Black Gay Activists Break From Get Equal; Forms Get Equal In Blackface
Gay Is The New Black This Time Fo' Realz
So anybody read Queerty’s post on African American LGBT activists C.D. Kirven and Michael Robinson breaking off from Get Equal and forming their equality group Get Equal Now? You should read it. Very interesting how that all came about. And we love Queerty’s title for the post: Can GetEQUAL NOW Make the LGBT Rights Movement Less Racist, Transphobic, and Ageist?
Here’s our answer to Queerty’s question: we HIGHLY doubt it.
You see, the Get Equal Now folks kicked off their debut with something very typical of black LGBT led groups these days. And that is how blacks have to find out about Get Equal Now’s existence. Yeah, to learn of it us darkies—-we need to be the type of black gay folks who’re up on non-black LGBT online publications or Websites. This means if you’re black and gay and don’t read Queerty, well, you’ll find out about Get Equal Now—eventually.
Maybe someone white, black-friendly and gay will be thoughtful enough at some point down the road to share the news of Get Equal Now’s formation with you.
That right there tells you just how connected supposedly “diversity driven” peeps like Get Equal Now are in terms of the inclusion of black LGBT and same gender loving communities and the way they communicate with us:
WHITES IN THE FRONT OF THE BUS—-AS FOR YOU NEGROES THERE’S NO NEED FOR CHIT CHAT. YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO
But this GLARING and painfully obvious kind of anti-black second class treatment doesn’t just belong to new kids on the block Get Equal Now. Oh noooooooo. Why, earlier this year back in February, Jeffrey King of the LA-based black gay men’s group In The Meantime formed alliance with several upstanding black LGBT activists in town such as Nii-Quartelai Quartey, Ron Buckmire of the Jordan Rustin Coalition and some other dignified black gay folks to create the LGBT Black Network.
Angelenos ourselves, why we found out about the group THE DAY OF their first meeting by happenstance via a detailed and informative posting on Karen Ocamb’s blog LGBT POV. And don’t get us wrong—-they certainly had and have no obligation to tell us a thing. But we did find it a trifle odd that none of the blogs written by African American LGBT folks locally or anywhere else on the planet had any mention or knowledge even of the formation of this group. That is, until like us, they read about it in on Ocamb’s blog.
Yet odd as it seems, we’re frequently given the heads up and several times over the past year even given exclusives by non-black orgs and activists on latest developments happening in their immediate realms. Most recently queer activist Tony Cochran all but dealt exclusively with RENWL in setting a debate with Get Equal leader Robin McGehee. Both individuals represent the interests of national and multi-cultural LGBT and queer organizations and movements.
Just the other day our dear friend and comrade local African American gay blogger Viktor T. Kerney (southern4life.blogspot.com) shared with us his amazement on being singled out and approached by white LGBT important politicos who were in attendance last week at USC’s Townhall for Admiral Mullen. They knew who he was because they followed his posts.
The Get Equal Now kids strike out on their own
BUT… for some reason RENWL and other black politically-minded online outlets aren’t good enough for local black LGBT concerns or formations like Get Equal Now. And no—blogs by folks like Ron Buckmire hellbent on smearing the likes of Jasmyne Cannick—-a very pro-black activist IN the local black community—–do not apply.
So in regards to Get Equal Now’s latest announcement via Queerty—we have very little to add. But only to say NOTHING has changed in terms of black inclusion in the equality movement because black gays haven’t changed their behavior towards their own when given the opportunity to do so.
It is sad to see that in 2010 when black gay folks—-those who deem to represent the interests of other blacks or people of color are presented with a choice of either a black doll or a white one—they still unanimously reach for the white one. What can ya do?
Queerty: Can GetEQUAL NOW Make the LGBT Rights Movement Less Racist, Transphobic, and Ageist?
