Why Black Sex-Positive Progressives MUST Oppose Proposition (H)8

Blogging While Black/Latin@, Fighting The Good Fight, Personal Navel Gazing, Political Smackdown 2008!!!, Real Left Bloggers, The War on Sex/Sluts/Gays/Whatever November 8th, 2008

- Because an injury to one is still an injury to all.

- Because if you allow rights to be taken away from one group of people who do no wrong simply because you don’t like their living arrangements, then what can prevent the government or the majority from going after you??

- Because the nitty-gritty issue here isn’t race or even homophobia, but SEX. It’s not really about gays and lesbians getting married or raising children; it’s the phobia and myopia about what gays and lesbians (and other sexual dissidents DO when they’re NOT raising children or getting married.

- Because there happen to be gay and lesbian and bisexual and transgendered folk WHO HAPPEN TO BE BLACK.

- Because there happen to be Black folk WHO HAPPEN TO BE GAY OR LESBIAN OR BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENDERED.

- Because a progressive house divided by race or gender or sexual orientation simply cannot stand.

- Because even straight hetero Black folk can believe in basic human decency and equality.

- Because the same damn thing can happen to “straight” folk…ask any woman who’s had their children taken away from them due to their alleged “slutty” behavior.

- Because you don’t even have to BE gay or lesbian or bi or poly to be a victim of homophobia or sex hate.

- Because the same forces who back Prop (H)8 are the same ones who would also deny Black folk the basic rights as well.

- Because neither side can afford to sacrifice the other…we all will sink or swim together.

- Because the War on Sex has many fields of battle, from porn to sex work to gay marriage/domestic partnerships to reproductive freedom to sex education to free consensual sexual expression…and we cannot afford to ignore any field.

- Because homophobia amongst Black/Brown folk AND racism among White GLBT folk are one and the same; and must be rooted out equally.

- Because a genuine progressive movement must strive to unite in spite of our diversity, not divide in spite of our similarities,

And finally, and perhaps most importantly:

- Because people who do no harm to you deserve no harm done to them…by the government; by business; by the Church…NO ONE.

I may not live in Cali, but if I did, I would have voted against Prop. (H)8, for those simple reasons.

I can’t speak for all Black folk — any more than those who cast their ballots did — but I can only speak for me when I say that I’m more than a bit disappointed and disgusted that the majority of my people there ignored their heritage and their history to vote for this discrimination against gays and lesbians.

To rationalize homophobia by calling Black critics of Prop (H)8 “closet homosexuals” and challenging their manhood is simply as low down as you can get. Not even Reggie White can stoop that low.

And I am just as disgusted and disappointed in some of the virulent reaction of race-baiting on the part of some gay activists as well…I can understand you being upset and angered, but dropping “N-bombs” simply will not heal the wounds.

And yes, I do give Obama a lot of the blame for not being more clear on his opposition to Prop (H)8 and pandering to the homophobic wing of the Black evangelicals…but why slam ALL Blacks with the curse of homophobic hate??

All the more reason why we need so desperately an independent socialist (and radical social) movement that can transcend the inequities of race, class, gender, AND sexuality preference and build a humanist movement that respects dignity and humanity.

Until all of us are equal and free, then no one is free. Bottom line.

UPDATE: At least some Black progressives are fighting back hard….my former fellow ‘Ragin Cajun turned Cali native Don Paschal (aka Polybi), who happens to be a Black bi/poly guy, has documented some righteous protests and action where anger at Prop (H)8 is directed towards the proper direction.  Go over to his blog and read all about it…then act accordingly.


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