It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! Most Americans will probably spend this day sitting at home, perhaps taking in a movie. School kids
will get a perfunctory lesson about civil rights. College kids will recover from partying last night. MLK Day is observed on the third Monday of January each year, (January 16, 2012) to pay honor to Dr. Martin Luther King and to the principles for which he lived and died. The holiday also celebrates the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the history of the civil rights movement in the United States.
The other component of the MLK holiday is "The Day of Service" which fosters his legacy by transforming the federal holiday into a national day of community service grounded in his teachings of nonviolence and social justice. The idea is to make the holiday a day ON, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers, and move our nation closer to the " Community”
that Dr. Martin Luther King envisioned.
Here we’re taking the opportunity to reflect on King’s legacy by spotlighting some interesting political, cultural and artistic efforts
from gay men of color, primarily black men.
But first, a quick note.
The Dr. King you know today is not the Dr. King that was, for better or worse. One of the strangest aspects of King’s legacy is he is now claimed by virtually everyone. Conservatives and leftists, white men and black women, and, yes, GLBT folk of all stripes, have all said they are the true descendents of King’s political philosophy.
Clearly, some groups can make a better claim than others.
Still, rather than decide the best way to honor King. I decided to merely pick a few things that, in my personal opinion, are worthy of
recognition. The point isn’t to be comprehensive (that’s impossible). The point is to spotlight what might otherwise go unrecognized.
As always: I can’t do it alone! Please use the comments to make your own suggestions on books, plays, movies, political groups, charities, etc. you think best honor Dr. King and the political movement he helped spearhead.
Political Organizations
will get a perfunctory lesson about civil rights. College kids will recover from partying last night. MLK Day is observed on the third Monday of January each year, (January 16, 2012) to pay honor to Dr. Martin Luther King and to the principles for which he lived and died. The holiday also celebrates the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the history of the civil rights movement in the United States.
The other component of the MLK holiday is "The Day of Service" which fosters his legacy by transforming the federal holiday into a national day of community service grounded in his teachings of nonviolence and social justice. The idea is to make the holiday a day ON, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to improve lives, bridge social barriers, and move our nation closer to the " Community”
that Dr. Martin Luther King envisioned.
Here we’re taking the opportunity to reflect on King’s legacy by spotlighting some interesting political, cultural and artistic efforts
from gay men of color, primarily black men.
But first, a quick note.
The Dr. King you know today is not the Dr. King that was, for better or worse. One of the strangest aspects of King’s legacy is he is now claimed by virtually everyone. Conservatives and leftists, white men and black women, and, yes, GLBT folk of all stripes, have all said they are the true descendents of King’s political philosophy.
Clearly, some groups can make a better claim than others.
Still, rather than decide the best way to honor King. I decided to merely pick a few things that, in my personal opinion, are worthy of
recognition. The point isn’t to be comprehensive (that’s impossible). The point is to spotlight what might otherwise go unrecognized.
As always: I can’t do it alone! Please use the comments to make your own suggestions on books, plays, movies, political groups, charities, etc. you think best honor Dr. King and the political movement he helped spearhead.
Political Organizations
Few would deny the Human Rights Campaign is the organization gay people first think of when they consider donating to a political cause. Yet over the past few years, bloggers and individuals have grown increasingly disenchanted with the organization, as federal legislation on a variety of issues has either died or stalled.
There are a number of other groups individuals can support, some of whom arguably come closer King’s political ideal.
One such group is Queers for Economic Justice, a non-profit activist organization committed to equality for poor and
working class LGBT people, including people of color, trans individuals, homeless youth, to name a few.
New York-based QEJ’s major initiative this year is advocating for better housing conditions for the LGBT homeless in the city, particularly youth. QEJ is trying to institute non-discrimination and anti-violence laws within the shelter system. Last year QEJ contributed to research on low-income LGBT people and coordinated with national groups like the Equality Federation to
organize for healthcare reform. The group, located in midtown, also provides a safe space for various community groups to meet, organize and commune.
There are a number of other groups individuals can support, some of whom arguably come closer King’s political ideal.
One such group is Queers for Economic Justice, a non-profit activist organization committed to equality for poor and
working class LGBT people, including people of color, trans individuals, homeless youth, to name a few.
