Saving The Best For Last: There Is No Such Thing As Black LGBT Leadership In California.
We’re sorry. An annual call to march in the King Day parade does not create the presence of black gay leadership or a black LGBT community for that matter. The fact that it takes the same effort to get 30 or so gay black folks together as it does to put together a rally in West Hollywood for thousands indicates that there lives a significant amount of dysfunction in the black LGBT community surrounding identity and self-loathing homophobia among other issues.
We really can’t point fingers at Rick Jacobs, EQCA or anybody else for that matter without addressing the bamboozlement that’s off-handidly referred to as leadership in the local black LGBT community. The fact is, there isn’t any. And to our knowledge as natives of Los Angeles, there never has been.
Oh, we could go down the laundry list of well worn names: Cleo Manago, Jeffrey King, Rev. Alfreda Lanoix, Jewel of Catch One? Um…um…oh. Okay. We guess that’s it.
We don’t count black folks who either work for organizations outside of the black community or live outside of the black community. Nope. Sorry. And that ain’t hate. That’s just the reality of it. If you don’t live in the black community how the hell you gonna manifest and teach the love of self for others who need it in the black community?
And that’s what needed folks. That’s what’s so so deeply needed. Love of self in the black LGBT and same gender loving community—here—in California. Ain’t no way in hell anybody can tell us that Karen Bass—-that’s right—-we’re staying on that train til the wheels fall off—can’t nobody tell us that there ain’t a serious self-esteem problem with the black LGBT community in Los Angeles when well known black politicians like Miss Bass, Curran Price and Mark Ridley-Scott can back a black preacher who isn’t for equality for all in every way and not be met with a drop of opposition or at least concern from the local black LGBT community.
Most of us black LGBT have spent our lifetimes turning our heads the other way. That’s how we live, thrive and survive in the hood—by pretending not to know. And when that doesn’t work we turn our attention, blame and fury on the racial disparities we’ve experienced in the LGBT community over all and use that as banners as to why we don’t and shouldn’t “join in” with the gay white folks on any social platform or issue facing the greater LGBT population. We have heard more reasons why gay marriage or gay civil rights is not and will not be a priority or concern for black LGBTs in Los Angeles from black LGBTs—-everything but the truth.
And truth of the matter is over generations we’ve adapted so well to the ingrained homophobia in African American culture that for many of us all this drama and hoopla about gay civil rights at the root of it is truly and authentically a fussy gay white privilege problem.
To some degree that belief is not that far off base from our view. Why just today we read that the Palm Center, a Santa Barbara-CA based gay research think tank suggests that President Obama not be supported by LGBTs for re-election if Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is not lifted in his first term.
We can’t speak for any other gay folks of color but just to see that in print immediately turns us the fuck off to the whole LGBT rights spectrum. We don’t want to touch it, support it, or have anything to do with it. We will never ever see eye to eye with those gay white folks and friends who have made and continue to make it all President Obama’s fault with his year and some change in office. The math just doesn’t equate. To even suggest that Obama not be supported for reelection if DADT is not repealed in his first term speaks to us of gay white racism and a grandoise entitlement due to those at the forefront of such demands not ever actually experiencing true oppression at all since they bear no witness or battle scars to prove it. That’s how we hear it , smell it and see it.
Demands like the above could be why so many local black LGBT are so disenfranchised and indifferent to the “the movement.” We honestly don’t know why local black LGBTs eyes tend to glaze over in the face of a equality discussion or a call to action. It could be a combination of all of the above and then some. But we do know one thing; straight black politicians here in California are obviously taking full advantage of that apathy. Dog catcher today—councilman tomorrow. We need to wake up and realize that the ingrained and seemingly harmless cultural homophobia that thrives in our own community is the deadliest of any disease or sickness any of us have ever faced.
And until we stand up to it, AIDS will continue to skyrocket among our brothers and sisters, our youth will still have to find homes in the street, our black ministers will continue to preach against our worthiness to be loved, welcomed and revered as God’s children in our own families and communities. And our politicians will continue to unapologetically endorse religious homophobia as a typical way of the black political mindset and quietly showcase as their proud example the self-righteous anti-gay convictions of an upstanding black community member in worship who decides to run for office. In other words, their idea of a perfectly normal and well adjusted way of living and viewing the world and beliefs on sexuality that’s representational of a leader emerging from the black community.
Sad thing is, unchallenged and unchecked that point of view continues to kill us psychologically, spiritually and physically. There’s simply no justification in being silent in the face of it.
So to those of you who deem to call yourselves black LGBT and same gender loving leaders in the African American community of this state—-if you actually do exist— you do our community a huge disservice by dismissing the unlimited wealth of self love and empowerment to be found in the black LGBT community putting the issue of equality at the forefront of our “to do” list.
Visibly standing up to homophobia in the black community has nothing to do with cosigning with white gay folks and their ideas on standing up for equality and what that should look like or their reasons behind them. And it has everything to do with our mental and physical health, our love of self, our pride in our same gender love and most importantly our place as invaluable powerful contributors to the ongoing journey of the Afro American in this nation.
Will you be the one to lead? Somebody? Anybody?
