• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest which gives you limited access.

    By joining you will gain full access to thousands of Videos, Pictures & Much More.

    Membership is absolutely FREE and registration is FAST & SIMPLE so please, Register Today and join one of the friendliest communities on the net!



    You must be at least 18 years old to legally access this forum.
  • Hello Guest,

    Thanks for remaining an active member on GayHeaven. We hope you've enjoyed the forum so far.

    Our records indicate that you have not posted on our forums in several weeks. Why not dismiss this notice & make your next post today by doing one of the following:
    • General Discussion Area - Engage in a conversation with other members.
    • Gay Picture Collections - Share any pictures you may have collected from blogs and other sites. Don't know how to post? Click HERE to visit our easy 3-steps tutorial for picture posting.
    • Show Yourself Off - Brave enough to post your own pictures or videos? Let us see, enjoy & comment on that for you.
    • Gay Clips - Start sharing hot video clips you may have. Don't know how to get started? Click HERE to view our detailed tutorial for video posting.
    As you can see there are a bunch of options mentioned in here and much more available for you to start participating today! Before making your first post, please don't forget to read the Forum Rules.

    Active and contributing members will earn special ranks. Click HERE to view the full list of ranks & privileges given to active members & how you can easily obtain them.

    Please do not flood the forum with "Thank you" posts. Instead, please use the "thanks button"

    We Hope you enjoy the forum & thanks for your efforts!
    The GayHeaven Team.
  • Dear GayHeaven users,

    We are happy to announce that we have successfully upgraded our forum to a new more reliable and overall better platform called XenForo.
    Any feedback is welcome and we hope you get to enjoy this new platform for years and years to come and, as always, happy posting!

    GH Team

...Racism in the LGBT Community

W!nston

SuperSoftSillyPuppy
Staff member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
11,938
Reaction score
1,196
Points
159
Now Is the Time to Start Talking About Racism in the LGBT Community
Huffington Post | By Ernest Owens | 05/13/2015 1:34 pm EDT

It's been a long time coming, but no time is better than now.

As the Supreme Court gets ready to hopefully legitimize a belief that many of us in the LGBT community already consider an inalienable right -- marriage equality for all -- it's high time we start preparing ourselves for the next major issue to address: intersectionality.

Yes, for decades, the face of LGBT representation has been dominated by white people, predominately cisgender gay white men. And as much as we would like to continue to blame cultural stigmas within other cultures for why there has not been such a huge turnaround of faster diversity -- it's time we start looking inward.

Fact: I am an openly gay black man. Another fact: as disappointing as it may sound, experiencing racism as a "double-minority" has been felt within both communities. I can be racially profiled at a store as a black man and can then be treated as a pariah at a gay club the same night by the white men and bouncers who occupy the space.

It's not that I have been silent about these issues. Recently, I took my grievances to my local paper in a guest column that called out many of the famed gay bars in Philadelphia. As a resident for five years, I felt that "The Gayborhood" was not the happiest place in my city if you were black and queer but more like the most excluding one at times.

The reaction was more critical than receptive. I received tons of nasty comments, social media attacks and jabs at my audacity to call out race issues within the LGBT community. Some went so far as to feel as though I was just trying to start a problem that didn't exist.

Fun fact: the majority of the critics were white gay men.

And that is the problem.

When I look at queer programs, both local and national, there tends to be a social disconnect between the reality that is being portrayed publicly and what is happening privately. People of color are often the voyeurism that shapes white queer spaces -- a feeling that has become more exploitative and problematic than embracing.

The constant pandering of black LGBT men as drag-ballroom performers or hyper-sexual eye-candy takes flight in many gay social scenes. There is almost a subservient element to it that excludes any other black gay expression that isn't catering to the white queer gaze.

In other words, the various identities of queer individuals of color have not evolved and many of the institutions and spaces that are responsible for allowing them to have not. Take the fight for marriage equality for example, where have people of color been individually called on to take up that fight? Who sets that agenda? And where are LGBT allies when it comes to the racial injustices we face outside of queer politics?

In a community that boasts acceptance and equality, the LGBT community as a whole has been stagnant on rallying for other social issues that deeply impact a great number of its members and allies.

When other human rights groups were at Ferguson or Baltimore -- many LGBT organizations said/posted nothing about the queer people of color who might have been afflicted.

