Quote:
Originally posted by SummerChild
Deltabrat, what I don't understand about the statistics is - are these down low men more likely to have *unprotected* sex than men who are heterosexual? If not, then I don't see how having sex with a man and then having sex with your wife/girlfriend would cause the disease to be xsmitted at rates higher than heterosexual cheating men.
Are we saying that they have diff protection habits from any other man who may cheat on his wife/girlfriend???
SC
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Yes. That is what we are saying. Studies do show that a large number of MSM have unprotected sex with their male friends and then have unprotected sex with their female significant others. I agree, it's all a matter of changing behaviors. If everyone had protected sex, there'd be nothing to worry about.
Not to keep mentioning studies but...I went to an AIDS conference Friday and a Latino brothah had done three in depth case studies of Latino men crossing the border and the way that when one particular man came to Los ANgeles and became part of the "scene" was the first time he identified with being "gay/bi." Under some "code" most of the time he engaged, he had unprotected sex. When he went home to Mexico, he had protected sex (albeit with a man) because it was some type of "cultural code" in which haveing protected sex is necer really questioned. Not the ENTIRE culture but certain cultures there.
It spoke volumes with regard to the social, and cultural contexts within which people engage in risky sexual behavior.
w/ down low brothahs, it's similar. Also, what a lot of men say here, as well as men I interviewed in South Africa (remember I was there this past summer) is that there is some stigma attached if you been rollin' bareback for years and suddenly you strap up. Sistah might be like "uhm...WTF?" So I want to say that EVERYONE is not trying to NOT protect necessarily (excuse the double negative). There are those who fear accusation if they decide to protect. Let's not even mention if two folks are trying to have kids and the ways condoms act as a direct barrier to women's ideological roles as mothers and the emphasis placed on fertility in some cultures.
Okay...I'm done.