Standing Watch

There is an ugly truth that is often ignored outright within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) population, one that is becoming an increasingly obvious and troubling problem. You will notice I didn’t use the term “LGBT Community.” This is because I believe the LGBT population is so divided that the term “community” simply no longer applies the way it once did. I also believe that these divisions are being exploited, mainly by those outside of the LGBT population, to keep us politically, socially, and economically neutralized.

So, what is racism, and what constitutes racist behavior?

Racism, in its simplest form, is the belief that race is the primary determinant factor of certain traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. Primarily, racism has focused on such traits and capacities as…

• Intelligence

• Physical capabilities

• Certain physical characteristics

• Sexuality, including sexual aggressiveness or passivity

• Social morality

Racist behavior results from a belief that somehow these traits and capacities are superior in one race, usually ones own race, but inferior in another, generally a race other than that of the racist. For instance…

• Those of African ancestry are sexually aggressive (a common media theme)

• Those of Hispanic ancestry have violent tempers

• Those of Asian ancestry are sexually subservient

• Those of Native American ancestry are prone to addiction

What these sort of beliefs translate into is a pattern of behavior that includes, generally…

• Economic discrimination

• Institutional discrimination

• Outright racial discrimination, particularly in employment, housing, and education

Now, these examples I’ve outlined are some of the more obvious manifestations of racism, and are in broad general terms. I did not include racial assumptions about those from European ancestry, mainly because I wanted to stick to more easily recognized signs of racism and their results. Racism towards those of European ancestry, however, is just as prevalent as that directed towards other races. However, some of that racism is internal (white on white, for lack of a better description), and complicated by nationalism and religion more often than not. Such examples include…

• Russian ancestry denotes a tendency towards sexual violence (in men) or sexual submissiveness (in women)

• Jewish ancestry denotes fiscal greed

• Catholic religious upbringing denotes a tendency towards excessive guilt and other emotional instability

In all of the above examples, these are highly generalized. I believe many readers can come up with more examples, and cite specific forms that they take. The over generalization is meant to provide more easily recognizable examples, and clearly do not cover all aspects of racism or racist beliefs and behaviors, particularly as they are seen within the LGBT population.

What is sad, however, is that racism actually exists in the LGBT population, and is becoming increasingly prevalent and obvious. In most cases, it is the basic racism and racist behaviors seen outside of the LGBT population. Increasingly, however, it also translates into a fetishism, which is primarily directed towards non-whites, particularly those of African or Asian ancestry. It is particularly sad that those who are currently most oppressed by society have themselves bought into the racism of their oppressors, and have become oppressors themselves.

Nowhere was it more evident that the LGBT population has a major problem with racism than with the post-election reports on Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that passed, revising the state’s constitution to exclude LGBT persons from the state’s Equal Protection Clause when it comes to marriage and the rights of marriage. A now debunked story appeared in the Los Angeles Times immediately after the polls closed and it became obvious that Proposition 8 had passed. The story claimed that African Americans overwhelmingly voted for the passage of Proposition 8, based upon a flawed (read biased) CNN exit poll. What resulted was an instant confrontation between white LGBT persons and African Americans, including those who are LGBT.

The reality of the voter turnout, of course, reveals that African Americans voted to support Proposition 8 every bit as much, but not more than, the general, mostly white population in California, about 57%. In addition, an overwhelming number of African American votes for Prop 8 were in the form of absentee ballot votes cast before then presidential candidate and US Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) came out against Prop 8. That prior to that time Prop 8 opponents failed to campaign effectively in African American communities is also no surprise, since nearly all the LGBT political organizations were run mostly by whites. Only after the absentee ballots had already been cast, and largely as an afterthought, did LGBT organizations realize they needed the help of the African American community to beat Prop 8, and they began campaigning to African Americans. This too is evident by the huge African American opposition to Prop 8 by voters who cast their votes on election day.

Of course, while the flawed poll published by CNN and The Los Angeles Times made all the headlines, the rest of the story did not. The intent, of course, was to split the LGBT population along racial lines, using simmering racism and racist assumptions as the tool to split them. In doing so, anger was deflected towards African Americans, while only relatively mild irritation was directed at Mormons, who introduced Prop 8 and then actively funded its passage through questionable means. The Catholic Church, which spent millions in support of Proposition 8, never got any of the blame. Instead, African Americans, and in particular those who are also LGBT, bore the brunt of the anger of the LGBT population, just as the media intended.

And so we are not a community, but a population that is divided and unable to come together to combat the oppression we all suffer in common. Of course, this has been the case for many years now, long before religious extremists sought to criminalize being LGBT.

So, how are we to change things? How do we turn away from the racism that keeps us divided? How can we put aside these learned fears, let go of our ignorance, and once again proclaim that we are a diverse and united community?

The first step begins with each of us understanding what racism is, that it exists within the LGBT population, and that the effects of racism harm both those oppressed by it as well as the oppressors. Once we see racism for what it is, we can eliminate it, and eliminate the ability for others who seek to harm us to use it to divide us.

Once we recognize racism and its negative consequences, the next step is to challenge it. This means not laughing at racist jokes, or agreeing with racist assumptions. It also means thinking about and challenging our own personal assumptions and fears as well.

Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. This means getting out there, meeting people different from yourself, and learning from one another through such experiences. Far too often, I see LGBT bars and dance clubs segregated by race. We even have certain Pride Festivals that are segregated (especially in larger urban areas). This also means welcoming those who are different from yourself into your world. I understand there are many who believe that segregated events are important to protect non-whites from being exposed to racial or racist remarks and acts, and in many ways I agree this is an unfortunate necessity. But, I also believe this sort of segregation, as well intentioned as it appears, reinforces other more sinister forms of segregation. It also denies others the ability to learn and to shatter their own ignorance, the latter being an important key to any bigotry.

We should also think before we speak. Yeah, I know, the dreaded “political correctness.” I’m sorry, but opposing PC is just an excuse to be disrespectful and to speak without thinking. And, I’m not referring to just how others may interpret comments we direct towards them, but comments we direct towards ourselves as well. It isn’t “owning the word” for us to adopt racist remarks and words to describe ourselves, but is instead a method of reinforcing stereotypes and justifying the use of such labels and descriptions by those who seek to harm us.

We also need to isolate and shun those who choose to embrace racism and behave in racist ways and refuse to change. I had a friend a while back make a racist remark about African Americans, whom I challenged. I had a step-father whom I loved very much, who was the only real father I ever knew, and who was also African American. I grew up around African Americans for most of my life, and served with them in the US Army. I was deeply offended by the remark, and made that very clear. Initially, others I knew told me to get over it, it was just a joke. Eventually, everyone but the person who told it realized it wasn’t a joke, especially to me. The one who told the joke? She left early, and hasn’t been seen since.

These are but a few solutions, and I’ve only highlighted but a few ways racism effects the LGBT population. But, if we are ever to be able to honestly declare we are truly a community, we must accept that we have a serious issue with racism that needs to be addressed, educate ourselves and each other, and embrace our diversity.

Until then, we cannot reasonably expect others to accept us and think of us as equals.