Racism in the Gay Community- Commentary

I have always known since becoming more involved in LGBT issues that there was an underlying racism and elitism existing within LGBT activism and the community itself. I say this because I'm born and raised in Atlanta, GA which is within the traditional Rural South of the USA (The Good Ole Confederate states), and based on the images and presentation shown in the Media about LGBT life, which is mostly European-Caucasian based images.

Looking at the way the movement is presented in the media, it is mostly always a White Gay Agenda, and it appears that they are only pushing issues that relate to their "White Privilege", which many of them are in denial about. Also, many white gays, especially in the South, have hidden racism which explains why back in the days when I first started going to the clubs in Atlanta, we didn't have many Gay Bars that were multi-cultural in the inner city. And, you do not see a full representation of cultures in leadership position in these LGBT organizations. Having a token black or Latino person in your organization is not enough. And, I've seen many of them ABUSE their leadership authority and "Privilege".  Let's not forget the stereotypes that many of us as LGBT people fall into, which plays a part of the elitism going on in our community, such as people not speaking to you or hanging around you if you don't work out, have buff bodies, buy name-brand clothes, a upscale car, a condo or house in a ritzy middle to upper class area and so forth.

I have been a guest speaker at Georgia State University's College of Education for at least 5 or more times since early 2005 for various classes on Multi-Cultural Education and Gender-Bias, and I am always the only LGBT person of color that is present. I usually have to mention to the students about not just homophobia in communities of color, but also racism within the LGBT community. Some of them were SHOCKED! They say, How can LGBT people be racist when they are just as marginalized? And, being Black & Gay is a Double (if not Triple) strike.

I remember the first time ever hearing about Racism within the LGBT community from an incident told to me by my late high school friend and LGBT performer / activist, R. Leigh "Tre" Johnson back in 1991. He talked to me about a confrontation he had with a White Lesbian who made some racial comments towards him in their conversation. Being the bold and confident Black Gay man that he was, he responded that calling me the "N" word is no different than your White heterosexual counterparts bashing you and discriminating against you for your sexual orientation and your gender. She thought about what he said and apologized after wards for her ignorance.

Many current leaders in the LGBT movement and community fail to forget the people who were responsible for starting the Gay Rights Initiative. Blacks & Latinos (in particular the Transgenders, Drag Queens, & Effeminate Gay males), have been involved and at the forefront of the LGBT movement since the beginning of the Stonewall Riots in NYC in 1969, but many were never fully recognized. Also, after organizing the March on Washington in the 60's where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I Have A Dream" speech, the late Mr. Bayard Rustin (an out black gay man) was also involved heavily in LGBT rights, and who strongly urged that LGBT organizations should stand up for ALL MINORITIES.
As a spiritual friend of mine, Rafiq Jennings (a New Black gay writer/journalist in NYC), stated; "Today's LGBT movement seems to be saying "It's Diversity by agreeing with "Their Agenda", which in many cases does not always include us."

It seems to me that the current LGBT community is only thinking about "Privileges" instead of our human planetary birthright; the right to EXIST, SELF-EXPRESSION, TO BE whoever and whatever that is, NON-CONDITIONALLY. There's a difference between Civil Rights and HUMAN RIGHTS. I encourage each of us to study and know the difference between the two.

To begin your study on the History of the LGBT Movement further, start by visiting the following Wikipedia link about Stonewall: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots

(c) 2008, Miko Evans (Courtesy of Meak Productions, Inc.) / Atlanta, GA. - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!