As I have gotten older, it has become more difficult to ignore the intersectionality that has colored my experience as a gay black man. In one sphere, I am told that being black has nothing to do with being gay. And in the other, I am reminded that race is irrelevant to the conversation.

Both of these are lies and as much as one community wants to act as though they are more accepting than the other, it's difficult for me to decide right now.

Sure, the black community can be labeled as having deep-seated homophobic views. But that lame trope is getting old when you take in consideration the current LGBT movement's lack of recognizing variety and sympathy for people of color in general.

I'm sorry, but having a few famous black drag queens and transgender superstars does not make this issue go away.

The most annoying misconception that has often hurt further dialogue on this issue is the myths that talking about racism within our community will distract from other social causes we are trying to achieve.

I will no longer accept that excuse. It is 2015: if people are not allowing us to get married, it will have nothing to do with the fact that there is racism in our community just as it is in theirs.

At the end of the day, when we are finally over the constant focus on marriage equality -- a cause that in my opinion reveals the privilege of our community, in regards to priorities -- we should start getting real about what the faces and spaces of the next LGBT movement look like. Answer: more diverse and colorful.

Because the constant recycling of Dan Savage and many other white, cisgender men like him turns off aspiring LGBT members of color to come out and align themselves within the movement.

Overall, there needs to be a time for us to come out and get serious about the lack of diversity in LGBT leadership nation-wide. It is not enough to just have black, Latino, Asian, and Native Americans in the room but not actually invite their stories and experiences as well.

I am tired of going to queer events that are fundraising for only white queer member causes -- but ignore that more than 5 black transgender individuals have been murdered so far this year.

Visibility is one thing, but access and equity is another. We need to start expanding the conversation on race in these conventions and not just for LGBT members of color but for their white counterparts.

I don't just want specialized events and socials catered to me due to my race, but instead more intellectual space and opportunity to inform and enlighten the very members whom I share an interest in activism with.

It's time to start addressing the racial setbacks in the current LGBT movement. If we don't now, we are never going to obtain that pot of gold equality on the other side of the diverse rainbow.

SOURCE
 

mxccdd

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
806
Reaction score
35
Points
28
True True True
Minorities are still "doulble carded" at so called gay establishments.
Gays & Lesbians who are witnessing this and say nothing and are enablers.
Not saying anything is tacit approval of those actions. You diminish the so called LGBT Community.

I still say "the so called LGBT Community does NOT exsist" United We Stand, Dividers will make it eaiser for our enemies to put us in camps.

In West Hollywood (YuckyLand) white guys from the Savage Lands ( The Primitave parts of the U.S.) import the bad habits the learned.
Sadly many required "retraining" & a dose of reality.
 
Last edited:

gorgik9

Super Vip
Joined
Dec 3, 2010
Messages
13,852
Reaction score
12,959
Points
120
Important post, Sniffit! I'm sure I'll read this text several times!
 

moosy

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2009
Messages
128
Reaction score
1
Points
0
This is very true. It is time for the gay community to own up to this.
 

jw4833

V.I.P Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Messages
1,556
Reaction score
64
Points
48
I can totally relate to this because when I first moved to the community that I live in now... I was racially profiled in the gay clubs a lot. The gay clubs initially were filled by white gay patrons. At the time I started venturing these clubs...I was the only minority amongst them. This did not bother me at all because I had dated white and black guys and I have been in long term relationships with both races as well. I was even told by a patron that I was in the wrong club...and he would be glad to direct me to a minority establishment. After awhile..I became friends with the lead bartender and to this day...he is one of my best friends. I also became for some reason...very close with a lot of the male strippers that danced at the club also. They seem to seek me out more so than the white patrons which I found interesting to say the least. Furthermore...I became the first minority bartender in the club's history. In latter years...a lot of the white patrons began to open up and accept minority patrons and even started to date and become involved in relationships also.
 

bigsal

Super Vip
Joined
Mar 6, 2011
Messages
5,858
Reaction score
19
Points
0
Even among gay there are racists and classist.

To hold otherwise is to have "ham slices in the eye" and ears that will not hear.

Also in this forum there are, although in a minority.

However racist is not only what it does regardless of race and color of skin. There are other ways of being racist.
 

gb2000ie

Super Vip
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
4,532
Reaction score
223
Points
0
As someone outside America this post sounded like utter fiction to me. I'm sorry to read in the comments that it apparently isn't :(

I am left wondering though, is it that people of colour are not joining the movement, perhaps because those communities tend to be more homophobic, or is it that the LGBT organisations are acting in a racist way? Understanding why the balance of races within LGBT organisations does match the balance of races within the population as a whole is the first step to redressing that balance. Simply put, you can't fix a problem you don't understand, and sadly, the article didn't address that at all.

