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Monday, October 12, 2009
An estimated 200,000 people converged on the National Mall in D.C. on Sunday where only 10 months earlier the nation saw it's first black President inaugurated. This time thousands of LGBT people and our allies were marching to send a message to The White House that we were no longer satisfied with accepting conditional freedoms and demanding no less than full equality.
Julian Bond, one of our fiercest straight allies along with out lesbian poet and performance artist Staceyann Chin spoke during Sunday's rally. I haven't had an opportunity to watch their speeches yet but I wanted to make sure they were posted for you.
Here's a few highlights from Bond's speech via Twitter:
@envyoftheworld: "Good things don't come to those who wait, but to those who agitate."
"In blk community, our inability to talk about sex and homosexuality is spreading #HIV #AIDS in our community"
@malik_photog: "rights for gays and lesbians aren't special rights in any way. it isn't special to be free from discrimination." - Julian Bond #NAACP
Watch Julian Bond here
Watch Stacey Ann Chin here
11 Comments:
Did any black gay men speak? If the answer is not then I don't really care.
October 12, 2009 1:19 PM
I have a question:
Is it divisive for some blacks to not be too focused on this national fight for equality because it still doesn't address a lot of "gay black America's" problems? Are some of us being pessimistic for thinking that most of our issues are just our independent struggles that we are going to have to figure out on our own? Or should we be more optimistic and supportive of the movement in hopes that gaining national equality will lay down some of the ground work that will ultimately be beneficial to every gay American of any race?
October 12, 2009 1:51 PM
I think this is absolutely wonderful. Although there were no black gay men that addressed the audience this assembly speaks to all of my concerns as a gay person. Furthermore, I feel honored to be alive at a time when anti-gay discrimination is beginning to grind to a halt. It is neat to be apart of history. I wish I had attended the march. Would have a story to tell when I'm 70.
October 12, 2009 2:51 PM
When I asked the question "did any black gay men speak", I wasn't necessarily wondering if they spoke about so-called black gay isues/problems - whatever those might be. I just wanted to know if any black gay man spoke at the march. Apparently the answer is no. I guess most of them were in church saying amen to their homophobic preachers.
The history of the gay movement is being written as we speak, but black gay men are not active participants. This is why NO ONE has respect for black gay men.
October 12, 2009 5:49 PM
I don't think that the concerns of the greater black gay community have been nurtured to the advanced point of national equality. The black gay fight is still in it's infancy and has a long way to go. Some people seem to think that the gay black community is more together than it really is and that we're just knowingly choosing to sit back and not participate in the movement.
October 12, 2009 8:05 PM
If black gay men are not doing any of the gay movement's heavy lifting, then we shouldn't expect to get any of the benefits of the gay movement.
Has anyone noticed, for example, that whenever an openly gay person is appointed to a position in Obama's administration that person is ALWAYS a white gay man/white lesbian. A few days ago, a white gay man was appointed to an ambassadorship to some country (I can't remember the name of the country). And this is as it should be. You can't demand benefits from a movement you didn't contribute anything to. Black gay men had better wake up and smell the coffee.
White gay men are slowly but surely moving out of the "faggot" category". The movement of white gay men out of faggot territory is not going to apply to black gay men because we have not asserted ourselves the way white gays have.
Black gay men will continue to be stereotyped unless and until we do something about it. If we can't start our own movement then why not join theirs? It makes more sense than doing nothing.
October 13, 2009 2:14 AM
Simply put, black gay men just don't view themselves with the same self-love as white gays do. There is a wall of shame, fear, unhappiness, and denial that's holding us back. There have been no real initiatives within the black gay community to mobilize and address these problems. It's been every man for himself for a very long time and these are the results. What's equally disturbing is the fact that some of us are so isolated and out of touch that they really think that black gays are ready to join the national fight in large numbers. You can't build a house on a weak foundation and you can't demand love & respect that you don't feel entitled to. We can lend our support to the movement but if we ever really want to be on the same page as others we are going to have to address our inner issues.
October 13, 2009 10:03 AM
DANG! These last few comments are so on point, I don't have anything to add!!
Honestly, I thought I was the ONLY Black Gay Male that thought this way.
The Black Gay & Lesbian community doesnt want to put in the work, yet will ride on the coat tails of the progress thats been laid forth by the predominantly white gay community.
Even worse you have so called "gay leaders" like J.C. (I dont like to mention her name) that pushes this enormous amount of HATE towards white gay people and tries to hard to isloate the Black & White gay communities apart.
Its really side to see how misguided we are as a community.
Boy, we still have long way to go.
October 13, 2009 11:34 AM
@Smooth
I agree. This discussion is amazing and one that I've wanted to have for a while. I had no idea this post would spark it. I'll be moving this topic to the front page for an open thread. It's time we discuss this out in the open and work towards some solutions.
October 13, 2009 11:45 AM
In addition to the excellent comments about the lack of self-respect and love among black gay men, I think a major impediment to black gay male involvement in political struggles is the idea that gay is an act and not an identity.
When talking to black gay men I'm surprised to hear them describe gayness as "just how I get down" and disconnect it totally from a philosophical, cultural, or political perspective.
I believe black lesbians have a more developed understanding of the issues and are a bit less afraid of stepping out there.
I went to the black LGBT writers conference Fire and Ink last weekend and the panels dealing with "deep issues" like grants/publishing, linking gay identity to human rights issues, and digging within yourself to produce work were dominated by women. Perhaps that's just the things I went to, but I thought it was very revealing.
October 13, 2009 11:56 AM
Well Darian, I hope you do that... because I’m gonna be totally honest with you,
I'm really just now coming to a point where I am fully able to accept me as a WHOLE person in which being a Black Gay Male is part of my persona...
But what I find is that in the city I live in, there’s a tremendous apathetic atmosphere here when it comes to our Gay Brothas in regards to empowerment that it’s a wonder that we even have a community at all for the size city that it is.
I went to Black Pride for the very first time in my life, but I decided to only go to just the seminars and workshops because I wanted to get more of a cultural and educational feel than just the club scene.
Although the layouts were nice and the discussions were good, the energy and participation was almost non existent.
There were more people present from out of town that were the honored guests and speakers than locals!
This really opened my eyes and I’m just thirsty; literally yearning to get into an environment of positive thinking, empowering Black Gay Men that are activists, and active in community outreach.
I hope the climate in our attitudes as Black Gay Men changes in the future.
We need to see a change in our perception in terms of self acceptance and the need to obtain equality for ourselves and our future generations.
October 13, 2009 12:25 PM
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