Throughout history, Black men have been subjected to numerous minority stressors, social injustices, racism, police violence, and other traumatic incidents. Though research has examined young Black men’s mental health and sexual behavior, no study has looked specifically at young Black men’s experiences and perceptions of the connections between structural violence, mental health, and sexual behavior. To address this gap, this study reports the findings of 20 semi-structured interviews with 18–25 year old Black men (10 men that have sex with men [MSM], and 10 heterosexual). The study integrated Minority Stress Theory (Myers, 2003) and Terror Management Theory (Greenberg et al., 1986) to situate mortality salience as a proximal stressor in the processes outlined in Minority Stress Theory. Thematic analyses indicated that young Black men connected structural violence to a heightened sense of mortality and performance for survival. Furthermore, heterosexual Black men linked racism and discrimination to reluctance or safety precautions regarding sex with White women, and MSM highlighted sexual behaviors they did not engage in due to stigma and discrimination. Men clearly connected these experiences to their mental health. This study provides a variety of implications for police departments, mental health providers, educators, and medical providers that can be applied to help create a world where Black men feel protected, safe, seen, and heard.
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John Taylor (2024) studied this question.
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