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LGBT Rights vs. the Civil Rights Movement, Are They the Same?

Wednesday Feb 29, 2012 – by Kirsten West Savali

Photo via Consider magazine

Let’s call a spade a spade.

There are many people across Black America that have a problem with homosexuality. And by Black I mean descendants of African slaves, first generation African-Americans, Cablasian or whatever particular Black applies to avoid the “we are not a monolith” argument.

Initially, the criticism stemmed directly from the Christian Bible — or rather, how people chose to interpret the “Good Book.” Hidden beneath tales of murder, rape, adultery, incest and all other sorts of sordid straight sins, most evangelicals leeched unto a little scripture that was directed towards priests in Leviticus that states “thou shall not lay with mankind as womankind.”

Then a strange thing happened.

People began to think. Discussions began to rage on not only the separation of church and state, but the validity of the argument that homosexuality was even addressed significantly enough to be considered a “sin” in the first place. And even if it were addressed, what in the hell did that have to do with whether or not the LGBT community should be tarred, feathered, marked with a scarlet “G” and thrown unprotected into a vicious court of public opinion?

Nothing.

So as the religious argument continues to fray at the seams, a new tact is gaining traction; a transparent tact to be sure, but one that is spoken with all the venom and narrow-minded indignation of the Tea Party shouting angrily that they “want their America back”:

“The LGBT community is trying to piggyback on the struggles of descendants of African slaves to further their own agenda.”

That’s right. It has nothing to do with the fact that there has always been an underlying aversion to homosexuality within our communities. Well, at least of the male variety because the war cries are oddly muted when threesomes and lesbianism is discussed. For some reason, in this patriarchal society the male fantasy of two women doing the horizontal mambo while an eager man watches and/or participates trumps any aversion to gay — but that’s another article. Homophobes would like us to believe that it’s a matter of cultural treachery. The LGBT community dares to equate the fact that they are ostracized, not afforded equal rights under the law, bullied, assaulted, killed, mocked, belittled and treated like second-class citizens to the atrocities of the Jim and Jane Crow South.

Even more disturbing, what happens when gays and lesbians over-run society and the eugenics plot to kill Black babies is complete?! Never mind that for more gay people to be born, it stands to reason that more straight people would have to have sex, canceling out the entire homosexuality will end the human race argument.

How dare they, right?

Wrong.

Yes, we had the Civil Rights Movement but we do not hold the patent on civil rights. Secondly, there is no separate LGBT community when some of our brothers and sisters are included in the group. Does a person automatically become “them” once their sexual orientation is revealed? I have tried and tried to understand this argument, but there are just too many holes in it. Just as slave marriages were once illegal and miscegenation laws prevented inter-racial marriages, it is equally archaic to deny two adults their civil liberties based on nothing more than religious conjecture and pain ownership.

It’s disturbing to see people use the same book that has been used to justify slavery through the Curse of Canaan to justify discrimination toward the LGBT community. It’s pathetic to watch people use the same court system that has marginalized and enslaved us as an excuse for oppressing people because of the circumstances their birth.

Is the battle that the LGBT community is facing on religious, political and cultural fronts equal to what Black people in America had to face and continue to face?

No, but it cannot and should not be minimized by that fact.

Injustice is injustice, whether due to the color of our skin , the content of our character or sexual orientation.

Let’s not be on the wrong side of history on this one.

Socially Maladjusted says:

March 5, 2012 at 11:06 am

Wearing my too black too strong hat for this one.

I guess if gays think they have cause, then that’s their business, however gay rights (whatever that means) is not a cause I can get excited about because I can’t see any social utility in it.

If we’re trying to create a more tolerant society in which all are respected then the women’s movement, environmentalist movement, atheism movement, international labour movement and anti-racist movement – cover that ground pretty comprehensively.

But to make a cause out of what is nothing more than a sexual inclination leaves me a bit cold.

That feeling turns to haberrant ostility when we see a repeated pattern of whites equating disproval of an “exotic” lifestyle – to racial oppression.

Any opposition to anything, no matter how irrelevent to the cause of social justice and equality, is now “racist”.

I think it hurts the cause of anti-racism because it has the effect of reducing it to just another dubious single issue campaign trying to force it’s “deviancy” on society.

