Intimacy and Vulnerability among Young Minoritised Black and Latinx, Gender, and Sexual Communities: An Ethnographic Approach to Social Networks and Public Venues

This paper explores the symbolic and structural vulnerabilities that Young Black and Latinx Gender and Sexual Minorities (YBLGSM) confront in their everyday lives. Through ethnographic analysis of social interactions in public spaces, this research identifies some of the hidden risks that these young people face, and investigates how these situations increase their vulnerability to HIV-infection. Four situations are described as particularly risky for YBLGSM: drug use, inter-generational sexual interactions, homelessness and sex work, and stigma and violence associated with their gender identity and sexual orientation. This research is based on participatory research conducted in tandem with Bronx AIDS Services in 2005-2006, and employs participant observation and focus groups in several public venues in New York City. It provides insights into the unique social networks and the strategies these individuals use to confront their intersecting experiences of multiple discriminations as young Black and Latinx gender and sexual minorities.