of debates on the subject of "Am I gay?" "How am I going to come out?" "How are the people going to react if and when they find out?" A lot of frustration would have been saved if people chose to have a bit of a more realistic view of their own self-importance. So, John out there is gay (or not)? How important is this really?

KD