Urban Sex 1

Running head: Urban Sexual Contact

Trends in Sexual Contact and Connections to Blacks within Urban Areas

Anthony T. Feagin
Tuskegee University
SOWK 300-01
Ms. J.L. McArthur
February 5, 2010
 Urban Sex 2

Abstract

The results and findings of my research on Persons who have ever had sexual contact I saw that out of
the participants interviewed that the smallest race percentage were African- Americans but were the
front runners in number of partners for sexual intercourse. I think these numbers help show the
correlation between dense urban population among blacks and also the increase that has been seen
with blacks having HIV/AIDS in recent years.
 Urban Sex 3

Magnitude of the Problem- Figure 1

Descriptive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 1

This graph is showing a total number of 42,495 respondents out of 34 US states who were tested and
diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the year of 2007. Out of the total reported cases of HIV/AIDS; 21,672 were
Black constituting 51% of the total. Next were Whites with 29% of the total, then Hispanics/Latinos with
18%. Bringing up the rear were the Asians and Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders each having 1%
of total reported cases.

Interpretive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 1

I think that the problem is very severe for a while I knew that most of the new cases of HIV were black
females and males. When you sit down and look at charts and numbers from sample populations you
realize that these issues have to get better or people will continue to die. HIV is non-curable unlike other
STD’s such as Chlamydia so it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
 Urban Sex 4

Scope of the Problem- Figure 2

Descriptive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 2

This chart breaks down the location of Black households. The typical settings are: inside metropolitan
area, in central city, not in central city, and outside metropolitan areas. The figures are constituted from
the 1990 census and show you the large concentration around metropolitan areas. There were 8.45
million households within Metropolitan area, 5.92 million in central cities, 2.53 million not in central
cities, and 1.52 million outside metropolitan areas.

Interpretive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 2

The data tables that I found help paint a picture of the close interaction within the Black community
with over 8,455,000 black households in 1990 living with in Metropolitan areas this shows that blacks
are typically living around other blacks around large cities. Typically within these densely populated
areas there are lower incomes and fewer resources for adequate health care. This dip leads to a less
conscious environment of healthy sex and a greater understanding of the risks and responsibilities that
come with not only sexual intercourse; but the troubles that come with larger number of partners.
 Urban Sex 5

Changes in the Problem- Figure 3

Percentage of 9-12th Graders, by Gender

who have had Sexual Intercouse, 1993-2003
Boys Girls

56%
54%
52% 52%
50% 49% 48% 49%
48% 48%
45%
43%

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003

Descriptive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 3

This chart shows the trend of high school aged kids having less sex between the years of 1993-2003.
Although the chart sometimes shows an increase within the two year spans such as 93’ girls and 95’ girls
there still seems to be a steady decrease all together. From 1993- 2003 the percentage of boys reporting
having sexual intercourse went from 56% down to 48%. From 1993-2003 the percentage of girls
reporting having sexual intercourse went from 50% down to 45%.

Interpretive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 3

The slim glimpse of hope is that from 1993-2003 there has been a decline in sexual activity among high
school age students from 56% for males and 50% for females in 1993 to 48% for males and 45% for
females in 2003. This shows that there has been a more conscious effort to slow down sexual activity of
young adults and hopefully these same adolescents will continue to keep a mindset of less sexual
promiscuity and will establish with future generations a less sexually active society.
 Urban Sex 6

Disparities in the Problem- Figure 4

40
Number of sexual partners in a lifetime
35 33.8
32.8

30
27.1
Percent of REspondents

25 24.1
22.2 22.3

18.6 19.2
20 18.1
Hispanic

15 13.7 13.4 Black

White
10 8.6 8.3
5.8 5.9
5

0
1 Partner 2 Partners 3-6 Partners 7-14 Partners 15 or more
Race of Resondents Partners
Source: Table 94 Persons who have ever had sexual contact by seleccted characteristics: 2002 N=61,147,000

Descriptive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 4

This chart shows the percentage of which Hispanics, Blacks, and Whites had multiple opposite sexual
partners. There was a total of 61,147,000 males surveyed there was a total of: 38,738,000 White males,
10,188,000 Hispanic males, and 6,940,000 Black males surveyed. Blacks consisted of around 9% of total
surveyed males but had the highest average of sexual partners in the 3-15+ range. The Hispanics were
second in this category followed by whites.

Interpretive Discussion- One paragraph of Figure 4

These numbers are significantly higher that the Whites and Hispanics and it sheds a light on an epidemic
that is going on and that is the contraction of HIV/AIDS by young Black females. With Black men living
such a sexually active lifestyle is affecting not only black women physically but emotionally. There also is
a trend that shows the more sexual partners a male tends to have the less likely it will be that they to
get married/ stay married. With such a small sample of the Black male population you can see that they
are at a higher risk than the other racial groups of men because of the higher sexual partner count and
the risk of transferring STD’s from male to female and female to other males.
 Urban Sex 7

Summary and Conclusion

In conclusion I hope that my graphs paint a portrait of one of the major plights that Blacks males deal
with today and it has collateral damage on females and future generations of children. You will notice
and can agree that within the Black community the majority of people live within tight knit communities
within metropolitan areas or around central cities. A lot of times within these densely populated Black
communities there can be insufficient health care resources, and disparities within financial and
educational resources. All these things can lead to an uneducated approach to one of the most natural
and necessary functions of human society and that is sex.

I believe that if you start within the schools with a solid foundation in sexual education you can start to
enlighten not only Blacks but all races of the dangers that sex can present. I think if you start drilling the
importance of safe sex and/or abstinence you can raise up a generation of children who will have less
sex and safer sex resulting in a decrease of HIV/AIDS positive men, women, and children; most
importantly black women.

I also believe if you go into the area that Blacks are mainly located and have programs to raise
awareness of Black women worth and womanizing behavior you can start to curb the numbers as far as
sexual partners for Black males. With almost 34% of the Black males interviewed having 15 partners or
more there within itself lays the route of the rising number of Blacks and Black women specifically
having the highest rates of HIV/AIDS and other STD’s. In conclusion I think that these trends of sexual
intercourse cannot continue to live within our community. Blacks live under some of the most
oppressive conditions in America and we are not helping our cause by having sexual practices shrouded
in an iron curtain. We need to take these issues head on to secure a healthier and more pleasant vitality
within our community for future generations.
 Urban Sex 8

References

U.S. Census Bureau. September 15, 2005 (Table 94) “Persons Who Have Ever Had Sexual Contact by
Selected Characteristics: 2002” Retrieved January 29, 2010
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s0094.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau. March 1995 (Chart: Top 50 Metro Areas- An Overview) “Housing in Metropolitan
Areas- Black Households 1990” Retrieved January 29, 2010
http://www.census.gov/apsd/www/statbrief/sb95_5.pdf

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention August 2009 (Graph: Race/ethnicity of persons (including
children) with HIV/AIDS diagnosed during 2007) “HIV Among African-Americans” Retrieved January 29,
2010 http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/factsheets/pdf/aa.pdf

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, January 2005. U.S. Teen Sexual Activity (Table) 1 “Percentage of
9-12th Graders, by Gender, Who have had sexual Intercourse, 1993-2003” Retrieved January 29, 2010
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/factsheets/pdf/aa.pdf