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The topic of sexuality, power, and race often leads to heated discussions—and sometimes, uncomfortable truths. But one Adam4Adam reader asked a question we don’t often see in hookup spaces or gay blogs. And it might be time we give it space.
An Adam4Adam blog reader named terminator222 wrote to us:
It was documented that Buck breaking went on during slavery as a form of punishment and to demoralize Black slave men. I read that sometimes it was done to Black slave leaders in front of other slaves to break their spirits and make them appear weak. I’m thinking the guy they used to screw Black men had to be gay. I can’t imagine a straight white dude fucking a Black slave in the butt for punishment when so many other forms of punishment were available. I’m wondering would this subject matter be too divisive for you to explore, and at the same time, I would be interested in what others think about buck breaking. I’m wondering—did the buck breaker go raw, did he get shit on his dick, did he nut inside? Just curious and hope you guys explore this subject.
It’s a shocking comment—but the honesty and curiosity behind it is worth considering. Does sexual violence in the context of slavery reveal something deeper about the abuse of power, the complexities of desire, or the line between punishment and pathology?
First, a bit of context: buck breaking was a term used during American slavery, describing a horrifying practice where enslaved Black men—particularly those who were rebellious, strong, or defiant—were raped by white slave owners, often in public, to break their spirit and send a message to others. It was both a tool of sexual violence and psychological warfare, used to reinforce dominance and emasculate enslaved Black men in front of their communities.
While some historians have debated how common or even documented the practice was, the cultural memory and trauma it left behind remains potent—especially in discussions around Black masculinity, power, and sexual violence.
Having said all that, have you ever heard the term buck breaking before? When exploring this horrific sexual violence, can we separate it from sexuality itself, or is this purely a display of power and control? Do you feel the legacy of buck breaking still shapes how Black men are perceived, fetishized, or even discriminated against in contemporary gay culture? Do you think the gay community should talk more about historical sexual violence—especially when it intersects with race and gender roles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Nothing shocks me about that time in America, and yes it is a lot gay to fuck a man in the ass, it was the gay white man’s way of getting his gay on under the guise of controlling the black man, I wouldn’t be surprised to find gay relationships between an owner and a slave.
That sort of thing happened during the Holocaust as well,
to put this in perspective: in the film “Deliverance” there is a scene where a white man is raped by hicks and that film was from 1972. Rape is dominance and nothing is more defining than forcing a pole up into a hole. Thus, Buck Breaking is not new and not only to Slaves. The Barbary Pirates did it and Churchill once spoke of the Royal Navy as “Don’t talk to me about Naval Tradition. It’s nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash,”
Rape as power over the conquered was used in ancient times. The Old Testament warning not to lie with a man as with a woman was born of the belief that a woman was object for a man, subject to a man, and less than a man. A woman was not allowed to refuse. When an enemy army surrendered, their soldiers had to drop armor and weapons and walk under crossed spears, so they had to bend, like oxen under a yoke. They called this “subjugation” literally under the yoke. But their leader, because he voluntarily yielded, thus being “weaker”… Read more »
Why would gay or bi men need to discuss buck breaking? Unless someone has some sort of weird fetish you feel uncomfortable with, there’s no need… kinda silly
political correctness where the miniscule become the maximum
Agreed. I never heard the term before. I wished I hadn’t read the article. Come on Adam. Too weird even for you.
This seems like a dumb conversation for a gay audience. The ideology of Buck breaking is exclusive to straight men and their inhibitions. This same audience actually believe guys get “turned out”. I don’t think being raped or demoralized makes you love men…in fact, I would think it makes you hate. It’s really funny those same folks don’t see disrespect toward black women as being “buck broken “. At some point, you need to come closer to understanding your sexuality. You don’t need to find excuses .
You glossed over the fact that there is a question of actual documentation of this practice. Without that this article is meaningless. And the guy who wrote in, he seems intrigued by raping, getting shit on his dick and nutting in his victim.