New York-based QEJ’s major initiative this year is advocating for better housing conditions for the LGBT homeless in the city, particularly youth. QEJ is trying to institute non-discrimination and anti-violence laws within the shelter system. Last year QEJ contributed to research on low-income LGBT people and coordinated with national groups like the Equality Federation to
organize for healthcare reform. The group, located in midtown, also provides a safe space for various community groups to meet, organize and commune.
For former executive director Kenyon Farrow, QEJ’s mission honors Dr. King’s commitment to economic equality, his critiques of
capitalism and his stance against war and imperialism (QEJ opposes DADT's repeal). The HRC, in his view, is often too focused on the concerns of the middle and upper class.
“We need to revisit the totality of King’s thinking and the totality of his work,” said Farrow, one of Outmagazine’s Out 100 in 2008. “We have to be able to mobilize queer communities that do the kind of community-building and community-organizing that actually changes conditions.”
But there are numerous organizations committed to the kinds of radical reform King espoused. They include but are not limited to: GMHC, ACT UP, The Audre Lorde Project,Sylvia Rivera Law Project, FIERCE, Gender JUST, TGI Justice Project,and Southerners on New Ground.
Farrow also highlighted activist work in Newark following the brutal murders a few years back: Newark x Pride, African American Office Of Gay Concerns and Newark Pride Alliance.
capitalism and his stance against war and imperialism (QEJ opposes DADT's repeal). The HRC, in his view, is often too focused on the concerns of the middle and upper class.
“We need to revisit the totality of King’s thinking and the totality of his work,” said Farrow, one of Outmagazine’s Out 100 in 2008. “We have to be able to mobilize queer communities that do the kind of community-building and community-organizing that actually changes conditions.”
But there are numerous organizations committed to the kinds of radical reform King espoused. They include but are not limited to: GMHC, ACT UP, The Audre Lorde Project,Sylvia Rivera Law Project, FIERCE, Gender JUST, TGI Justice Project,and Southerners on New Ground.
Farrow also highlighted activist work in Newark following the brutal murders a few years back: Newark x Pride, African American Office Of Gay Concerns and Newark Pride Alliance.
BOOKSWhen I started to write this column, the book I knew I’d have to highlight is
E. Patrick Johnson’s Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South. Sweet Tea is an accessible and exciting oral history of the lives of dozens of black gay men. The book explores issues from religion and family, to sex and history. Dr. Johnson, a professor at Northwestern, compiled a stirring collection of fascinating stories from current and past black gay history. It has tales of illicit sexual encounters, anecdotes of pre-war black nightlife, and moving portraits of how Southern men deal with revealing and concealing their sexuality. Ultimately, Sweet Tea validates the lives of these black gay men and reinforces the role of storytelling in both African American and southern cultures. If your preference is for theater, Johnson has adapted the book into a wonderful one-man show, in which he acts out the characters from his book. It’s a moving, hilarious and accomplished bit of acting. You can watch a trailer for the Sweet Tea .stage production below and audio clips by clicking to the right. |
MoviesThere are a lot of great movies by and about directors of color, and tons of
unnoticed documentaries every year, too many to name.I do want to mention a modest documentary from filmmaker Abigail Child, On the Down Low (available to stream on Netflix). We’ve spent decades feverishly worrying about the black man and his problems, and one of the biggest media panics has been the “down low,”the man who has sex with men who doesn’t identify as gay. Rather than indulge media sensationalism or the superficial terms like “the closet,” Child instead follows four men as they work through the complications of being black and attracted to men: from prison to family, having children and having a boyfriend, skin color and gender expression. On the Down Low poses no answers, just a few intimate portraits of people trying to find themselves despite social and political pressure. |
YouTube and Web Series
It’s a cliché but it’s true: the web has allowed for a whole host of new voices in our media landscape.
While there aren’t many, there are some gay men of color who take the time to discuss politics and identity.
Among my favorites are Xem Van Adams, B. Scott and Bjorn Duphot (pictured below, clockwise from top left).
It’s a cliché but it’s true: the web has allowed for a whole host of new voices in our media landscape.
While there aren’t many, there are some gay men of color who take the time to discuss politics and identity.
Among my favorites are Xem Van Adams, B. Scott and Bjorn Duphot (pictured below, clockwise from top left).
On the web series front, a couple stand out. In theMoment, produced by the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian
Center and sponsors, uses hot guys and melodrama to showcase issues with health and relationships for gay men. Drama
Queenz takes a more light-hearted approach to being black and gay in New York City.
Center and sponsors, uses hot guys and melodrama to showcase issues with health and relationships for gay men. Drama
Queenz takes a more light-hearted approach to being black and gay in New York City.
Artists
Past artistic and political movements have paved the way for a number of queer art stars of color to emerge over the last few years.
You can hardly go a few weeks without seeing Kalup Linzy, Terence Koh or Kehinde Wiley profiled in Artforum or the New York Times.
Linzy, perhaps best known for collaborating with James Franco on numerous projects, has carved a niche through his queer performances and videos. He remains the most recent in a long line of black artists who’ve played with gender expression on the stage and in film.
You can hardly go a few weeks without seeing Kalup Linzy, Terence Koh or Kehinde Wiley profiled in Artforum or the New York Times.
Linzy, perhaps best known for collaborating with James Franco on numerous projects, has carved a niche through his queer performances and videos. He remains the most recent in a long line of black artists who’ve played with gender expression on the stage and in film.
Wiley has risen to international fame through his strange and ambiguous portraits of butch black men, while Koh’s minimalist pieces emphasize the communal experience of consuming art that had its birth in the sixties.
Publications
The world is not wanting for gay blogs, and there are plenty of great ones out there that cover politics, both national and local, including AE (of course), Andrew Sullivan, Towleroad, Queerty, The New Gay, Bilerico Project, etc. But Rod 2.0 Beta has been a leading voice connecting national and LGBT politics with issues specific to black gay men.
For six years, Rod McCullom has blogged about pop culture and politics, building an audience for posts on everything from African politics to
shirtless pics of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“The stories that are most important to me are those that aren't covered elsewhere – hate crimes against black LGBT often receive scant attention, black gay newsmakers in Hollywood, hypocrisy of pastors in the black church, looking for pro-LGBT angles in black community, stories that have a black or Latino LGBT angle most people wouldn't know,” McCullom told me.
Part of what keeps McCullom active is the political climate for LGBT people color, which he says is mixed at best. “There is a younger generation that is out and active, but there are many more who remain closeted because the current and older generations are closeted,” he said. “There are more portrayals of gay characters on TV and film, but precious few are Black, Latino, Asian or such… This is why it's necessary to tell our own stories, and don't wait for others to do it."
Obviously this “list” only scratches the surface of recent queer art, culture and politics for men of color. What have I missed? See our LINKS.
For six years, Rod McCullom has blogged about pop culture and politics, building an audience for posts on everything from African politics to
shirtless pics of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“The stories that are most important to me are those that aren't covered elsewhere – hate crimes against black LGBT often receive scant attention, black gay newsmakers in Hollywood, hypocrisy of pastors in the black church, looking for pro-LGBT angles in black community, stories that have a black or Latino LGBT angle most people wouldn't know,” McCullom told me.
Part of what keeps McCullom active is the political climate for LGBT people color, which he says is mixed at best. “There is a younger generation that is out and active, but there are many more who remain closeted because the current and older generations are closeted,” he said. “There are more portrayals of gay characters on TV and film, but precious few are Black, Latino, Asian or such… This is why it's necessary to tell our own stories, and don't wait for others to do it."
Obviously this “list” only scratches the surface of recent queer art, culture and politics for men of color. What have I missed? See our LINKS.
Don Lemon and Will Sheridan Just Made Life, a Whole Lot Sweeter For Gay Men of Color!!
If you believe in something, if you truly stand for something, you should never be afraid to put your name on a list." — My Father
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Getting the news that both CNN anchor Don
Lemon and Villanova basketball star Will Sheridan came out as gay men – African-American gay men in 2011 – within twenty-four hours of each other was like watching the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl or hearing that According To Jim got canceled. My smile simply refused to leave my face. I was smiling for a number of reasons.
I was smiling because it never hurts to have two more very handsome and intelligent men as part of the community. Not that I'm saying I would stand a chance with either of them, but I'm not saying I wouldn't either. (Wow, that sounded almost like something P!nk would sing).
I was also smiling also because I could not contain my pride in both these men. In very different phases of their lives and careers, the
journey both of these men are on is nothing less than inspiring.
And I was smiling because it was a beautiful antidote from a poison I'm all too aware of.
The closet is killing us.
The thing we know about coming out as gay men in general, the one extraordinary power that is unleashed when we speak and live in the
truth, is that it can often spark profound changes in the hearts and minds of those that know us and those that love us.
When they know the truth, those that know us often vote differently than they did before. Those that befriend us defend us. Those that care about us often work to get beyond the anti-gay bigotry that they were raised with. Those that love us often become our allies in the march toward full and unqualified equality.
While this also happens in communities of color, we should be seeing more of it and we aren't. There are many reasons for this, too many to
cover with one article. But I believe that many of those issues stem from the choices the closet specifically forces gay and bisexual men of color to make. I know that contemplating coming out carries a risk for each and every one of us. There's always the fear of losing family, friends and loved ones no matter the color of your skin. That cannot be diminished.
But for many GLBT people of color, coming out also involves a heartbreaking situation not faced in quite the same way by our white counterparts. We risk the loss of our communities of color. We risk losing our sense of belonging, our connection to our cultures, our balm that heals us from bigotry, our shield that protects our self-esteem and self-worth from institutionalized messages that we are somehow not good enough.
And what are gaining? Well, we're supposed to gain a sense of belonging, a balm that heals us from anti-gay bigotry, a shield that
protects our self-esteem and self-worth from messages that we are somehow not good enough. And we're supposed to gain love, or at least its possibility.
But when you see personal ads that say, "No Fats, No Fems, No Asians, etc" or when someone at an equality rally shouts the N-word at black people because he mistakenly believes they're one of "those people" responsible for Prop 8, or when at a gay bar you hear the word "illegal" more in connection to a guy's perceived citizenship status rather than the narcotics being consumed in the bathroom, well… it gets really hard to sell a person of color on the joys of a life lived outside of the closet.
So a lot of people deal with the homophobia instead. Or they internalize it. Or they live in secret.
It reminds me of a story renowned HIV activist Keith Boykin once told in a speech for the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force. He recalled meeting black men who, once told they were HIV positive, would tell their families and friends that they were infected by
sharing needles rather than the truth – from unprotected sex with a male partner – because they believed the stigma would be far less for IV drug use than it sould be for having sex with another man.
I was smiling because it never hurts to have two more very handsome and intelligent men as part of the community. Not that I'm saying I would stand a chance with either of them, but I'm not saying I wouldn't either. (Wow, that sounded almost like something P!nk would sing).
I was also smiling also because I could not contain my pride in both these men. In very different phases of their lives and careers, the
journey both of these men are on is nothing less than inspiring.
And I was smiling because it was a beautiful antidote from a poison I'm all too aware of.
The closet is killing us.
The thing we know about coming out as gay men in general, the one extraordinary power that is unleashed when we speak and live in the
truth, is that it can often spark profound changes in the hearts and minds of those that know us and those that love us.
When they know the truth, those that know us often vote differently than they did before. Those that befriend us defend us. Those that care about us often work to get beyond the anti-gay bigotry that they were raised with. Those that love us often become our allies in the march toward full and unqualified equality.
While this also happens in communities of color, we should be seeing more of it and we aren't. There are many reasons for this, too many to
cover with one article. But I believe that many of those issues stem from the choices the closet specifically forces gay and bisexual men of color to make. I know that contemplating coming out carries a risk for each and every one of us. There's always the fear of losing family, friends and loved ones no matter the color of your skin. That cannot be diminished.
But for many GLBT people of color, coming out also involves a heartbreaking situation not faced in quite the same way by our white counterparts. We risk the loss of our communities of color. We risk losing our sense of belonging, our connection to our cultures, our balm that heals us from bigotry, our shield that protects our self-esteem and self-worth from institutionalized messages that we are somehow not good enough.
And what are gaining? Well, we're supposed to gain a sense of belonging, a balm that heals us from anti-gay bigotry, a shield that
protects our self-esteem and self-worth from messages that we are somehow not good enough. And we're supposed to gain love, or at least its possibility.
But when you see personal ads that say, "No Fats, No Fems, No Asians, etc" or when someone at an equality rally shouts the N-word at black people because he mistakenly believes they're one of "those people" responsible for Prop 8, or when at a gay bar you hear the word "illegal" more in connection to a guy's perceived citizenship status rather than the narcotics being consumed in the bathroom, well… it gets really hard to sell a person of color on the joys of a life lived outside of the closet.
So a lot of people deal with the homophobia instead. Or they internalize it. Or they live in secret.
It reminds me of a story renowned HIV activist Keith Boykin once told in a speech for the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force. He recalled meeting black men who, once told they were HIV positive, would tell their families and friends that they were infected by
sharing needles rather than the truth – from unprotected sex with a male partner – because they believed the stigma would be far less for IV drug use than it sould be for having sex with another man.
Yes, there are few resources going into people of color communities to fight against anti-gay prejudice. Yes, gay rights activists may ignore our
neighborhoods when it comes time to beat back these anti-equality ballot measures that come up. Yes, there's a mistaken belief, even among us, that the black community is more homophobic than any other community, when in reality, hyper masculinity and religious beliefs own much of the causality for homophobia…
(Pardon me for a moment, but those previously mentioned ballot measure sponsors, those bigots leading the National Organization for Marriage, those bullies pushing our kids to suicide, or their parents posting "It Gets Worse" videos, or those Presidential candidates calling
for the repeal of the repeal of DADT, or those sports agents sending tweets calling our marriages "wrong" and that sportscaster defending them… Not. Black. Folks. And the professional athletes speaking out lately for gay equality not named Sean Avery? Like Grant Hill, Jared Dudley, Charles Barkley, Donte Stallworth, Brendan Ayanbadejo… All. Black Folks. Thank you, end of rant.)
…But just as things are changing for us all, change is happening in communities of color as well. We are coming out in greater numbers and we are living our truth. And our loved ones are also coming out as well. And standing against those who would seek to condemn us.
We're watching as actors, sports stars, and Presidents go through their own personal transition from "Not a clue" to "Finally Gets It." Like a minority on the Bachelorette, the days are numbered for anti-gay bigotry on our blocks.
I know it's a very long road to travel, but it feels like true momentum is in the air. Don Lemon and Will Sheridan are out. There are others who will follow them, just as there are others like B.D. Wong and John Amaechi who have helped pave their way.
I will be ready to greet them. And I'll still be smiling. Because it will be us, all of us, finally killing the closet.
neighborhoods when it comes time to beat back these anti-equality ballot measures that come up. Yes, there's a mistaken belief, even among us, that the black community is more homophobic than any other community, when in reality, hyper masculinity and religious beliefs own much of the causality for homophobia…
(Pardon me for a moment, but those previously mentioned ballot measure sponsors, those bigots leading the National Organization for Marriage, those bullies pushing our kids to suicide, or their parents posting "It Gets Worse" videos, or those Presidential candidates calling
for the repeal of the repeal of DADT, or those sports agents sending tweets calling our marriages "wrong" and that sportscaster defending them… Not. Black. Folks. And the professional athletes speaking out lately for gay equality not named Sean Avery? Like Grant Hill, Jared Dudley, Charles Barkley, Donte Stallworth, Brendan Ayanbadejo… All. Black Folks. Thank you, end of rant.)
…But just as things are changing for us all, change is happening in communities of color as well. We are coming out in greater numbers and we are living our truth. And our loved ones are also coming out as well. And standing against those who would seek to condemn us.
We're watching as actors, sports stars, and Presidents go through their own personal transition from "Not a clue" to "Finally Gets It." Like a minority on the Bachelorette, the days are numbered for anti-gay bigotry on our blocks.
I know it's a very long road to travel, but it feels like true momentum is in the air. Don Lemon and Will Sheridan are out. There are others who will follow them, just as there are others like B.D. Wong and John Amaechi who have helped pave their way.
I will be ready to greet them. And I'll still be smiling. Because it will be us, all of us, finally killing the closet.
Black gay men are beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired of the erasure, tired of our brothers blood being shed, tired of the erasure, tired of the disrespect and dehumanizing behavior aimed at us, and were tired of being excluded from the African American family table. This MLK day let us pave the way. Please post a comment below! (click News)