by Thug Scholar
For mainstream LGBTQ organizations, the fight for gay marriage might very well be the Holy Grail of 21st century queer activism. Gay marriage will finally bring queer couples the socio-economic benefits that are bestowed unto straight couples who take that stroll down the aisle. With same-sex marriage now legal in 36 states, it's time to break out the rainbow flags, glitter, and booty shorts, right? It’s still hard out here for a queer, especially if you’re a queer person of color. Black LGBT people (approximately 1 in 6 people who live in 29 states) are more likely to live in states with anti-gay discrimination and lack job protection. We are more likely to be impoverished than white gays, and even more so than opposite sex Black couples. Trans people routinely experience state violence and harassment from law enforcement; Black Trans women are especially likely to be targeted simultaneously due to racism and the gender binary. This year alone, more than 10 Trans woman have been murdered, with the majority of them being Black. Latinos, who also make up a large percentage of the LGBTQ community, are no stranger to state violence themselves; 2013 was the peaking point of deportations in the United States, which undoubtedly affected Brown queer couples. Black and Brown LGBTQ youth are more likely to be homeless, an estimated 40% of teens living without a home identifying as queer (in which case, some turn to sex work, putting them in even more danger). The plethora of state violence, economic disparity, and homelessness are not so easily solved in the marriage equality framework, and shows that racism, xenophobia, and class factor deeply into our experiences as sexual minorities. Gay marriage will most directly accommodate upper-middle class white gays, who already have economic and racial privilege in order to fully access marriage benefits. What I am interested in is not a one-size fits all assimilation into an institution to end heterosexism. I want to talk about change that takes into account all that affects my queerness without dismissing other parts of my identity as a real road to liberation, and only then I’ll consider popping bottles with the rest of y’all.
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ATS MagAgainst the Stream Magazine is an urban platform. We edify our readers by finding noble, pure, and true talent and giving it a stage to flourish. While we love bragging about the folks around us, we also tackle urban issues by giving real world solutions. Archives
October 2015
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