Tags: African American community, African American LGBT, Christian Right, Kingdom Day Parade, marriage equality
Community | Derrick Mathis February 17, 2010
4 Comments to “Saving The Best For Last: There Is No Such Thing As Black LGBT Leadership In California.”
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By Habeeb, February 18, 2010 @ 7:02 am
A very powerful article that I am embarrassed to be so late in getting to. In my own defense I thought the MLK day parade would be rained out, but this still does not give me an excuse not to have shown up. Please keep me informed
By Ange-Marie Hancock, February 18, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Another great post. So much said here that it's hard to comment on everything…but I wonder whether the fact of being "both/and" means that LGBT African Americans share in the ongoing trauma of the Black community – living in the States while Black isn't in the DSM IV, but coping with racism and coping with homophobia both produce ongoing scars. I say this not to excuse, but to acknowledge and recognize the need for healing. Who is offering THAT kind of healing? The person offering that healing qualifies to me as a leader.
By Mark Fischer, February 20, 2010 @ 11:06 pm
Derrick,
You make very many good points that I am glad to see expressed publicly.
I must point out, in a totally non-defensive way, that there are a significant number of White LGBT people who reject the "official" (over-paid, professional, queer-for-a-living) LGBT leadership and organizations. We also reject the Obama bashing bloggers who rant like spoiled children and threaten to "hold their breath until they turn blue" if Obama doesn't wave a magic want and make their personal fairy fantasy come true.
These morons don't see that withholding in politics is not like withholding in bed. In bed, your spaghetti-spine partner may come groveling back if you withhold. In politics, if you leave the playing field, you are out of the game and the opposition will kick your ass, take over and kick your ass some more. Withholding from Obama and Democrats IS SUPPORTING the GOP!
I supported Obama from "day one" and still support him today. In the words of Professor Michael Eric Dyson, "I support my President but I reserve the right to engage him critically from time to time."
Too many LGBT folks see only their narrow self-interest and ignore the greater needs of the nation as a whole. As one who serves as an appointed unpaid member of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Planning Council for the Washington, DC Metropolitan Region, I was disgusted at the virtual absence of any attention or concern in the LGBT online community and blogosphere about the re-authorization of the Ryan White CARE Act that serves as an absolutely vital safety net to poor people living with HIV/AIDS. Zero credit was given to Obama and the Congress for passing the strongest RWCA re-authorization yet. Similarly, the LGBT community has virtually ignored the Obama administration's work to create a Comprehensive National HIV/AIDS policy that included 14 Community Discussions on HIV/AIDS across the country plus three special stakeholder meetings in DC (Women and HIV, Youth and HIV, Housing and HIV).
The most visible evidence of the LGBT community sentiment shows a failure to see that the economy, health care, education, the environment, energy independence and other matters are crucial to ALL Americans, gay and straight alike. The same "loudest voices" of the LGBT community do not seem to recognize that the President has an obligation to address the problems that affect the largest number of people first. Overall, these LGBT spokespersons do not show evidence of a genuine sense of community and human compassion except as it related to their narrowly defined "LGBT community". Yet, when it comes time to fight for LGBT issues, they expect those they routinely ignore to magically show up and rally round for "their stuff". Sorry folks, it doesn't work that way! This one-sided perspective is not as much about being White as it is about being privileged, self-centered and immature.
CONTINUES BELOW >>>>>
By Mark Fischer, February 20, 2010 @ 11:07 pm
>>>>> CONTINUED FROM ABOVE
I understand the sources and pressures of homophobia in the African American church and community. I realize that Blacks (and Latinos and Asians, etc) are underrepresented in the LGBT leadership. However, as I believe you agree, it is impossible to be a leader if you cannot or will not stand up and speak out in public. I came out in 1973. At that time, the attitude toward gays in the White community was not that much different than it is in the Black community today. Coming out in 1973 was not easy for me but it was far better than the alternative of living a lie. I would not trade the past 37 years of living my "true life" for a chance to avoid the considerable material and emotional prices I have paid for being who I was born to be.
So, despite my understanding and empathy, I suggest that those who want to be included as LGBT leaders need to emerge into the daylight. More than that, the Black community, gay and straight, needs courageous leaders to address pressing issues and maximize human potential. In many instances, there are issues in the African American community that can only be addressed effectively by Black citizen leaders. Again, I turn to the challenge of HIV/AIDS which is ravaging the African American community. Faith-based homophobia leads directly to HIV/AIDS stigma. HIV/AIDS stigma leads directly to the refusal to get tested. The refusal to get tested leads to not knowing ones status or get treated if needed. Not knowing ones HIV status leads directly to failing to disclose HIV status to sexual partners and often to having unsafe sex. Failing to disclose HIV status to sexual partners and having unsafe sex lead directly to new infections and the unchecked spread of the HIV virus. So, homophobia leads to the spread of the HIV virus.
Black folks are not going to listen to White folks or other strangers who come into their churches and their communities to say the church and the communities beliefs about homosexuality are wrong , making people sick and killing people.
Only courageous Black citizen leaders can deliver this life-saving message that will also strengthen families and remove a major divide in the community.
One does not have to be Black to care about the African American community and to see it grow stronger so massive human potential can be realized for the benefit of the community itself as well as for the nation as a whole.
Be well!