Stigma as an obstacle to AIDS action - The case of the African American community

The control of the spread of AIDS depends on the willingness of the U.S. society to undertake a series of prevention actions. A corollary of this is that the prevention action must be managed in a manner that is sympathetic to affected populations. The presence of homophobia is widely recognized in African American churches, and has hampered their ability to engage in AIDS prevention. This article explores the problem of homophobia in the African American community. A secondary analysis of focus group transcripts was undertaken. The data indicate that homophobia is common in various segments of the community. Stigma creates a heavy burden for gay men and impedes their ability to fight AIDS. The data suggest that more effective AIDS prevention will require eradicating stigmatizing attitudes toward gay men.