Challenging Racism in White Gay Communities While Challenging Homophobia in Black Communities

Addressing Multiple Oppressions Simultaneously

I can’t believe that in response to the despicable racism of the mainstream White LGBT community that (some) Black queer folks are trying to say that marriage “isn’t our issue”… Sun Dawtah’s response (please read below) addresses this insanity…

I get that Black folk only make up 6.7% of California’s population; and as a result are not responsible for the passage of Prop 8. I feel strongly that, once again (and again and again) White LGBT folks must be CALLED OUT and CHALLENGED on their ongoing and relentless racism. And yet, if we, Black folks (regardless of our sexual orientation), don’t CALL OUT and CHALLENGE homophobia and heterosexism in our non-monolithic communities, then Black LGBT folks will still not be safe.

I feel like we, Black folks, as a non-monolithic community, are unwilling to simultaneously address multiple oppressions. I would argue that it’s much easier to challenge racism than it is to challenge sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and heterosexism in Black communities because it (White institutional and individual racism) is not within the metaphorical Black family.

I want to be clear that the racism of the White mainstream LGBT community is despicable, grotesque, horrifying and unacceptable, and at the same exact time their racism doesn’t mean that I, as a Black feminist lesbian, am going to opt out of fighting for a civic and legal right that all people (regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity) should have, regardless of how I feel about marriage…

It is only in the context of patriarchy, homophobia and heterosexism, that Marriage equality for all is complex.

Until millions more heterosexual people (regardless of their race/ethnicity) take up the issue of homophobia and heterosexism in their families, places of worship, schools, jobs, etc., it will be an UPHILL battle — similar to the reality that men must take up the issue of sexism and misogyny with their peers and White people must take up the issue of racism and White supremacy with their peers.

Black women’s herstory has taught me I/we can’t wait for one form of oppression to end before addressing another form of oppression. We must simultaneously fight against all oppressions.

No One Is Free While Others Are Oppressed.

In Struggle, In Peace

Aishah Shahidah Simmons

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Sun Dawtah
Date: Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 6:13 AM
Subject: Re: Why Prop 8 Passed
To:

“We need more light about each other. Light creates understanding. Understanding creates love. Love creates patience. And patience creates unity” – El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

I agree. Below is my response to a post on a SGL Ifa practitioner’s group I’m subscribed to. To date only 3 (myself plus 2 others) have responded. That screams volumes to me.

— On Sat, 11/8/08, obeeah13 wrote:
From: obeeah13
Subject: [SocietyofTwoSpiritedOrisaPractitioners] what’s everyone’s opion of…..
To: SocietyofTwoSpiritedOrisaPractitioners@yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, November 8, 2008, 1:28 PM

The passing of prop 8 & 102 (gay marriage ban) deeply saddened me, even so, was that majority of the votes came from the black community. How does everyone feel about this?

— On Sun, 11/9/08, sun dawtah wrote:
From: sun dawtah
Subject: [SocietyofTwoSpiritedOrisaPractitioners] what’s everyone’s opion of…..
To: SocietyofTwoSpiritedOrisaPractitioners@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, November 9, 2008, 9:33 AM

I was also disappointed and have been equally distressed by the divisive turn of events. From the singling out of black and brown communities by the media and the recounting of racial epithets being spewed by some gay protesters at black passersby in West Hollywood; to discussions in the blogosphere, where some within the SGL community have expressed an unwillingness to build coalition around marriage equality because of racism within the gay community. Jasmyne Cannick basically states in her lastest post (and featured L.A. Times op-ed piece) that marriage equality is a white gay male issue. For me, this harkens back to the time when sista’s in the black liberation movement didn’t address issues of misogyny or rejected feminism as a way to support “the revolution”.

Racism is real in the LGBT community, somehow folks are going to have to build coalition. We in the SGL community can not afford to maintain toxic relations within our respective places of worship or stand by as theocracy marches on the move. The issues of racism and homophobia have to be addressed see article posted on http://www.myspace.com/draptophilia