Young, Black, Gay and Vulnerable

Gay African-American males ages 13-24 comprise 17 percent of total HIV/AIDS cases in Detroit, according to the Michigan Department of Community Health. Over the past decade, HIV infection rates have been rising among this demographic while declining for most others.

Launched two years ago, the Real Enough 2 Change (R.E.C.) Boyz program integrates prevention messages into the normal activities of young, gay men. There are weekly "Heroes" nights where youths can watch the popular TV show and leave with a safer-sex kit. R.E.C. Boyz sponsors casino nights, soul food Sundays, and home prevention parties where people can be screened for HIV. Annual fashion, dancing, and runway competitions also feature prevention messages. R.E.C. Boyz is supported by CDC and AIDS Partnership Michigan.

"This generation didn't live through the '80s when people were burying their friends," said Nkosi Figueroa, 26, a R.E.C. outreach specialist. "It's easy to be fooled into believing everything is okay." "Plus, the fact that they're young and just coming out makes them more vulnerable," he said. "They may have lost the love of their family and friends. If they're living on the streets or couch-surfing, condoms are the last thing on their list."

Figueroa said many youths look for outward signs of HIV in a sexual partner, unaware the infection can be asymptomatic. Then there is what he calls the "Superman Syndrome": "They know there's a danger, but they think they're made of steel."

At 20, Figueroa was an outreach worker at a center for gay, lesbian, and transgender youths when he was diagnosed with HIV. "It was hard because I thought I knew how HIV worked," he said. "We want to change the norms of the whole community. Condoms aren't optional. They're necessary every time."

For more information, telephone 313-285-1166.

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