Blackbird addresses
the alarming fact that black gay and bisexual men are vulnerable to the
stigma of homophobia within their community. Many are left to battle
discrimination and homophobia without traditional support networks like
church, family, and community, and the result, experts say, is the
perfect storm for a health crisis. Young gay and bisexual
African-American men bear the terrible brunt of the HIV epidemic today.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that this group
has more than twice the rate of new HIV infections as white or Latino
men in the same age range. At the current rate of HIV infection, a black
gay or bisexual man has a 66% chance of being HIV-positive by the time
he turns 40.
The
filmmakers and actors hope this new partnership will raise awareness on
the issue. “Someone of a Mo’Nique stature, to use their platform to
have these hard conversations in a very public way? Hopefully that will
spark another person to think that they should educate themselves on the
issue,” says Wade Davis, the former pro football player and PrEP Up
Alabama ambassador.
Racism,
poverty, and homophobia are key factors in this epidemic. So how does
society even begin to address such entrenched problems? One major tool
is media. Blackbird is an ambitious and far-reaching film,
insofar as it takes on issues that few, if any, other Hollywood projects
are talking. Homophobia among African-Americans, the so-called down-low
culture, interracial relationships, abortions, the hypocrisy or
religious leaders, and the plight of missing black children are among
the hot-button issues addressed.
Gary
L. Gray says he learned a lot from the film and hopes that others will
do the same. The film, he says, takes a strong stand against “the fear
that comes along with coming out, being free,” the same fear that
“causes things like health to be overlooked in many cases.” He also
thinks it’s important for the public to remember that “HIV is not just a
gay issue, it is an issue.”
Those behind Blackbird
are hoping PrEP Up Alabama will also educate the public about the new
medications and treatments available. “There’s no reason – no logical
reason – for the infection rates of gay black men to still be as high as
they are,” notes director Patrik-Ian Polk, whose other projects include
Noah’s Arc and Punks. “The medical advancements are there…we just need to make them more widely known and more widely available.”
Read Plus’ full September/October 2015 cover story now at:
