5 Reasons Why Gay is NOT the New Black

Link to Huffington Post article "It's Official: Gay is the New Black":
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/monique-ruffin/gay-civil-rights_b_1168897.html

[Article refuting claims that there was a mass black turnout for Prop 8] Black Support for Prop. 8 Called Exaggeration:
http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-01-07/bay-area/17199504_1_same-sex-marriage-b...

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Tags:

• gay is the new black
• homophobia
• homophobic
• racism
• racist
• prejudice
• struggle
• civil rights
• oppression
• history
• gay rights
• inequality
• discrimination
• monique ruffin
• huffington post
• article
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• black homophobia
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• GLBT racism
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• queer racism

[DomesticGhost]

This video is spot on. What bothers me about G.i.t.N.B is that Black is always the absolute symbol of oppression; yet there is nothing in the statement about solidarity with black people. Instead, it's basically saying "you are treating us like black people, who are the lowest on earth and we, explicitly, are not *them*." Equally, this protest is often against black people (as if we're oppressing others) or exploitative: using our oppression for their own ends w/o doing anything to help.)

[itsGOTtobegroovy]

@DomesticGhost Thanks for your comment. I am infuriated by white gay people who appropriate the black struggle in order to increase their own political legitimacy while remaining silent about white privilege and racism, and doing no social justice work with black communities. I feel it's part of my life's work to get white gay folks to listen and have constructive dialogue about these things, so we can move past our collective ignorance and anger and towards a united GLBTQ community.

[Calicoon]

At the start of your video, there is bubble which says "For a text transcript of this video, please view this video on its YouTube page and see the description box." However, I can't find the transcript anywhere. Is there one?

[itsGOTtobegroovy]

@Calicoon Oh, wow. I definitely put the text transcript up there. Maybe it didn't save due to a word limit. If you private message me with your email address, I can send you a transcript. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[MichaelQActor]

I've definitely heard this phrase a lot! I'm a black gay man, and I don't have any strong opinions about this specific phrase, EXCEPT for thinking that it would only truly apply in the political sense. The 'gay' issue has definitely been one (of the many) current major wedge issues in Congress and political campaigns, just like the 'black issue' had been for decades. Politicians have used it to win votes, and this goes for both sides. SO, in THAT sense only, I would give this phrase a pass.

[itsGOTtobegroovy]

@MichaelQActor I understand where you're coming from. But there are other communities that are used as political wedges, too. Take Latino/as and immigration, for example. And issues related to class, which are at the forefront of the current Presidential race. It can be argued that working-class & middle-class people are now a political wedge, especially given the pervasive presence of the 99% movement. You admit there are many wedge issues. "Gay is the new black" implies there's only one: gays.

[itsGOTtobegroovy]

@lilymoriarty I am not taking anything too seriously. "Gay is the new black" has a differet connotation and has been the rallying cry for many gay people. Did you even watch the video?

[bunnydragon88]

I used to tout the "Gay is the New Black" thing too. Then I started realizing how much oppression I faced as a POC than as a gay person. Thank you for sharing this message.

[deesince1985]

Wooow..u on point...

[SuperNovaSpark]

You, sir, are amazing.

[SATURDAYateSUNDAY]

Gay is not the new black gay is the new mexican...

[kg9811]

hmmm...gay is not the new black especially when understanding homosexuality historically, perhaps gay is the new black for white gay people who do not have class status to those of roman antiquity" which at that time black antiquity would not have cared one way or another about white gay people.

[afitchauston]

OMG, i had to grab my dictionary while watchin this! Preach!

[Maxdwolf]

Thanks for this reasoned response. I actually hadn't heard the term until now and my first thought was "Meh." It just seemed to be a play on the overuse of "...is the new black." in the fashion industry and expressed some solidarity with the black civil rights movement. I hadn't considered the further implications and how it might strike some people.