Pride & Opinions

Scientists will study anything, including the prevalence of “straight� men having sex with gay men. WebMD.com reports a New York City poll claims one in 10 heterosexual men have sex exclusively with men. A majority of those men are married, with 10 percent acknowledging having gay sex during the last year. So, I guess that means 20 percent of us are gay. Apparently, half of us are in denial.
Adam can call himself “straight.� But, if he’s knockin’ boots with Steve, the reality is that he’s gay. “Straight� men who admit having gay sex are just exhibiting internalized homophobia. The most prevalent group seems to be Black men on the down low, who are fueled by macho pride and fear of the Black church.
Some men play the bisexual card. Sorry for the skepticism, I’m still struggling with the concept of bisexuality. People are born gay. They can be born bisexual. I realize that. While I can grasp bisexuality exists, that doesn’t mean I’ve accepted. I’m still on the fence as to whether it’s just a convenient excuse to keep from labeling oneself “gay.� Either way, if these men are only having gay sex, it’s a little disingenuous for these men to claim their straightness.
It seems to me that these men are using a poll as a tool to come out of the closet. (Pardon the puns.) I believe if you have gay experiences and label them something else, you’re just taking one long trip down Denial.
The concept of “straight� men and gay sex is an oxymoron. If you’re a man being polled more ways than one, then you’re not as straight as you think.