By Shatiea Blount, DSocSci, LCSW, LICSW
Edited by: Derek T. Dangerfield II, PhD
Hopelessness is generally understood as a subjective emotion that is typically characterized by having bleak expectations regarding oneself, future life, an ability to identify solutions to problems. Hopelessness is different from depression, as depression is oriented toward the present and hopelessness projects onto the future. Working with Black adults in my clinical psychotherapy practice, I have noticed that hopelessness needs to be recontextualized to include a lens that focuses more on the experiences of marginalization along with individual and familial dynamics. Important factors such as work stress, inability to meet work and family demands, loneliness, and rejection compounded by racism, microaggressions, marginality, and systemic inequities, to name a few, are consistent precipitating factors that lead to hopelessness among Black adults and may uniquely impact Black SMM in significant ways. Consequently, research frameworks and interventions must be adapted for more cultural, ethnic, and contextual appropriateness.
As a classic cognitive concept, hopelessness among Black SMM is not different than what is seen in the general population. However, hopelessness is a key understudied concept in the behavioral health and sexual decision-making of Black SMM and is ripe for empirical investigation. There is a dearth of literature exploring the nuances of hopelessness fueled by their intersectional identities of being Black, male, and gay along with internalized and enacted stigmas related to HIV vulnerability. Due to the combination of these socio-ecological factors, some Black SMM who are living with (or affected by) HIV perceive it as inevitable, or have debilitating fears related to disease acquisition and refer to themselves as “triply cursed[1].”
Because of the way HIV stigma impacts BSMM who are seropositive and seronegative, specific work involving Black SMM requires a focus on hopelessness as it relates to sexual health decision-making, HIV stigma, HIV “risk”, and prevention. Using the word, “curse” suggests that Black SMM perceive the intersection of their marginalized identities regarding race, sexuality, and HIV status or risk to be a consistent and lifelong barrier impacting life and health trajectories. Furthermore, “triply cursed” suggests that an external force controls this barrier, leading to low levels of self-efficacy. These perceptions paired with low levels of self-efficacy may precipitate hopelessness for Black SMM. Consequently, researchers and interventionists for Black SMM must understand the nuances of hopelessness for this community and incorporate these aspects into more cultural, ethnic, and contextual studies and interventions.
Targeted studies to gain more information into how hopelessness may function as a risk factor, protective factor, and/or driver of sexual health decision-making across the life course of Black SMM in an urban context are needed to designing preventative and treatment interventions that are culturally relevant, realistic, and effective.
[1] Arnold, E. A., Rebchook, G. M., & Kegeles, S. M. (2014). ‘Triply cursed’: racism, homophobia and HIV-related stigma are barriers to regular HIV testing, treatment adherence and disclosure among young Black gay men. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 16(6), 710–722. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2014.905706