Very good point, Truthiz1. Thanks for sharing your side of this deeply important issue.

– DJ

Not nearly enough psychosocial or other research has been conducted in the gay Black female (GBF) community. The most recent works I could find are few and far between. See example below.

As a gay Black female (never liked the term “lesbian” ) I know for a fact, that we DO exist. But in many ways we are SO invisible, which IMO, has led to problems on top of problems for many if not most GBFs.

I can’t even imagine what life is like for many GBFs who are diagnosed as HIV Positive. GBFs, in particular, are very often hard-pressed to find the kind of support groups and other services that are available to gay males (Black and White) and gay white females. It breaks my heart, really.

“Invisible Families: Gay Identities, Relationships, and Motherhood among Black Women”
by Mignon R. Moore, 2011

I have a male cousin who is gay. We grew up together. He was diagnosed in 1999 but he kept it a secret from me for nearly 2 yrs fearing how I would react. Thanks to the medicine he looks like the picture of health. He says he feels fine. But he’s also shared with me that he still finds it (the stigma) quite challenging at times especially when exploring the possibility of a new relationship.

Black-Americans certainly know, We have more “taboo” health-related issues in Our community than any community should ever have; each “issue” carrying a “stigma” associated with it – be it HIV, Mental illness, Sickle Cell Disease, Cancer…just to name a few. But I digress.

When it comes to HIV (or any other serious health-related illness), Education and Communication are vital to increasing one’s knowledge and understanding of said illness. As a society I think some progress has been achieved in how We generally view those who are HIV Positive. But we still have a long way to go.

Notwithstanding medicinal advances, unless they soon find a universal cure for HIV, I expect the stigma associated with being HIV Positive will remain with us quite awhile longer.