Balaji et al26 concurred in their study of the role of
familial, religious, and community influences on the
experiences of young black MSM. Their results suggest
that homosexuality remains highly stigmatized in the men’s
families, religious communities, and the African-American
community. To manage stigma, many participants used “role
flexing,” in which they changed their behavior to adapt to
a situation.26 Thus, interventions should focus on social,
political, and economic causes of stigma and stigmatization
and concentrate on aggregates and communities rather than
just on individuals.