Ja’Nina J. Walker

The Role of Religiosity, Social Support, and Stress-related Growth in Protecting Against HIV Risk among Transgender Women

Transgender women completed questionnaires of religiosity, social support, stigma, stress-related growth, and sexual risk behavior. In a multivariate model, both social support and religious stress-related growth were significant negative predictors of unprotected anal sex, but religious behaviors and beliefs emerged as a significant positive predictor. The interaction between religious behaviors and beliefs and social support was also significant, and post-hoc analyses indicated that high-risk sex was least likely among individuals with high-levels of social support but low levels of religious behaviors and beliefs. These data have important implications for understanding factors that might protect against HIV risk for transgender women.

Community member perspectives from transgender women and men who have sex with men on pre-exposure prophylaxis as an HIV prevention strategy: implications for implementation

BackgroundAn international randomized clinical trial (RCT) on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-prevention intervention found that taken on a daily basis, PrEP was safe and effective among men who have sex with men (MSM) and male-to-female transgender women. Within the context of the HIV epidemic in the United States (US), MSM and transgender women are the most appropriate groups to target for PrEP implementation at the population level; however, their perspectives on evidenced-based biomedical research and the results of this large trial remain virtually unknown. In this study, we examined the acceptability of individual daily use of PrEP and assessed potential barriers to community uptake.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews with an ethnoracially diverse sample of thirty HIV-negative and unknown status MSM (n = 24) and transgender women (n = 6) in three California metropolitan areas. Given the burden of disease among ethnoracial minorities in the US, we purposefully oversampled for these groups. Thematic coding and analysis of data was conducted utilizing an approach rooted in grounded theory.ResultsWhile participants expressed general interest in PrEP availability, results demonstrate: a lack of community awareness and confusion about PrEP; reservations about PrEP utilization, even when informed of efficacious RCT results; and concerns regarding equity and the manner in which a PrEP intervention could be packaged and marketed in their communities.ConclusionsIn order to effectively reduce HIV health disparities at the population level, PrEP implementation must take into account the uptake concerns of those groups who would actually access and use this biomedical intervention as a prevention strategy. Recommendations addressing these concerns are provided.

The impact of religious faith and internalized homonegativity on resiliency for black lesbian, gay, and bisexual emerging adults.

Religious faith has been instrumental in fostering positive mental health outcomes for historically disenfranchised populations, such as Black Americans. However, the religious institutional devaluing of same-sex behavior and identity fuels internalized homonegativity (i.e., negative thoughts regarding ones same-sex sexual behavior) for nonheterosexual congregants. This study sought to examine the relations between religious faith, internalized homonegativity, and resiliency for Black lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) emerging adults. One hundred seventy-five Black LGB emerging adults, ranging in age between 18 and 25 years old, completed an online survey designed to examine multiple identities and psychological well-being. Utilizing hierarchical linear regression, we found that internalized homonegativity moderated the relationship between religious faith and resiliency. Religious faith was a significant contributor to resiliency when the participant concurrently reported high internalized homonegativity. This finding highlights the importance of understanding the complex interplay of religious faith, internalized homonegativity, and resiliency for Black LGB emerging adults.

HIV Is Still Real: Perceptions of HIV Testing and HIV Prevention Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in New York City

Rising HIV infection rates have been recently occurring among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the United States. As a result, promoting HIV testing among members of this population is now considered a priority among local and federal health officials. A study was conducted to explore concerns about HIV testing among BMSM in New York City. In early 2006, data were gathered from focus groups with 29 BMSM. Discussions revealed factors affecting HIV testing, including stigma, sexuality, religion, race, and class, emphasizing responsibility, testing concerns, and media influences, among others. Recommendations were submitted to New York City health officials to inform HIV testing and prevention efforts.

Resilience in Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Individuals: A Critical Review of the Literature

Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals are more likely to experience violence than LGBT individuals of other ethnoracial backgrounds or heterosexuals of any ethnoracial background. While the literature has thoroughly described the challenges faced by Black LGBT individuals, their resilience capacity is given much less attention. An examination of the strengths and resilience outcomes of these populations is warranted given their ability to successfully adapt and thrive in the face of racism, sexism, transphobia, and homophobia, as well as racialized sexual orientation and gender identity health disparities. This paper examines resilience and LGBT social science literatures, focusing on factors that may lead to resilience in Black LGBT individuals, and offers recommendations for research and clinical practice.

Identity Safety and Relational Health in Youth Spaces: A Needs Assessment with LGBTQ Youth of Color

This article focuses on the function of youth organizations for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities of color. LGBTQ young people (N = 29) participated in a series of focus groups, completed a brief demographic survey, and created individual community maps. The youth organization was described as providing LGBTQ youth with a home and sense of “we,” which provided support for developing a sense of authenticity, mutual engagement, conflict tolerance, and empowerment in the face of discrimination. This study documents current forms of intervention occurring within the organization, particularly in providing an identity-safe environment to promote relational health. Findings support recommendations to foster resilience and positive identity development for LGBTQ youth of color.

Butch Bottom–Femme Top? An Exploration of Lesbian Stereotypes

Lesbian gender labels (i.e., butch, soft butch, butch/femme, femme, and high femme) have set the stage for assumptions about lesbian attractions to sexual behaviors. This study explored the intersection of lesbian gender labels and attraction to sexual behaviors in 214 lesbian-identified women. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 69 with 48% being women of color. Contrary to stereotypes about sexual behavior in the lesbian community, very few differences emerged in regard to lesbian gender label. Overall, results do not support stereotypes about lesbian gender labels and suggest that behaviors in the lesbian community are fluid across labels.

Racial and sexual identities as potential buffers to risky sexual behavior for Black gay and bisexual emerging adult men.

OBJECTIVE Emerging adult Black gay and bisexual men represent intersections of social groups that are greatly impacted by the HIV epidemic (i.e., young, Black, gay/bisexual). Given their vulnerability to HIV, it is imperative to understand how these social identities may also promote resilience, and point to protective factors that may aid in our development of population-specific HIV prevention interventions. METHOD An online survey of the experiences of Black lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults was administered. The current study assessed the intersection of identities and sexual risk behavior for a subsample of this population; 120 Black gay and bisexual young men (Mage = 21.79, SD = 3.08). RESULTS Using hierarchical linear regression, higher levels of racial centrality (degree to which being Black is central to ones identity) and racial public regard (perceptions of societal views toward Black Americans) predicted decreases in risky sexual behavior (total anal sex acts and unprotected anal sex acts). CONCLUSION Researchers and interventionist should consider the ways in which racial centrality may be a critical tool in our efforts to decrease the HIV epidemic among young Black gay and bisexual men in America.