Black men with firearm-acquired disabilities face negative physical and psychological impacts on their manhood, independence and mobility, according to a Rutgers Health study. The study, published in the American Journal of Men’s Health, explored the relationship between Black manhood/masculinities and firearm-acquired disabilities. Participants’ disabilities also impacted their perceptions of independence. Specifically, participants felt that they were a burden to their caretakers because of their reliance on them. This loss of independence took a serious toll on some participants in the study.
“Manhood is complex,” said Nazsa Baker, a postdoctoral fellow at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research at the Rutgers School of Public Health and lead author of the study. “In describing some optimal characteristics of what it means to be a man, disabled violently injured Black men discussed the importance of being a protector, provider, responsible, independent and having self-awareness. Most of the men described hegemonic ideals of manhood and how their definitions of manhood would impact others.” To read the full story.