Sex in this culture - especially among young people - has become so pornographic in concept. So many young men attempt to experience mere sensation without any thought toward humanistic concerns. Sadly, many of them mistakenly think a so-called "no-strings-attached, feel-good" sexual relationship is exactly what they want. More to the point, I had to question why this society continues to be so fixated on making black men the sexual "animals" of this culture. This society has always conceptualized black males in demeaning physical terms - the stud with unlimited sexual prowess, for example - and so much so that many of these young men seem to have internalized a warped sense of their own humanity.
People are so wrapped up in their wants and desires, that, ironically, they don't understand the basic needs attached to those desires. The fact is, many people lack a sound analysis of sexuality and feelings, but black males are encouraged by the American culture to forgo such analysis, and, we must insist upon asking why this continues to be the case and what is the psychological and social cost to these young men?
As another one of my male psychology students put it during a classroom discussion on gender issues (after which several of my female students thoroughly castigated him), "It's just sex."
Just sex? Sex is one of the...
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