Table 1.

Selected Illustrative Findings from Focus Groups of Black Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women, District of Columbia, 2013–2014

Using Technology in BYMSM/TW Research

Interviewer: Do all of you have smartphones? Respondent: Everyone pretty much has an iPhone.

Interviewer: Would you take the survey on the cell phone? Respondent: Oh, for sure. Yeah. I think it would be easier on a smart phone. No, it would be. Respondent: Even on an iPhone it's a struggle. Taking a survey on a computer is the best. Interviewer: On the computer? Respondent: Even with an iPhone, I don't like doing applications. I don't like when certain things should not be on a phone, especially a survey or application, like, you know.

Interviewer: Email. So do people use email? Respondent: I do. Respondent: I do. Interviewer: You do. Okay. Respondent: Especially anyone who is looking for a job or has, like, goals in life. Email.

Interviewer: Do folks kind of go to a PC and sit down and…? Respondent: Mm-mm (negative). Interviewer: It's all about the phone.

Respondent: You make a profile, you put pictures up, and they take like a little bio or whatever. (Another Respondent: And by pictures, I mean pictures.) Pictures that are appealing to others.

Transparency

Interviewer: So what would be some things that would attract you all into participating in research? Respondent: Oh I would say it just like this, money.

Respondent: But to me, it not just about the money. It's about learning and things, and things you didn't know about and hearing different stories. That's why I came.

Respondent: I think so people can better understand how we live or the struggles that we go through on a daily basis. Like the struggles we deal with are a lot of things are just within one day. I mean, honestly, a lot of people won't do it, because a lot of people will think, “I don't need this. Why y'all want to research? Mind your own business.” Then you have those who are like, “Finally, someone wants to hear us. Someone wants to understand where we are coming from.” So I think that is why you have those people who will want to do it just because finally we can tell our story.

Respondent: I just think that sometimes people have a lot of pride that gets in the way and being offered help. So with that being said because somebody wants to show you that they're not struggling when they really are so that you don't see them at their weakest point they're going to deny what it is that you give them access to. Also, I think that, going back to the whole approaching someone of that work field, I feel like instead of assuming that that's what they're doing I would probably just ask, “Do you know of someone in some type of association with that type of background or who is participating in those type of things and then offer with the help?” Because if you just assume, then it's just going to be like a rebellious situation in my opinion.

Legitimacy

Respondent: Or just have, if you have your own little shirt like, like the survey name on the shirts and when you pass out flyers make sure you have your shirt on that says what you're about on the back. And on the front just have like a picture and logo or whatever you want and then pass the flyers out to them and (they'll see that you're ready.) Interviewer: And so you're saying wear, that would legitimize me? Respondent: Yeah knowing more, like, who you are.

Respondent: Some gays don't like to be approached by know heterosexuals, especially when it's a topic of a session. Hey, we are going to do research on it. They automatically going to go into defense mode: “Don't do too much and make sure he stays away from me.” So either have a woman with you or have an older homosexual who can explain what is what. And if you go up to them personally, you should just like have a flyer.

Respondent: But I feel like somebody my age will have a lot more success, not necessarily convincing somebody to do something, but at least participate in a conversation with me as opposed to somebody who is aspiring to learn more about the community and isn't really experienced with that type of lifestyle. So, essentially, you guys are going along the right, but I think that it really takes a peer-to-peer conversation because it might be more so of an understanding where they know where they're coming from and they can relate and they can keep a conversation going as opposed to it really feeling like an interview.

BYMSM/TW, black young men who have sex with men and transgender women.