title: Responsible men, blameworthy women: Black heterosexual men's discursive constructions of safer sex and masculinity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although Black heterosexual men (BHM) in the United States rank among those most affected by HIV, research about how safer sex messages shape their safer sex behaviors is rare, highlighting the need for innovative qualitative methodologies such as critical discursive psychology (CDP). This CDP study examined how: (a) BHM construct safer sex and masculinity; (b) BHM positioned themselves in relation to conventional masculinity; and (c) discursive context (individual interview vs. focus group) shaped talk about safer sex and masculinity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data included individual interviews (n = 30) and 4 focus groups (n = 26) conducted with 56 self-identified Black/African American heterosexual men, ages 18 to 44.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses highlighted 5 main constructions: (a) condoms as signifiers of "safe" women; (b) blaming women for STI/responsibility for safer sex; (c) relationship/trust/knowledge; (d) condom mandates; and (e) public health safer sex. Discourses positioned BHM in terms of conventional masculinity when talk denied men's agency for safer sex and/or contraception, or positioned women as deceitful, or apathetic about sexual risk and/or pregnancy. Notably, discourses also spotlighted alternative masculinities relevant to taking responsibility for safer sex or sexual exclusivity. Discursive context, namely the homosocial nature of focus group discussions, shaped how participants conversed about safer sex, and masculinity but not the content of that talk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In denying BHM's responsibility for safer sex, BHM's discourses about safer sex and masculinity often mirror public health messages, underscoring a critical need to sync these discourses to reduce sexual risk, and develop gender-transformative safer sex interventions for BHM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bowleg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Andrea L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Heckert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Tia L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Jenné S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Massie
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057228:Masculinity; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult