Commentary
Yvette Carnell: There Are Gay People Who Are Black, But Gay is Not the New Black
by Yvette Carnell
When President Obama announced his support for gay marriage, I wrote the following:
I give Obama hell when he’s wrong, but today, he did the right thing. I would’ve been disappointed had he stuck to his “still evolving” position. That position was crafted to win the middle without alienating either side. Today, however, President Obama came out in favor of same sex marriage on the heels of North Carolina passing an anti-marriage equality amendment. That’s courage. That is, dare I say it, change.
People who run as transformational leaders should govern as such. Today, at least, Obama did that. Give him credit for that.
I stand by that. What I don’t ascribe to, however, is the notion that because there are people who are both black and gay, double minorities, Obama’s announcement is a win for black people. I figured this went without saying until I began to see comments like this one, “Gay people are not Black people. Did I read that right?”, begin percolating among avid Obama supporters.
The thing is, there are always overlaps. Some black people also earn over $250,000, but you don’t hear the argument, “hey, there are some upper class Negroes too!”, when the President, and others, malign the Bush tax cuts. Does the existence of Oprah and Diddy mean that we should support of tax cuts for the rich? Sure that argument is trumpeted among black conservatives, but among progressives, that never gets touted as a talking point, and nor should it, mainly because it doesn’t make much sense.
Once you start intermixing demographics, it’s easy to make the case that Obama, or any President for that matter, is benefiting all people when he benefits any people, based on the sheer fact that no demographic is monolithic or totally insulated. So I don’t accept the idea that black people benefit from Obama’s same sex announcement because there are gay black people. That’s a sort or tangential argument that I find troubling.
There are Irish-American gay people too. Is this a win for the Irish-American community? ‘Course not. When we discuss policy, we’re discussing it in the main, not on the margins. The black agenda should be comprised mostly of policy initiatives which will impact the greatest number of African Americans. Same sex marriage isn’t on the black agenda. It’s on the gay agenda. And in so far as the black agenda and Obama is concerned, black people remain, for the most part, empty handed.
Yvette Carnell is a former Capitol Hill and campaign staffer turned writer. She is currently an editor and contributor to Yourblackworld.
Porcelain
May 13, 2018 at 2:52 am
We’re not in. Position to judge. He made a decision base on the people. God will handle the conscience minds of us all. God will handle our action when the time one. Our President is not GOD, he is only a image of GOD. Let him do what the people ask or feel they need, if some have a problem study your constitution again.
HASSAN HARTLEY
May 23, 2018 at 2:55 pm
Yvette, because I am both BLACK, and GAY, let me school you on one fundamental fact: YOU are not qualified to speak for one SECOND as to what gay people go through on a day-to-day basis. Your hypocritical logic is so repugnant it is almost silly. Why don’t you simply HUMBLE yourself, and let someone who has experienced both RACISM and HOMOPHOBIA tell you what the similarities and differences are? Enough with this “resentful black woman speaking out against gays for comparing LGBT to black” nonsense. You have no CLUE what you are talking about. Have SEVERAL seats, hun.
P.S. READ THIS : http://brotherhassans.blogspot.com/2018/05/my-open-letter-in-response-to-dr-boyce.html
onmyway2018
June 21, 2018 at 11:12 pm
Yes Yvette IS QUALIFIED to speak on this ridiculous ”gay is the new black” issue because she’s is BLACK and WOMAN, just as myself and other blacks opposing such delusions by the gay community. Being black it’s not a perversion, being gay is. And what about black homosexuals who are obviously stupid enough to believe this tripe? Obviously since this it’s the most attention they’ve receive in like ever received the predominately white homosexuals pushing this faux minority status black homosexuals will go along with and wait for crumbs of relevance from white homosexuals running the agenda.
No, being black and rhett ongoing fight OPENLY for equality and fairness is natural as breathing. Being a homosexual is not, especially when so many homosexual and bisexual people are still in the closet because they’re afraid of coming out.
onmyway2018
June 22, 2018 at 9:32 pm
Gay^
Christopher
June 26, 2018 at 2:24 pm
Given your personal identification Brother Hartley, I can empathize with your perspective, however taken from another viewpoint, it is be understandable in Dr. Boyce’s supposed “outrage” in this respect. The President is a representation of the country as whole and therefore many people find a representation of themselves within that particular individual more often than not. While this is not always the case, it is usually the reason why he is elected in the first place.
Given this logic, it is elementary to understand why anyone who associates themselves with said representation finds it upsetting to be “disrespected” in a manner of speaking if that person is therefore identified as something that is a misrepresentation of a specific person or individual. There are quite a few people that would find this infuriating in those specific terms, however it is based on emotionally intensive reactions and not reason which is the point I guess for which many have trouble distinguishing in certain respects.
I have read your open letter and agree with many of the points you made. I would respond in your forum, but I have enough profiles that I don’t think I need to open a new one to respond. No, not everyone will not be upset in being referred to as homosexual, but not everyone will be happy about it either. In most respects in terms of heterosexuality, it is in turn an accusation of one’s lacking masculinity and therefore something that is dreadfully avoided. In historical context, there have been very few and far between examples of a homosexual male that exemplifies masculinity and leadership in a way that would be pleasing to those of heterosexuals. This is not to say that it is not possible, however be that as it may, it causes many of heterosexual nature to be offended as it goes against their nature as heterosexuality likely goes against yours.
Elizabeth
June 18, 2018 at 4:58 pm
This is very insulting to African-Americans and their struggle in America. I do no like to see shirts such as this as it is degrading.
Don’t reduce my struggle to a by-choice sex act.
No hate mail…please!
onmyway2018
June 21, 2018 at 11:17 pm
I agree with you Elizabeth. I well not be lumped in with perverted and sexually deviant homosexuals as being normal when I find this declaration as insulting and degrading as the curse of ham lie perpetrated in religion. Homosexuality is a choice to live with same sex preference.
aslee
June 27, 2018 at 5:23 am
While I am not homophobic I am a BLACK WOMAN & by no means is being GAY the same as being ME. I am for equality for all because it is HUMAN RIGHTS. Gay people deserve the same rights as everyone else but you dont get the right to impose it on me & thats exactly what this MINORITY campaign does. Why not attribute being gay to any other struggle? This is a direct attempt by racist white folks to sucker punch African Americans yet again. Im not going to get into the spiritual aspects of it because God has spoken so I will just say Amen!!! I will do as Jesus told the Pharisees & that is render unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s (the law of the land) & render unto God what is God’s (divine law). While the law of the land is constantly changing…God’s law does not so I will allow HIM to deal with what HE set in order. I am thankful that I define myself by what HE says about me & not what THEY say!!!! We as Black people need to know ourselves so that we dont have to respond to this bafoonery. I was told by quite a few wise people that its not what they CALL you but its what you ANSWER to.