B.
 

tonka

Super Vip
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
1,771
Reaction score
169
Points
63
This has been going on where I live for a long time. Somewhat better now.
Some of it is classic racism. A lot of it is snobby classism.
Many gay clubs and organizations are upscale and white. The don't want working class white boys around (unless they can shag them in the alley out back). They assume blacks are downscale too.
So the black Harvard student is welcome. But without that mark of approval, you are suspect.
 

havocs

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
518
Reaction score
3
Points
0
We (blacks) often simply form our own groups and even in some places have black pride events because we feel we are not represented in the mainstream pride. As it was said, you would think gays would be more accepting/open minded but we're (gays) not. And it works both ways and just feeds into the stereotype. Where once interracial straight couples get stairs so do interracial gay couples. It's sad that gays, blacks and women had to fight so hard to be seen 'equal' and not treat each other so poorly. As it was said, we are taught to hate ourselves. It gets more true everyday.
 

havocs

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2010
Messages
518
Reaction score
3
Points
0
I can totally relate to this because when I first moved to the community that I live in now... I was racially profiled in the gay clubs a lot. The gay clubs initially were filled by white gay patrons. At the time I started venturing these clubs...I was the only minority amongst them. This did not bother me at all because I had dated white and black guys and I have been in long term relationships with both races as well. I was even told by a patron that I was in the wrong club...and he would be glad to direct me to a minority establishment. After awhile..I became friends with the lead bartender and to this day...he is one of my best friends. I also became for some reason...very close with a lot of the male strippers that danced at the club also. They seem to seek me out more so than the white patrons which I found interesting to say the least. Furthermore...I became the first minority bartender in the club's history. In latter years...a lot of the white patrons began to open up and accept minority patrons and even started to date and become involved in relationships also.

That's how change happens, someone has to challenge the status quo and people start to question their perceived beliefs. Once most hear a statement like you had, they stop going to the place because they don't want them to have their money. It can be difficult to change a persons perception, you did a great service by sticking it out. :heart:
 

warp9

Super Vip
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Messages
2,802
Reaction score
12,783
Points
0
I will never understand, why the colour has for some so many meanings!

 

W!nston

SuperSoftSillyPuppy
Staff member
Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
11,938
Reaction score
1,196
Points
159
Racism exists in all races not just white people. I experience racism and I'm white (mostly, lol). My grandfather experienced racism and his mother, who was Cherokee, and father survived during a very difficult time for Native Americans.

The only racism that makes headlines is when a non-white race is the target. In the very near future white people will be the minority and Hispanics will be the majority (in America at least). I will probably have gone to the 'Happy Hunting Grounds' by then but the younger Gay members here will see that statistic become a reality. Anyone ever read Oprah Winfrey's quote: "There are still generations of people, older people, who were born and bred and marinated in it, in that prejudice and racism, and they just have to die"? That will become the reality soon enough. Then who will be responsible for racial tensions? What will the nature of racism be at that time?

Where I live white people are already a tiny minority while blacks are the overwhelming majority. Believe me, there is plenty of racism going around here just not the white on black variety. The majority race will always dominate and subjugate the minority race. There is no perfect utopia. There is no place on earth where that will ever be the case. We are human with all the biases and prejudices that go along with that.

I expect nothing different and neither should any one who is being realistic.

So don't call me a racist and don't be hating on me for expressing my thoughts and opinions.

:D

edit: I forgot to mention that I don't like being made to feel unwelcome either. When I do feel that way it's a humbling experience. I try to make sure I never make anyone feel unwelcome because of it. And the majority of people I meet who are of a different heritage are good people and do not behave in a racist way at all. The majority of people in general are not racists. They are just like me... trying to survive in a world where 1% of the people control 99% of the wealth. That is the real problem we all face. How to rectify that disparity? I don't know. I just know the elite class will do anything to keep us from turning on them so they keep us divided with stories of racism, terrorism, homophobism, sexism... anything other than classism...
 
Last edited:

tonka

Super Vip
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
1,771
Reaction score
169
Points
63
The untold story of the Baltimore riots?
Korean and other Asian businesses were targeted.
 
Top