My Rant About Racism In The LGBT Community

Thank you for this. Just, oh my gosh, THANK YOU!!!
:icon_bigg(*hug*)

 

To many people think that things such as racism don't exist in other minorities are just kidding themselves. In the UK there is an unseen problem of racism between some Indians and Pakistanis, we don't think of that as racism, but they are two separate races.

 

You have every right to rant about this, because I relate(particularly to the second link). It was a great read to go through some links and feel 'finally someone who gets it'.

It's just fuckin' ridiculous, point blank.

It's extremely frustrating as is to be surrounded by homophobia on a daily basis and having nobody to share lgbt-related issues with, but then the opposite scenario adds just as much(if not sometimes more) weight. Except on rare occasions, most of the gays around here don't want shit to do with you if you aren't white(or at the very least fairly light-skinned), and that isn't even exclusive to any one race either, as bizarre as that sounds.

About the only time you are interesting is if you fit certain black-related stereotypes(do I even need to elaborate on some of the more obvious ones?). Don't fit that picture? Well, please come down to claim your fabulous #aloneforeverpride badge, because, congratulations, you're worthless in all senses of the word. That first thing there is a prime example along the lines of your fetish bit.

Feel like an outsider(and, no, not in a good way) no matter where I turn, and yet people can't seem to understand one reason why I've become even more a loner.

And this post obviously doesn't even cover the general shit we face from society(which is summed up really well if you read the links)...just one area; an area that is even more baffling since it comes from another minority/oppresses group.

We even have a few of them on this site, actually. They either believe that racism in the lgbt+ community is a myth or that it is minor enough of an issue that it may as well be a myth.

 

Why is it suddenly a competition between black people and gay people who has it harder.. like seriously racism and homophobia are both serious problems why is there conflict when if anything these groups should be working together. Saw the TIME article a few days back and it's bullshit, how can she expect to provoke thoughtful discussion ending her article by asking gay people to 'check their privilege' :dry: tone of this kid in the videos is pretty much the same, lumping all white gay men into one homogeneous (evil) group

Racism is messed up and racism within lgbt is very messed up.. people should acknowledge it and talk about it more, just don't write articles like that TIME one because it helps nobody. Author doesn't sound very MLK at all why are you endorsing

---------- Post added 31st Mar 2015 at 12:11 AM ----------

^^ Grr that's mainly just a response to the time article which I'm still angry about several days after reading haha. I think your worries about racism in general and in lgbt are completely legitimate I don't mean to give the impression I think they're not.

 

The LGBT community isn't exempt from racism. The Black, Asian, Latino, White, whatever, communities are not exempt from homophobia and racism. The heterosexual community isn't excempt from racism or race fetishism.

In response to "LiquidSword" -- anyone who uses the catch phrase "check your priveledge" is automatically discredited in my mind. It may be a legitimate request, but it's the most goddamn irritating and useless phrase. Right now I don't feel like trying to articulate exactly the tone that phrase comes off as, but it's not one that promotes understanding and is usually used to try to make people feel bad about themselves.

 

They're your links??

I was talking about the author of the TIME article. She doesn't have to be I just find it odd that you admire both when their opinions seem so at odds with each other.

I have no idea what you mean by this..

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It's funny because pretty much any gay guy who I've been remotely close to are like your guardian reading green party voting liberal who'd pretty much never talk to me again if I said anything racist.. not really like the picture you get of all white gay guys from this dude you're linking on youtube. I'm curious what is your actual irl experience of racism in lgbt community as a 15 yr old from Middlesborough ? - not being cynical here, genuinely curious

 

I don't know if freedom of speech is often used as an argument against civil rights for gay people because it doesn't make sense. Even if was a common argument the analogy still makes no sense?

---------- Post added 31st Mar 2015 at 01:23 AM ----------

And it should!! You just don't have to be mental about it like the people in your links..

 

Racism exists at whatever percentage in the general population, there is absolutely no reason that it doesn't exist in the gay population, do people think that because we're both minorities we wouldn't discriminate against each other? That's like saying there are no black homophobes, it goes both ways.

In the same way that people think black people can't be racist towards white people, both are separate races and are therefore capable of being racist towards each other.

 

Links aside, I think you are missing something here. I can't speak for the OP, but it's not so much as which group has it worse as it is about the clusterfuck that is being a minority within a minority(which you can actually sub other stuff in the place of being black, but this is more focused on this specific scenario). It truly is mindboggling how a (minority) group that is just now really picking up in trying to gain "acceptance" can be so frickin' ignorant towards another minority group, and pretty much for them being a minority(ie skintone/race).

