"You Ain't A Pimp, You A Fairy": Black Gay Homophobia and Its Connections to Victimization

• In Event: Lightning Talk: The Criminalization, Marginalization, and Experiences of Racial/Ethnic Groups in the Criminal Justice System

Abstract

Gay homophobia (regarding Gay males) in the Black community has been a consistent theme fueled both by religious and racist rhetoric. Often, Black persons who subscribe to these ideals believe that Gay Black males are destructive to the Black community as a whole. This reinforces constructs of toxic masculinity that coupled with societal norms may lead to social isolation and possibly acts of violence. Using qualitative interviews from Black Gay males living in Connecticut, this study seeks to use these personal experiences to analyze the connection between homophobia and victimization in the form of physical violence, discrimination, and harassment. This research will also delve into the negative health outcomes that these individuals may endure as a result of said victimization.

Author

• Sydney Nelloms, Southern Connecticut State University