Parenting and Caregiving among Black Men who have Sex with Men

• In Event: 2266 - Family Section Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 16. LGBTQ Families and Polyamory

Abstract

As a growing body of research has explored the impact of sexual minority men’s parenting and caregiving experiences, little attention has been specifically given to sexual minority men of color. Moreover, the literature has largely overlooked how parenting may impact these men’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes. Using survey data from a study of 199 black men who have sex with men (MSM), this study examines the prevalence of parenting and child-caregiving among participants, as well as associations with SRH factors. Nearly half of the sample reported being a father or father-figure (44.4%), almost a third indicated serving as caregiver to a child (29.1%), and one in five have a biological child (20.1%). Over half of the sample reported at least one of the three parenting/caregiving roles (52.5%). Two significant differences were observed for sexual risk variables: men with biological children were significantly more likely to report using condoms inconsistently (55.0% vs. 35.7%, p=.026) and engaging in transactional sex work (36.8% vs. 21.0%, p=.041). This research confirms the importance of expanding the lens used to investigate the experiences of sexual minority fathers beyond that of white, gay, middle-class couples to men of color and bisexual men. This study also highlights the complex nature of parenting as a category of inquiry, particularly among sexual and racial minority populations. To fully understand the role of parenting and caregiving, it is necessary to use a multidimensional approach that considers biological and non-biological relationships, parental role, caregiving responsibilities, and legal guardian status.

Authors

• Alicia J. VandeVusse, Guttmacher Institute

• Kris Rosentel, University of Chicago

• Lawrence Coldon, University of Chicago

• Brandon J. Hill, Planned Parenthood Great Plains