Tags: African American community, African American LGBT, Get Equal, lgbt news, marriage equality
News | Derrick Mathis June 17, 2010
9 Comments to “Black Gay Activists Break From Get Equal; Forms Get Equal In Blackface”
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By wondermann, June 18, 2010 @ 4:41 am
Very good, very good. Are they really, creating Get EQUAL now?
By derrick9, June 18, 2010 @ 4:46 am
Oh yes, dear. Go to that Queerty link in the post. It will tell you all.
By Cleo Manago, June 18, 2010 @ 5:27 am
Derrick, how many times do I have to tell you that the Black so-called “LGBT” “community” (which does not exist), has little to no leadership of its own. The [White] gay 'Equal' people are just opportunizing off of the leadership dearth, and how easy it is to buy these Black “gays” who are buyable as a result of that they are not leaders, but opportunist. Just like the Black opportunist who guided legions of Black men into being guinea-pigs for the Tuskegee syphilis study. That poor traumatized, socially, spiritually and historically embattled community had no [affirmed pro-Black and restorative] leadership either. A leader is "a person who influences a group of [their] people towards the achievement of a collectively beneficial goal." These gay identified Black people you refer to are “actors” filling space amidst a community filled with distractions (a failed Black “gay” HIV service system; no vital organization of its own (or that it has the courage to openly acknowledge); disproportionate levels of depression, complacency, cynicism, psycho-political fatigue and trauma).
By Cleo Manago, June 18, 2010 @ 5:28 am
Homosexual Black folks who are self-determined or organic leadership leaders can’t be bought by anyone. They start movements and lead their collective toward informed and powerful decisions [directly] relevant to the community. They are trend-makers, not bought Black-faced poster children for the agendas of racist or other-wise dismissive others.
Lastly, Blacks identifying as an “LGBT” and [especially] queer is clear evidence of who the real leaders are, White gays. That you highlight these Black persons as having chosen the White doll implies that they had previously chosen the Black one. When in fact they are choosing – philosophically– who they have always been comparatively more loyal too.
By Cleo Manago , June 18, 2010 @ 5:29 am
The question you might consider pondering is, beyond posturing, being divisive and organizing glorified social events that they call a community project, what leadership have they shown? As stated, the Black so-called “LGBT” “community” (which does not exist), has little to no leadership. White folks do and have always run – philosophically, politically or financially – the “LGBT” identified Black community. The whole damn thing takes place in the context of a “White Doll” overlord. What’s sad to see in 2010 is that you and others don’t resist or recognize that fact.
By Cleo Manago , June 18, 2010 @ 5:34 am
What I meant was, "Homosexual Black folks who are self-determined or organic leaders can’t be bought by anyone."
By Peace and Love, June 24, 2010 @ 6:29 am
Why is there such anomosity towards Kervin and Robinson? Please don't tell me that the authors of the above comments deny the heavy prescence of racism, transphobia and ageism in the LGBT community? The truth of this matter is simple. Kervin and Robinson like many queer people of color took an stance against the blunt exclusion they too often faced. And now instead of their actions being praised as it should be it is instead by a handful of people on this page being pulled down into little pieces. How unfortuate.
It is clearly appaling and hyprocritical for any organization claiming to stand for justice to so willingly abed to injustice as GetEqual had and continues to do. I applaud Kervin and Robinson's dedication to the LGBT Movement by not allowing a few fools to sway them away from the greater goal at hand, ending ALL forms of oppression.
The claim that queer blacks hold "little to no leadership experience" is proposterious as well as flat out untrue. I would encourage those who share that view to perform their research more thoroughly. Unfortuately, the dominance of white culture in the LGBT movement often swallows up the amazing work of queer people of color.
By Peace and Love, June 24, 2010 @ 6:30 am
Contin.
The lack of understanding of systems of oppression and black peoples is obvious through the comments resting above mine. It is not "playing the race card" that drags the gay movement down. It is the continued and vibrant disregard of the pain and suffering of other queer peoples, those who happen to embody a darken skin color.
By 1323355, May 15, 2011 @ 7:13 pm
1323355 beers on the wall.