By Cleo Manago, CEO and founder of the Black Men’s Xchange (BMX) – By now you may have heard about the recent scandal surrounding Mister Cee, a well-known hip-hop DJ in New York City. Mister Cee was “caught” on tape soliciting a cross-dressing male posing as a prostitute. Upon Mister Cee’s recognition that the conversation […]
Manago, Cleo
The “Endgame: AIDS In Black America” Continues An Unfair Game with America and Black People’s Lives – by Cleo Manago
“…in things racial [Americans] have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder “Endgame: AIDS in Black America,” an edition of the PBS network’s “Frontline” that aired recently, personifies the timidity Holder references in that the documentary only went but just so far, […]
Can People Let Frank Ocean Define His Own Sexuality? By Cleo Manago
African-American hip-hop artist Frank Ocean recently shared in a post on his Tumblr page that he had fallen in love with a man before. At the speed of sound, all available media space has been consumed with ill-informed presumptions about Mr. Ocean’s identity and conception of his sexuality. In less than 24 hours everyone, particularly […]
Getting at the Root of Black “Homophobic” Speech – By Cleo Manago
I’ve received an overwhelming response to my recent piece about The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s (GLAAD) demand for CNN to fire Roland Martin due to what they perceived as homophobic tweets. Most people agreed with my position, but, for those who questioned my view that GLAAD is not in a position to complain […]
Why is the Black Community Still Contracting #HIV ? – by Cleo Manago
As a first-hand eyewitness to the rising of America’s Black HIV/AIDS industry, starting in the mid 1980s, this topic is very poignant to me. Almost 30 years ago, based on Black AIDS programs observed, I literally predicted that HIV would likely be in our communities for an unparalleled amount of time. I vividly remember, while […]
AIDS Drugs Offer Major Breakthrough in Fight Against Spread of HIV/AIDS But Cultural Determinants Still Crucial Within the Black Community
By Cleo Manago – The results of two recent studies known as PrEP, released on Wednesday, July 13,2011, show findings that taking a daily pill containing one or two AIDS drugs can help keep an uninfected person from catching the HIV virus. This is definitely significant news – a definite step in the right direction […]
Leader of National Organization of Black Men Who Love Men Calls Media Coverage of Tracy Morgan’s Skit Racially Biased Tunnel-Vision
Founder of Black Men’s Xchange Issues Statement Regarding CNN’s Don Lemon
Cleo Manago, founder of the Black Men’s Xchange (http://www.bmxnational.com) the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to promoting healthy self-concept and behavior, cultural affirmation and critical consciousness among same gender loving (SGL), gay-identifying and bisexual African-descended males and allies, issued the following statement regarding CNN’s Don Lemon’s “coming out.” Washington, DC – “I’m being […]
Will Rallies and Vigils Honoring David Kato Reveal the Whole Context Surrounding His Death?
By Cleo Manago – “Referring to David Kato’s murder as simply a “homophobic” crime is a dangerously under-developed perspective of the facts.” In the wake of last week’s brutal slaying of Ugandan “gay” rights activist David Kato, it will be interesting to observe if the resulting rallies and vigils will specifically acknowledge all factors leading […]