Does the black LGBT community give away too much of its’ power?
by Dr. Samori Swygert
Routinely, popular culture loves throwing out slogans and clichés. The following are my favorite two because they are so far from correct: “We’re a post-racial society” and “Gay is the new black.”
I want to address the cliché “Gay is the new black.” When a person tries to explain why they are not the same, many people immediately jump to Bayard Rustin as a convenient talking point. Bayard Rustin was an African-American civil rights advocate that assisted Dr. Martin Luther King. He was also a homosëxual.
Well this write-up is to stimulate critical thinking and wise logic to assess the priorities of the parties involved. Before readers get on their knee jerk soapbox — no, this article isn’t about “gay bashing.”
Here is my question to the public:
What about the gay racist?
I think because homosëxuality is a race-neutral issue, some people don’t consider this a reality. When I say race-neutral I mean, there is no one specific race that practices, embraces, subscribes, or endorses homosëxuality. All races have individuals within their race that are homosëxual (American, European, African, Asian, Hispanic, Latino, Middle Eastern, East Indian, Pacific Islander, etc).
When you look at the still photos and video footage of gay pride parades, you’ll see an assortment of ethnicity. However, homosëxuality only denotes sëxual preference or orientation. Homosëxuality has nothing to do with race relations at all. These are two completely separate social issues.
The same way that there are racist heterosëxuals, there are racist homosëxuals. However, there is never dialogue or discussion about this particular subject.
A hypothetical situation
Let’s examine this a little bit: Assume there’s a racist white homosëxual male that is seeking the passage of marriage equality in his respective state. I believe he would be more than welcoming of all homosëxuals (regardless of race) because they would contribute power (numerically) to get legislation and policies passed or changed. The multicultural support would benefit his goal of marriage equality in his state. His goal has been met, yet he can still be dedicated, committed, and devoted to the oppression of African-Americans, Latinos, and an Anti-Semite.
What I’m saying may sound like theatrics, but think about J Edgar Hoover.
There are several books, witnesses, materials, and even the movie about his life that denote he was homosëxual. J Edgar Hoover was committed, devoted, and dedicated to the systematic oppression and undermining of the civil rights movement. J Edgar Hoover was complicit in the COINTELPRO program that was responsible for the suppression of the Black Panthers, Martin Luther King, Fred Hampton, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and more.
This is an interesting point that I think deserves heavy contemplation. When non-white homosëxuals rally in mass numbers for marriage equality and other rights, liberties, and freedoms for homosëxuals, they may help many racist homosëxuals achieve their goal, but there may be no reciprocity on other issues that pertain to them.
The numerical power of African-American homosëxuals can sway political decisions that can turn the tide on marriage equality. However, how many racist homosëxuals are vehemently and diametrically opposed to affirmative action, reparations, or even support policies like Stop and Frisk and Stand your Ground (which adversely affects African-Americans more than whites)? Would all of the members of GLAAD and the LGBT community support reparations? How many members of the LGBT community would thank you for the vote but still consider you subservient, inferior, or support policies and legislation that adversely affects you as a race?
Remember, race relations and sëxual orientation are two separate social issues.
I don’t have an answer for this at all. I just wanted to stimulate thought because at some point in time, a person will have to prioritize or make a critical decision in which race and sëxual preference are the tipping points of a scenario. How will they choose, and what will govern their decision making process?
Think very broad in scope about this, because I simply used a racist white male as an example, but racial hatred can come from any race and be directed at whomever.
What are your thoughts? Lastly, please refrain from negative and vulgar commentary, it’s unnecessary.
