In or out? The paradoxical position of socially responsible black gay men in the black community

This study explores and analyzes the lived experiences of successful, black gay men and how those experiences influence their choices about social responsibility toward other black people. The men's discussion of sexuality, gender and community reveals the rigid constructs of gender and sexuality as well as the internal mechanisms that are in place for those who differ from the expected "norm." This research gives "voice" and action to those who have been, in a sense, silenced because of their sexual orientation. In doing so, this research provides insight into the dynamics of intra-group variance and the social construction of gender. This research was framed by two theoretical concepts: declaration of sexuality and secondary marginalization. Similarly, a theoretical emphasis on sexuality can generate textured and significant data on intra-group difference. Exploring homosexuality among black men allows for a deeper investigation of the assumed connection between sexuality and gender. Through the voices and experiences of the men in this study I will examine their ideas about their sexuality and gender as separate and distinct. I would also like to explore how and why certain ideas of manhood are perpetuated and revered. Data were collected by fifteen in-depth interviews and participant observation from successful, black gay men ranging in age from 30 to over 70 years old. Their professions were just as diverse. The various data collection techniques I used provided a system of checks and balances and at the same time, served as a comprehensive account. The archival data provided background specific to the black gay experience in Washington, D.C. Participant observation made it possible to see what people did compared to what they said they did in the in-depth interviews. Videotaping made the men and the issues more real by putting a "face" on the often discussed topic of homosexuality. Videotaping also exposed as well as educated black gays and non-gays to everyday knowledge and experiences of black gay men. The combination of these methods remains distinctly anthropological because they complement and strengthen ethnographic fieldwork. Equally important is the fact that through these various techniques the "voices" of socially responsible, black gay men will be articulated and analyzed as a basis for understanding their place within the larger black community.