Amid reports that a well-known singer hustled his body for money in New Orleans, a Huffington Post contributing writer is challenging bisexual and down low black men to come out of the closet. The gay community often refers to these men as “trade”.
“To all my gay black brothers who are free and open with their sexuality, it’s time to let go of dating the men in your lives who are not,” writes award-winning journalist Ernest Owens.
Owens’ article comes amid rumors that many urban gay rappers and singers will be involuntarily outed in 2015.
Singer August Alsina was outed by a gay man on a well-known message board this week. The man wrote:
New Orleans is Trade Central. I’ve known him since he was a kid and this was kinda common knowledge amongst the Gays in my circle. Sometimes the females are very much aware their man is selling ass/dick to Gays & Transexuals. He only messed with older men with a lot to lose(most were white). He isn’t the only artist who sold goods just to eat. I’ve heard females say that’s my Trade(acknowledging their man is an Escort). Some females are clueless about that culture. He’s cute, but so many men have sampled him. Honestly, he did it for food, clothing, and personal items. He’s more butch than Trade. Trade doesn’t know anything about douching. From what I heard, even while being homeless “the bussy was always clean”.
Statistics shows that black women lead the category of new HIV transmissions — second only to gay men who still lead the category of most HIV/AIDS infections in the United States.
Researchers believe the high rate of HIV among black women is directly related to the risky sexual behavior of their secretly bisexual male partners.
Owens, who is openly gay, writes that he made a New Year’s resolution to stop sleeping with married men.
“It was a difficult decision because I found myself caught up in the allure and suspense of being desired by closeted men,” he writes.
He added: “There was something rebellious and tempting about receiving a whispering cat-call from a guy no one suspects is gay. The idea and cockiness that came from knowing that I was the apple of many of the football players’ and frat boys’ eyes was a guilty pleasure.”
Owens suggests that we encourage our gay friends to stop succumbing to the cheap, quick ego boosts of sleeping with unavailable men.
Yes, the black community overall needs to step up in recognizing that gay black lives matter equally as those on the heteronormative spectrum. However, we can also not give society any distractions from why we should not be treated as anything less.
If it has not been already, let your 2015 new year’s resolution call for the end of your wild trade chase and down-low rendezvous.
I’ll promise you it’s worth it, because you are. Source
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