And to further add to that, I can easily reference this newer post:

I was going to reply to Foz myself, but looks there is (so far) not much need. This particular topic is a bit deeper than 'everybody can be racist'.

Well it is soooo nice to hear that you live in a blissful, racism-free utopia(in regards to your group of gay besties), but when will that magical spell be available in other places?

In a slightly more serious tone, I know this wasn't directed at me but I'm sure my previous post isn't invisible, so I can at least direct you at that if you need another 'reference'.

 

Her article plays up the divisions between different groups in contrast to what MLK tried to do. I just found it curious that you are a fan of both, that's all.

It's not fair or accurate to compare anything I've said to that sort of argument :dry:

The links you posted explicitly did.. you posted them so I assume you endorse their message though I was actually responding directly to their message not to you.

---------- Post added 31st Mar 2015 at 02:15 AM ----------

Only mentioned as a counter example to the picture being painted by op and links of what all white gay guys are supposed to be like because it's not something which tallies with my experience Also that Middlesborough is not soo unlike where I live so it would surprise me if op's experience was significantly different. I mean nobody in the UK is legit worried about being shot by police let's be real

I really don't mean to discredit legitimate worries about racism inside and out of lgbt I'm really only taking exception to the way in which the point is being made. That TIME article is just gross

 

Oh nah, that's why I put that second part to that reply there (about being in a more serious tone) and noted that I knew it wasn't directed at me. You're fine.

It just makes me a bit envious, honestly, to hear of someone who doesn't have to witness and/or experience the nonsense. It's also one of the reasons why a select few of my posts may come across as showing some bitterness towards the community; it really can feel like a degree of hell at times.

 

Although racial tensions in certain areas in the United States on the topic of law enforcement might be on the rise, racism and colorism on a sociological scale can be found just as easily within the UK. Representation and acceptance for LGBTQ is abyssmal worldwide. LGBTQ people of color are still statistically less likely to be sought after as partners and far more likely to be raped, assaulted, or murdered worldwide. I don't see why there would be reason to doubt the degree in which the OP is frustrated based on his location.

C P made an excellent point in this thread that sometimes ranting is justified and sometimes we have to rant. There is often this reaction from members of the majority or the standard group without society when minorities express their frustrations about society and their experiences that they must defend themselves. Complaining about an issue within society is often viewed as demonizing all members of another group as entirely the problem, but sometimes complaining about an issue is merely complaining about an issue.

I have been known to vehemently argue against the use of language that is inaccurate or unfair when referencing entire social groups; however, we should not allow our grievances with the statements made in certain links to take away from the discussion that the OP wished to have in making this thread.

 

While you are certainly right on most things ZenMusic, I have to call absolute BS on this.
Discrimination is never good. There is no difference. It's always bad.

It sounds like you're implying that white people discriminating against black people is "worse" than black people discriminating against white people.

Discrimination, as we all know here, is always terrible. How does the victim's race matter? Intolerance is intolerance.
Please correct me if I miss read this, but it certainly sounds like this is what you were getting at.

 

Discrimination is an action that comes as a result of prejudice. Prejudice and discrimination are not exchangeable terms. What Zen and others are calling attention to when they draw these distinctions is that the influence of prejudice that exists within an individual is dependent on that individuals social status.

For instance, an able-bodied individual wishing to cause harm to disabled individuals is morally no worse than a disabled individual fostering malice and ill-will towards able-bodied individuals; however, the fact that disabled individuals are at a physical or neurological disadvantage means that malice thrown at them by able-bodied individuals in society has the ability to cause more damage. An able-bodied individual is far more capable of damaging and endangering the life of a disable individual than the disabled party would theoretically be capable of doing to them.

Similarly, those who are wealthy are far more capable of oppressing those who are poor. Likewise, those who are of the dominant racial, sexual, or gender identity majority are far more capable of subjugating and discriminating against those who are not. On a sociological scale, racism is defined as systematic discrimination based on race. It is not defined as prejudice. Although it is possible all races to be prejudice or discriminate, on a collective social scale it is impossible for members of a minority to turn their prejudices into widespread discrimination, violence, or inequality.

In short, all prejudice is equally wrong, but all prejudice is not equally influencial. It is prejudice that holds influence and power within society that is defined as racism, sexism, classism, etc, according to sociology.