Why AIDS Is Rising Among Black Women

Jet, July 23, 2001 by Scotty R. Ballard

Harris, who is openly gay and who doesn't consider himself part of the "down low" environment, says that the stigma and the taboo toward homosexuality have fostered a "thriving community" of secretly gay Black men.

"Many people do it because they don't feel comfortable with the reaction they may get from their family and friends. It's still something that is not widely accepted within the African-American community," he notes.

"Women act in a negative way to someone gay or bisexual. Straight men do it too. If the church does it, then it's no way you're going to get these men to be honest, because being gay is not an option in many of our Black communities.

"So we all take responsibility by being closed-minded about the type of community we live in. [People] have a hard time believing that a masculine, macho man would be interested in another man, that is just not part of their thought capacity," Harris explains.

Antonio Le Mons, deputy director of Health Education for the California AIDS Clearinghouse, agrees the Black community has to be honest about whom in the African-American community is infected, how they are becoming infected, and why the community has less sympathy for gay Black men infected with AIDS.

"Clearly there is no one concept or set of ideas that will halt the spread of HIV," says Le Mons, who is author of the down low-themed book How To Ruin The Perfect Child, and a lecturer and personal relationship coach specializing in alternative relationships.

"The solutions are, however, attainable, but they will have to be the result of honest discussions within our community and all aspects working together, accepting that we cannot effectively deal with this pandemic without addressing homosexuality squarely, honestly, and with a significant amount of compassion and sincere openness and commitment to understanding," he adds.

"One thing is for certain--if we don't get really honest about this issue expeditiously, we might as well convert building fund plates passed in churches each Sunday into burial funds."