I’m sure the black community can deal with one more stereotype being added to the growing list. We’re used to it. Honestly, I stopped wondering which prejudice was being projected onto me (thug, theif, DL, homophobe, ignorant, poor) a long time ago.

I hope you write more for BTB!!

I’m not convinced. Where are the demographic measures of attitudes towards sexual orientation and LGBT discrimination in the the black community? I don’t see that that indicates bias or a lack of self-reflection in the black community

Brain said ” Of what few studies there are, yes, they have shown the pervasiveness of discrimination, especially in the following areas: Allocation of funds, representations of queer people of color in media, lack of positions of power for queer people of color. Start here: http://www.youth-suicide.com/gay-bisexual/racism-gay-lesbian/ Look at footnotes, check out books, do the work.”.

I don’t see anything in the link you posted that indicates the overall level of racism in the LGBT community vis a vis society as a whole although I didn’t look at it in depth. It appears sample sizes were very small and to be largely annecdotal evidence, such as the study on racism asians face in the gay community. The anecdotes in that study contradict the anecdotes I’ve heard. While that study claims that asians are rejected by caucasions as unattractive the only Asian I’m familiar with had the exact opposite experience – whites would frequently fawn over him, shower him with gifts and offer to do anything for him. He frequently went out to gay bars to seek out this sort of caucasion fan.

Is there something in the studies you posted the link to that would summarize the attitudes of whites towards blacks and other minorities in the way that the exit polls on prop 8 did? Those polls provided a convenient summary that allowed one to compare the level of animosity towards the LGBT community between blacks and whites.

1. The fact that there are few demographic measures of racial attitudes and racial discrimination in the LGBT community itself indicates bias and lack of self-reflection. The fact that some people demand evidence, but haven’t bothered to do at least precursory research themselves (yes, it’s out there) is a problem and betrays a lack of concern for racial justice.

2. If racism in the LGBT community is “just as bad” as racism in larger society we still have a serious problem because racism in larger society is totally unacceptable. This demand for the same kind of studies is a form of the “let’s compare my oppression to yours” game. But LGBTs tend to lose that game, and I personally hate it.

3. Of what few studies there are, yes, they have shown the pervasiveness of discrimination, especially in the following areas: Allocation of funds, representations of queer people of color in media, lack of positions of power for queer people of color. Start here: http://www.youth-suicide.com/gay-bisexual/racism-gay-lesbian/ Look at footnotes, check out books, do the work.

4. The ideology of LGBT politics can distort reality. It is in our interests to talk a good game about diversity, but if it is not put into practice, it is a smokescreen that hides real discrimination on the ground.

TRiG,
Ireland.

I don’t think Pender made that claim. What he said was that the LGBT community isn’t disproportionately racist. Unlike with the black communities voting record on anti-gay propositions with the LGBT community we don’t have anything that would indicate the level of racism within it. So any claims that the racism within the LGBT community is the same as within society as a whole have no support either.

Gabriel, I think you are right in that black queer people are suspicious of conversations about “black homophobia” from white people because of the timing and tone of these conversations, which reminds us of colonializing and demonizing rhetoric we often get from society at large. Gender and sexuality have long been used to dehumanize the “other,” the “oriental,” the “savage,” etc.

So I appreciate your call for having the conversation be led by black queer people.

But in my analysis, racism and “black homophobia” are inseparable and reinforce one another. And I have a problem when people claim to want to have an “honest” talk about homophobia when they are unwilling to talk about racism (inside and outside the LGBT community). It is this widespread unwillingness to talk about racism that makes this black queer man react negatively to diatribes about “black homophobia.”

When Coretta Scott King or Al Sharpton say something about homophobia, that is one thing because we know, contextually, where they are coming from and why they are saying it. We know that their statements are being made in the interests of black liberation and black people. When someone in the LGBT community who has never been concerned with racism or racial issues says it, well, we are suspicious. Should we not be?

@ Jim:

Thank you for your response to Pender. Yes, it is an extraordinary claim to say that the LGBT community is less racist than society as a whole. And American society is still unacceptably racist, as we can see in all measurements of housing, income and education.

@Pender:

To blame the lack of representation of LGBT black people on not coming out is a huge copout. There are enough black queer people out to have far more representation than we do have.

One study showed that black queer people are more likely to have families and children than white queer people. Why is it that there are STILL few blacks represented in marriage equality ads and campaigns?