African and Black Queer Experience and Public Education
Discover the voices that refuse to be silent. Read personal essays, commentary and bold arguments shaping the conversation around Black identity and global queer life.
A reflective personal essay on growing up queer in Nigeria, finding hope through Taylor Swift’s music, and learning how dreaming, storytelling, and the power of imagination can shape identity, love’s …
The Hope of It All—Why I Love Taylor Swift Read More
What Masculinity Can’t Confront, It Tries to Control In parts of the UK Black gay scene—especially where “mandem” performance overlaps with down-low (DL) secrecy—conflict often shifts from open disagreement into …
Mandem, DL and Power: Masculinity as Control in the UK Black Gay Scene Read More
A Calculated Exploitation of Queer Vulnerability Manipulation can happen in any relationship. However, for many Black gay men in the UK or US—particularly in high-pressure environments like London, New York …
Mandem Hypermasculinity & Manipulation: What Black Gay Men Need to Know Read More
Intro: How Shame Drives Compulsive Sex In Black Gay Men Many Black gay men learn early to hide their desire and swallow the pain of being constantly policed, humiliated, and …
The Shame ‘Void’: How Visibility Breaks Compulsive Sex for Black Gay Men Read More
Intro: Understanding Black Gay Masculinity Across major Western cities—such as London, New York, and Toronto—many Black gay men recognise an exhausting pattern: the constant evaluation of their masculinity through a …
Masculinity Anchors Model: Why Black Gay Men Chase Straight Validation Read More
1. Muscularity vs. Hypermasculinity—Why the Distinction Matters For Black gay men, a muscular body often attracts assumptions—about sexual role, aggression, and even threat. And sometimes, too, macho labelling. While muscularity …
Muscularity vs Hypermasculinity in Black Gay Men—Key Differences & Signs Read More
A. Intro: Hypermasculinity is not ‘Premium’ Masculinity Hypermasculinity rarely reflects true confidence. Many men adopt exaggerated displays of masculinity to mask feelings of shame or boost social standing. While it …
Hypermasculinity in Black Gay Men—How Fear Drives the ‘Macho Act’ Read More
Black Gay Men: Vulnerability as Risk, Rejection as Danger There’s a common, painful truth we rarely admit: a space can be full of people, noise, and movement — and still …
The Bridge Model by Daniel Nkado: Rebuilding Trust & Love in Black Gay Spaces Read More
A comparative analysis of LGBTQ+ life in Nigeria and the UK—this piece explores how increased safety can quietly weaken intimacy, and how dating apps—Grindr, Jack’d, and others— in low‑risk environments …
Nigeria vs. UK Queer Life — How Safety Cancels Intimacy Read More
Black gay spaces—on dating apps, in nightlife, in friendship circles, and across diaspora community networks—are often imagined as places of refuge. Yet the places we expect to be sanctuaries can …
Why Some Black Gay Spaces Feel Unsafe —How to Rebuild Trust Read More
It’s Not “Toxic”—It’s Survival. When people talk about internal hierarchies among Black gay and bisexual men, they are usually describing the informal ranking systems that dominate dating apps, friendship circles, …
Why Internal Hierarchies Are So Common Among Black Gay Men Read More
A reader recently shared: “I’m with someone I truly love. We’re deeply attracted to each other and have amazing sex. I want this to last—not in the short-term sense people …
Black Gay Men: After Love, Sex, and Attraction, What Next? Read More
Dating as a Black gay man in London can feel like navigating a maze of contradictory expectations. From the apps that reduce men to bodies and labels, and conversations where …
Black Gay Men in London: Forget Sexiness & Top/Bottom — Seek This First Read More
Black Gay Couples and the ‘Wait Time’ Myth For many Black gay couples considering adoption, one fear looms larger than the rest: “We’ll never be chosen.” This belief circulates globally—across …
Black Gay Couples and Adoption: Eligibility and Wait Times Read More
Strong But Not Smart: The Creation of a Myth American slavery promoted a harmful narrative that defined Black men’s worth by physical strength rather than intellect. The “strong bodies, weak …
Impact of Slavery on Black Masculinity and Black Gay Desire Read More
‘Hood’ Stereotype in Black Gay Culture While other definitions exist, in queer discourse and LGBTQ+ digital spaces, the term “hood” takes on a specific, troubling meaning. “Hood” in gay culture …
How ‘Hood’ and ‘DL’ Performance Harms Black Gay Men Read More
The Rise of Online Homophobia in West Africa A queer Nigerian man in London posts a Pride video of himself and his new partner on Instagram. He’s shirtless, smiling, singing …
Gay Migration: How Diaspora Visibility Can Endanger Locals Read More
Marriage is built on assumptions of honesty and shared reality. When a woman discovers that key truths were withheld, it can shatter that reality and cause lasting harm. Wives are …
Gay Men Marrying Women: The Risks of Not Telling Her Read More
Introduction—Rethinking the Western Closet Paradigm Western culture often portrays “coming out of the closet” as a transformative experience for gay men—a narrative promoted by the media, popular culture, and mainstream …
Why Black Gay Men Don’t Have to ‘Come Out’ Like Other Races Read More
As Black gay men, we navigate a world layered with intersecting oppressions—racism from broader society and homophobia within our own racial communities. Knowing this, one would think that any gathering …
How Black Gay Men Promote Stigma That Comes Back To Hurt Us Read More
If you scroll through Instagram, TikTok, X, or open Grindr or Jack’d, you could be forgiven for thinking gay culture has become one endless loop of perfect bodies, thirst traps, …
Why It Looks Like Being Gay Is All About Sex Right Now Read More
The Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria share a rich culture centred on philosophy, spirituality, and communal values. Our fundamental way of seeing and interpreting the world rests heavily on three …
Keeping One’s Hand Straight in Igbo Culture: Integrity, Ikenga & Trust Read More
Malik’s phone lit up with messages the way it always did—fire emojis, quick compliments, the same shorthand that reduced him to a silhouette. He had just posted a photo from …
Trade vs. Thinker: The Cost of Valuing Black Bodies Over Black Minds Read More
Dear Brothers, As 2025 comes to an end and we look toward 2026, this message is for my fellow Black queer men—especially those of us navigating late-night party culture. This …
Brother to Brother: Chemsex, PnP & HnH Safety for Black Gay Men Read More
Content warning: This article discusses interpersonal harm in Black queer spaces, including manipulation, femophobia, HIV stigma, and related dynamics. Some readers may find this emotionally activating—please proceed with care. Introduction …
19 Unflattering Behaviours Seen in Black Queer Spaces—with Examples Read More
In the quiet corners of the human heart, where feelings begin, and identities take root, few questions stir as much curiosity—and confusion—as this: Can a straight person ever become gay, …
The Big Question: Can A Straight Person Ever Become Gay? Read More
One troubling pattern I’ve observed about modern gay culture is the gendering of sex roles—treating “top” and “bottom” as if they’re fixed gender identities rather than fluid sexual preferences. And …
Dear Gay Men in 2025: You are not a Top, or a Bottom, or a Label Read More
Written by Daniel Nkado I was in Anambra when Obi was governor. The only bad thing said about him then was that he was stingy. I was younger then so …
Why Peter Obi will be Nigeria’s best president ever if he wins Read More
by Dave Ok I campaigned against former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan because he seemed overwhelmed by the Boko Haram activities. Secondly, due to established cases of fraud that went on …
‘My mother warned me about Buhari’ – Dave Ok Read More
by Staff writer Two answers, different opinions!!! Would you hit your parent back if they hit you first? Magda Selmeci says: The first time I asked this question, I was …
Would you hit your parent back if they hit you first? Read More