Okay, it's time for some righteous indignation. It seems that a large portion of California's white gay community is pointing their fingers directly at the Black community for the failure to defeat Proposition 8 to the point of threatening bodily harm and shouting the n-word. Interesting. Now before I tear a new one, let's look at one simple fact first. According to the California Census of 2006, African Americans made up for only 6.7% of California's total population. Let's assume that say, a percentage of that is made up of underage citizens, and dare I say, people in prison. Get my point? Blogger Rod McCullom at Rod 2.0 goes into more depth on the matter.
I've always had a bone to pick with white gays who are always eager to equate the Gay Rights Movement's struggles with those of the Civil Rights Movement. I believe that this is fundamentally wrong for obvious reasons. One is that both movements do, and have indeed fought for civil rights, and have heroes who have fought for us and who have, in some instances, made the ultimate sacrifices in order to be heard. The second is that race and sexuality are two very different identifiers, though. They are both states of being, but one has the decision and ability to repress and downplay one's sexuality. Not so with race. You can't cover your skin before you walk into a job interview, apply for housing, or even catch a cab.That said, white gays are able to enjoy all of the advantages of the majority in this society, in terms of income levels, housing and jobs, whereas blacks cannot. It's just that simple. And just as blacks could be accused of homophobia and in some instances, racism, so can the white gay community.
Take a look at a typical gay white enclave in any major city. Tell me what you see. Most likely you'll see an affluent strip or neighborhood filled with cafes, restaurants, lounges and clubs and gyms which cater to mostly white patrons. Not that people of color are not welcome, well, sort of. But there is definitely a difference between NY's Chelsea and the black and Latino communties of Upper Manhattan and the outer boroughs of New York City, for instance. While the minority community does include people who enjoy a certian level of economic success, and there are definitely areas where whites are not particularly welcomed, but that would most likely pertain the diversity of the areas as whole - and not a specific gay area. I believe that the main distinction between the two is privilege and access to education and means. And I wonder how many trust fund babies were present at those protests? Yes, we could all make it if we try, but even with our new President, things are not going to change right away for some of us. Though we can expect some change, it won't happen overnight, and the same people with the same attitudes, political positions and cultural perceptions will still be responsible and in charge of our police departments, corporations, prisons, real estate rental offices, etc. The same can also be said about gay marriage. The vast majority of this country is comprised of caucasians with strong religious values, no? Who are you really fighting against? Yourselves? Please choose your adversaries wisely.
Look, I'm all for the inclusion of all cultures into the fabric that makes up our society at large. That means equal rights for African Americans, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, and the rights of dogs, cats, bunnies and gophers for that matter, but please stop it with the racist and homophobic bullshit against other cultures while claiming to want the same respect and rights for your own. It's counterproductive, to say the least.
And take a good look in the morror, while you're at it.
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