The fight against racism is not the same as the fight to gain acceptance for a sexual inclination, and it never will be. The former makes society a better and more tolerant place for all – the latter just makes society more gay, but does nothing to improve economic, gender and race relations in the society.

↑ Reply

Socially Maladjusted says:

March 5, 2012 at 11:09 am

correction

*That feeling turns to hostility when we see a repeated pattern of whites equating disproval of an “exotic” lifestyle – to racial oppression.*
d-rhyme says:

May 8, 2012 at 11:00 am

@socialmal. Very poignant and eloquent. Problem is those once considered mentally ill now get no treatment and now call others mentally ill. They have a penchant for destroying blacks for some odd reason. A true sign of mental illness. The AA approach of acceptance must precede treatment or cure. Sad.

alona says:

March 5, 2012 at 2:55 pm

Kristen, I couldn’t agree more. First and foremost, most people forget that there were gay black people that were instrumental in the civil rights movement. So we can’t say that straight people exclusively own it. With that said, I think it’s a trap to compare the two. An injustice anywhere is an injustice. I don’t even engage in the “we have it harder” debates. It’s sort of apples and oranges isn’t it- well if an apple could be both an apple and an orange at the same time, but I digress.

I understand why the LGBTQ… community uses this argument (no one wants to be thought of as on the ‘wrong side of history’). However, I think that when it comes right down to it people shouldn’t concern themselves with being on the right side of history. They should do what they think is right, irregardless of how they think they’ll be remembered. Some of our most revered leaders acted with the belief that their characters would be trashed in the history books because they were opposed to those that owned the printing presses. And yet, just the opposite is true.

Wow. SMH on some of these comments. I’ll just say I stand with “the gays” lol.

Retu says:

March 21, 2012 at 12:36 am

When you hear about people who are gntusglirg with their feelings internally and must also take into account outside forces that are telling them to do something different from how they feel, it s really sad and depressing. I say that it s sad and depressing because for me, I feel like people should be able to love whoever they want and it shouldn t matter what other people have to say about it. They aren t the ones in the relationship, it s you and whoever you choose to be with that must put all the effort and love into making things work. The fact that the grandfather realized that he couldn t stand being in a marriage because he knew he was attracted to guys is a clear indication that people don t choose whether they love someone of the same sex or someone from the opposite sex. Homosexuals do not choose their lifestyle because who wants to willingly subject themselves to the prejudice they face constantly? I understand the idea that without the grandfather being in the marriage, the grandson would not be present. But, wouldn t that have spared many feelings from being hurt or from the grandfather from feeling constantly that he is not living an honest life? I mean I cannot imagine having a family and always feeling guilty that although you truly love your spouse and love being a parent, you still have feelings inside of you that you are not supposed to let out because of how other people may react to it. When Tony Perri confessed to the priest that he was gay, the priest simply told him not to tell anyone about it and in a sense to just ignore it and not act upon those feelings. Someone knew that Tony was experiencing an internal conflict and the only advice they could give him was to keep it inside. The only outcome that would result from this is a breakdown in the near future. Although I do not know what it feels like to be in a closet, I can t imagine keeping a secret that big from my loved ones. It s saddening that in the middle of his life, once he was already married and had children, he would just have to give it up because he didn t feel right living his life dishonestly. However, through his internal struggles, he does seem to have helped out his grandson and served as a role model for him. Seeing what his grandfather went through would have been inspirational for anyone because he actually had the courage to tell his wife and his children and his grandchildren that he was gay. Times were different back then and it was almost nearly impossible to express one s sexual orientation. Nowadays, I think it s a little bit easier to outwardly express that you choose to spend the rest of your life with someone who is of your same sex. Instead of confessing to priests and other people who believe that homosexuality is wrong, people should talk to others with experience with the situation or those with the understanding that homosexuality is not a choice. Though there is still discrimination against homosexuals, I believe that seeing someone who was in your same position be happy with the decision of being themselves initially motivates others to come forth with their decision and choose to follow their hearts instead of other people s judgments.

d-rhyme says:

May 6, 2012 at 1:45 am

Its called antisocial a personality disorder. A precursor or early stage psychosis. The doctor who said it was normal owes somebody money for malpractice. Rectal sex is
suicidal. If one helps you commit suicide, is that. a true friend or foe. I chose to be a friend. You are on the path of learning further psychosis. I am a true true friend. Yet i am persecuted and tortured by you. That’s insanity.