Whats in a label?: Multiple meanings of ‘MSM’ among same-gender-loving Black men in Mississippi

摘要

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and other same-gender-loving men continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS, particularly among the Black population. Innovative strategies are needed to support the health of this community; however, public health efforts primarily approach MSM as a monolithic population erasing the diverse identities, practices, and sexualities within and beyond this category. To better understand diversity within MSM in a geographic region with the largest proportion of Black Americans in the U.S. and among the most heavily affected by the epidemic, the Deep South, we conducted four focus groups (n=29) with Black men who reported having sex with other men residing in Jackson, Mississippi. Results suggest multiple overlapping usages of MSM as identity and behavior, reflecting internalization of behavioral categories and co-creation of identities unique to the Black community. These narratives contribute to the literature by documenting the evolving understandings of the category ‘MSM’ among Black men to reflect intersections between race, socioeconomic status, sexual behavior, sexuality, subjectivities, and social context. Findings suggest the current monolithic approach to treating MSM may limit public health efforts in developing effective HIV prevention and promotion programs targeting same-gender-loving Black men in the Deep South.