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 […]
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 […]
Cleo Manago Outs GLAAD As “Blackophobic” and Questions Whether GLAAD has the Credibility to Bring Down a Litany of Black Men
By Cleo Manago – As the founder and national organizer of the Black Men’s Xchange (BMX), the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement for same gender loving (SGL), gay-identifying and bisexual African-descended males and allies, the actions of GLAAD raise great concern to me. A predominantly White organization, GLAAD may want to consider changing their […]
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 […]
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 […]
Why Don’t African Americans Prioritize AIDS?
For 30 years now, since the first HIV/AIDS diagnosis, this issue has yet to be a priority in African American communities, including among sub-groups most impacted by the disease. The ratio of the epidemic among HIV-informed Black men who have sex with men has never diminished. Not even basketball great Magic Johnson’s October 1991 announcement […]