Exploring the Relationship Between Black Masculinity and Mental Health Among Black Sexual Minority (BlaQ) Men in Southeast Michigan

Abstract

In the United States, cisgender, Black, gay and bisexual (BlaQ) men experience poor mental health outcomes resulting from the intersection of racism and heterosexism. Masculinity sits at the intersection of racism, heterosexism, and other social forces to impact the lives of marginalized men. Yet, research on the relationship between masculinity and mental health among BlaQ men is limited. Because numerous social structures influence the embodiment and expression of masculinity, including systemic racism, it is crucial to apply theoretical frameworks that can account for the depth and complexity of BlaQ men’s lived experiences when investigating the role of masculinity on mental health. I selected intersectionality and critical race theory (CRT) as the theoretical foundations for my dissertation. Intersectionality and CRT are robust, well-supported, and widely applied frameworks that served to elucidate the mechanisms that exerted influence over BlaQ masculinity and the well-being of BlaQ men. This dissertation explores masculinity’s role in the mental health of BlaQ men, including Black masculinity through a critical literature review and The BlaQ Study, a qualitative study based in Southeast Michigan. In Chapter 2, I detail the critical literature review that I conducted, which applied intersectionality to analyze existing research on the relationship between masculinity and the mental well-being of BlaQ men. Nine articles were included, and most discussed the relationship between masculinity and mental well-being within the context of HIV or sexual health. Findings from the critical review highlighted the importance of social context and increased attention to how social structures and institutions intersect to inform BlaQ men’s mental health in future studies, including increased attention to gender and structures that shape gender for men. In Chapters 3 and 4, I present findings from The BlaQ Study, a qualitative study where I conducted semistructured interviews with 21 BlaQ men aged 20–35 who lived in Southeast Michigan. Chapter 3 is a phenomenological exploration of how BlaQ men understood Black masculinity through their lived experiences. I identified three primary themes from the data in this study regarding characteristics of Black masculinity in Southeast Michigan: (a) Black masculinity embodies individual and relational components, (b) sociohistorical and political factors shape masculinity uniquely for Black men, and (c) BlaQ men expand the boundaries to present key counter-narratives. Subthemes were situated within Black masculinity thematic areas, including how participants described the sociopolitical factors that informed how Black masculinity differed from other masculinities and how BlaQ men felt their embodiment of masculinity was more expansive than what Black masculinity prescribed. Chapter 4 explores the relationship between Black masculinity and BlaQ men’s mental health. Four primary themes included (a) hypervigilance, (b) emotion suppression, (c) feeling depressed, and (d) suicidal ideation. These themes were contextualized within the development of sexual identity, as participants discussed how comfort with and disclosure of their sexual identity to others is an important factor to consider when addressing mental health issues among BlaQ men. Additionally, the themes occurred within the sociopolitical environment of historical racism and heterosexism. These findings informed a conceptual model, articulating the relationship between Black masculinity and mental health among BlaQ men. Collectively, findings demonstrate the importance of Black masculinity as a social determinant of mental health for BlaQ men, complicating the social determinants of health. Findings from this dissertation can inform public health and mental health interventions, research, and policy in the future.