“Gay Is the New Black” (Monique Ruffin)

Camille Porter

Views: 236February 2 , 2012(0)

Recently, Monique Ruffin wrote a provocative piece in the Black Voices section of Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/monique-ruffin/gay-civil-rights_b_1168897.html)

about the questionable and subtle relationship between the Gay Rights Community of America and the

black community. In the contentious post aptly titled “Gay is the New Black”, she claimed that signs of

homosexuality are as prominent in Blacks as they are in Whites. Monique also added that homosexuality

in blacks has not attracted the attention of the public eye thus far simply because blacks have been

reluctant to own their practices and have kept it from the public eye.

This isn’t the first time that the sexual orientation of some blacks has been placed under the questioning

glare and scrutinizing eyes of the public. Similar cases have been rumored in the past but have only been

brushed under the carpet for fear of shame and oppression by the black community. There are many

blacks who have been unable to reconcile their sexuality with their faith under fear of facing oppression

from their own families and the larger community.

The ensuing battle for gay rights on issues like same-sex marriages and equality has gained pace in the

last few years. Increasingly, people have been eager to search for the the point of congruence between

the gay rights movement and the Black Civil Rights movement of the 60s. Since then, the smear seems

to have defiled the Black community to some extent as they have been dubbed increasingly intolerant

and “homophobic”.

However, I personally believe that this whole issue has been insensitively blown out of it parameters.

Firstly and most importantly, I should ask how the acts of a few can possibly define the acts of the many.

Although some incidents of homosexuality within the black community have been observed lately, they

are not as pronounced as in other races. Secondly, we may see with a slight change of perspective that

being gay would be as normal as being a taxpayer for a majority of people. After all, how can a person’s

sexual orientation become a social issue?

It should be understood that the black race is as complex as other human races and they have

their Achilles’ heel too. Therefore, it is insensitive to label the entire black race as homophobic

and “intolerant”. Perhaps, the writer found it to be an easier and more controversially popular debate

to write on the black race because it lacks the social power and political voice to lash back. After all,

the more powerful institutions such as State Assemblies, Congress, Church and mostly white anti-gay

lobbies have been equally active in this whole affair. Why not highlight their role for a change?

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