Black Men & Women and the LGBTQ community

"Found: 85,000 Black gay households"

 This article by Alain Dang and Somjen Frazer presented many interesting points about the effects of anti-gay legislation on Black same sex couples. The article brings up a few commonalities between Black heterosexual and Black same sex couples. One of the ones that was not explicitly expressed perhaps was the idea that both Black heterosexual and same sex couples experience the effects of discriminatory practices such as racism. However those who also identify as gay, experience another level of discrimination, such as homophobia. Two things that the article mentioned of these two groups having in common is in regards to raising children. According to the article, "Black female same sex couples are raising non-biological (foster or adopted) children at the same rate as black married opposite sex couples (at 14%)" (Dang & Frazer 2005:30). In addition the article also points out that "Black women in same sex households are raising children at almost the same rate as black married opposite sex couples" (Dang & Frazer 2005:30). Although I cannot say that I support gay marriage, this article did raise many important points to take into consideration as far as the effects of not allowing same sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples.


 "The Choice To Be Gay"


 This article definitely brings up quite a few touchy issues when it comes to religious perspectives on homosexuality. The author states that he does not recall choosing to be heterosexual, which is an interesting point. However I feel that one's sexual orientation is a choice. Each time the author (or anyone who is heterosexual) chooses to pursue or engage in romantic endeavors with a member of the opposite sex, he was making a choice to act on heterosexual tendencies. In any case, I feel that yes, being gay is a choice.  Just like choosing to act on any feeling, thought, or emotion is a choice.  As a Christian I believe that homosexuality is a sin; no greater or worse than any other sin such as murder, or lying, or committing adultery.  I can openly admit that many Christians often try to put a level on sin, which is wrong.  Sin is sin.  Thus I believe that as presented with any possibility to sin one has a choice between what is right and what is wrong.  I find it interesting that the author asks, "Why [would a person freely choose to be gay]  if it means carrying a secret that sits on your heart like stones, if it means being reviled by preachers, rejected by family, and being ridiculed by strangers, if it means living with the fear that someone might take from you your career, your child, your very life?"  The fact of the matter is that in this question, "choosing to be gay" could be replaced by any other sin and you would find that people still choose to do it even with the consequences being unfavorable.  One point however the author makes that I particularly like is that God does not prefer one sin over another; that God being just prefers no sin at all.  But we're human, we all fall short, and God being gracious has provided us a way out, His Son.  I will also say that the author makes a gracious appeal to the young man's mother - make a choice to "meet [your] child where he is and love him [in spite of]."  After all that's what God has done for us.  I say all this not to try and sway someone to believe what I believe, but merely to show that why, based on what I believe, being gay is a choice.


"Understanding the marginalization of gay and gender non-conforming black male students"

Addressing homophobia in the Black community is something of a difficult task, I would say.  I think the first thing to address would be the definition of homophobia.  I know that homophobia is a fear of homosexuals or homosexuality.  Does this thus mean that in order to counter or undo homophobia, one must accept homosexuals or homosexuality?  Or does it mean that you treat homosexuals with the same respect and dignity that would be afforded to any other human being.  In my opinion it is the latter.  I would argue that one should treat homosexuals with respect and dignity, irregardless to how they feel about homosexuality.  I personally do not agree with homosexuality, as mentioned earlier.  However I refuse to mistreat someone because they are gay.  However I wonder if there are those who would thus say I am homophobic?    Another root issue to address is why the Black community is so seemingly homophobic, and what homophobia in the Black community looks like.  I can't answer for everyone in the Black community, but I know that many people suspect the voice of the Black church plays a large part in the homophobic ideals that seem to be rampant in the Black community.  How should we address this?  Well first off, I feel that it would take an appeal on a Christian level (the use of Scripture) to call homophobic behavior into question.  What I mean by this is that, the Bible clearly tells us that homosexuality (as it is sin) is wrong (for those who want to know where: Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11).  But the Bible also tells us that we are to love other people (Mark 12:30-31, Colossians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 13).  As I said earlier many Christians sometimes place different levels on sin, believing one sin to be greater than another.  When in fact, all sin is equal.  It is in forgetting this (or not knowing) this that we act in hate toward those whose sin we think is greater than our own.  I can honestly say that I was once guilty of placing a greater level on certain sins.  It took a simple reminder from my Grandmother to change my whole perspective.   When expressing angst about not knowing how to interact with homosexuals on a consistent basis (with whom I worked and lived with for a few months) she reminded me "but that's exactly what Jesus died for."   So I think that in combatting homophobia in the Black community it would take an appeal to the heart of the Black church, reminding them of the grace they have received and the love which God has called us to show, as well as for those who are Christians calling each other into accountability for our behavior or attitudes toward homosexuals.  I feel that whether we agree with homosexuality or not, we can still treat those who identify as homosexual with respect.  It honestly boils down to a heart issue.

As far as addressing homophobia on college campuses, I think that is often harder because of maturity level, or rather lack thereof, of some college students.  As a former Orientation Advisor (OA) for new students, I think that the Social Justice portion of the Freshman Orientation that all students are required to attend (when they attend freshman orientation) does a great job of introducing students to various roles and identities that they may encounter on a college campus.  For those who are not familiar with this program, basically there is a program in which various people stand up and talk about their identities/experiences (as men, women, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc, heterosexuals, lesbians, homosexual, transgender, etc) in a monologue format in which they talk about some of the privileges they hold as well as some of the ways in which they have been discriminated against.  This happens sporadically throughout the program, after which students are required to attend a facilitated discussion led by OAs, in which they discuss with their peers how they felt about the monologues and the issues that they brought up.  For some students this is their first exposure to various identities.  I think it would be helpful if this dialogue were able to continue throughout the school year in order to continually call into questions various stereotypes of all groups.  In addition, the training received to be an OA lasts for about 6 months, during which in this time we receive extensive training in understanding social justice issues and discussing equality and equity.  I think if such a course were added to the required courses students must take in order to graduate, it would force them to be exposed to various groups of people and teach them to challenge stereotypes.