Colorism Demonstrates Dampened Effects Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in Chicago.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Colorism is a well documented phenomenon affecting the health, income, education, and psychological wellbeing of African Americans with differing skin tones. There is little research, however, around how colorism may operate among intersectional racial sexual minorities, who additionally face both racism and homophobia, despite evidence that different forms of oppression interact with each other and may have modulating effects in this population. This study aims to clarify the effect colorism has on a variety of life and health outcomes in young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM).

METHODS: Data were obtained from interviews conducted as part of the uConnect study, a longitudinal cohort study of YBMSM on the South Side of Chicago. Skin color of participants was rated by independent raters.

RESULTS: While some previously found patterns in African American heterosexuals were observed in this population, most were not.

CONCLUSION: The effects of colorism did not appear to have a significant role among this population across a wide set of social and health domains.