This chapter provides a viable conceptual framework for the study of Black child socialization processes. The results are based on a study of 190 injection drug users in a small Connecticut city. This paper extends the respondent-driven sampling method to show that when biases associated with chain-referral methods are analyzed in sufficient detail, a statistical theory of the sampling process can be constructed, based on which the sampling process can be redesigned to permit the derivation of indicators that are not biased and have known levels of precision. Though nonprobability methods succeed in accessing the hidden populations, they have been insufficient for statistical inference. Therefore, researchers generally employ non-probability methods, including location sampling methods such as targeted sampling, and chain-referral methods such as snowball and respondent-driven sampling. Researchers studying hidden populations–including injection drug users, men who have sex with men, and the homeless–find that standard probability sampling methods are either inapplicable or prohibitively costly because their subjects lack a sampling frame, have privacy concerns, and constitute a small part of the general population. Results are discussed within the context of African American family networks. Apparently over time, individuals disclose homosexuality to those within the close family network. Self-reported HIV infection among men predicted immediate family awareness of the individual's homosexuality, but not awareness by the extended family. Significant positive predictors of disclosure for both immediate and more distant family members were being older and reporting initiating homosexual sexual activity at a younger age. There was a clear preference for disclosure to females in the immediate family.
Results indicate that most had disclosed their sexual orientation to immediate family (i.e., mothers, fathers and siblings) but fewer to other relatives.
Questionnaires assessing disclosure and demographic backgrounds were completed by African American lesbians (n=506) and gay men (n=673), recruited nationally. The study examines gay men's and lesbians' disclosure of sexual orientation to immediate and distant kin. Also, as is common in discussing research with Black LGBT populations, gaining access to Black gay men or men who have sex with men who are less open about their sexuality, is necessary to expand the knowledge gained from Johnson’s interviews.Īlthough recent research on African American families has focused on the roles of extended family members and fictive kin (i.e., non-biological members), the participation of openly gay-identified men and women within African American family systems has received little attention. Vast opportunities for further research are evident by Johnson’s exploratory interviews of the men of Sweet Tea. Johnson’s findings also suggest more investigation into the psychology of same sex behaviors within the contexts of churches, the military, and HBCUs. Several research questions are prompted by these stories with respect to issues such as social development, sexual behavior, gender identity and gender diversity, personality and creative expression, spiritual identity, perfectionism, and relationships.
In this chapter, several specific possibilities for psychological studies are presented using specific research questions that are inspired by Johnson’s findings. The mens’ stories shed light on the lived experiences of the target population, and far more research is needed to expand upon Johnson’s themes. Patrick Johnson’s Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South raises many research questions for future study of Black gay men in the south. Leather, sunglasses, sweatty ripped abs, buldging biceps, tattoos, rock hard pecs … Few years ago, I’ve met one hot and famous black muscle guy, he’s handsome with hard bodied mix of native American indian and African-American, this fine handsome man works out hard every morning at Gold Gym in Hollywood.E. , hung ebony men who love to pose and show off his muscle bodies, They ‘re athlete with a wild and kinky side. Hot black muscle men, these well hung brothas have nice sexy bodies and delicious massive ….