A Youth Leader's Guide to Building Cultural Competence 

no treatment for syphilis and followed for 40 years (1932 to 1972) to see the results of untreated disease. 

The men were never told that they were not receiving treatment. Today, it is not uncommon for African 

Americans to refer to this study and many believe that the government purposefully infected the men with 

syphilis.

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Second, conspiracy theories suggesting that the U.S. government introduced HIV into poor, African 

American communities are not uncommon and many African Americans do not believe that the 

government is telling the whole truth about HIV/AIDS. Third, in the beginning of the epidemic, when so 

little was known about the mysterious new illness, Haitians were labeled by the government as a  risk 

group.  This early labeling of a group of black people resulted in bad feelings among many African 

Americans. Fourth, some of the theories   notably the  green monkey theory    about where HIV came 

from in the first place suggest that the virus first appeared in Africa. These theories have been interpreted 

by some as blaming Africans for the deadly illness.  

Denial 

Denial of the threat of HIV/AIDS is not unique to African American and Latino/Latina communities. 

Most people think that they are safe from infection, even as they continue to engage in risky sexual 

behavior. In fact, denial of danger, even in the face of facts, is a human trait. How many of us always 

wear seatbelts, never speed, have quit smoking and follow doctors' advice faithfully? 

Many people still believe that HIV/AIDS is a disease that is only a threat to gay white men and African 

American and Latino/Latina teens are no different. Creating HIV/AIDS prevention messages and 

programs that personalize the risk for them is critical.  

Even young gay men demonstrate through their behavior that they deny the threat of HIV/AIDS. Recent 

research shows that young gay men engage in unprotected anal intercourse at higher rates than older gay 

men and that their HIV infection rates are higher than those of older men.

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There are at least two explanations for this disturbing information. Perhaps the most important is that few 

young gay men have experienced the level of personal experience with the disease that older men have. 

Second, there is a growing trend for schools to request that speakers in HIV/AIDS prevention programs 

refrain from discussing homosexuality, thus eliminating an important educational situations in which 

lesbian, gay and bisexual issues can be discussed.

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Religious Issues 

Religion has played, and continues to play, a tremendously important role in the lives of many people, 

including African Americans and Latinos/Latinas.  

African American churches have always been more than religious institutions, serving as centers for the 

development of leadership, education and the teaching of the values and traditions of the African 

American community. Beginning with slavery, when religion offered slaves the promise of eventual 

freedom and comfort during captivity, religion has helped African Americans cope with their social and 

economic isolation.

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Churches in the Latino/Latina community play similar roles, as well, moral guidance, spiritual comfort 

and serving as a community resource in time of need. Over 85 percent of Latinos/Latinas are Catholic.