Damage Control: In the Aftermath of Last Week’s Ruling on Gay Marriage—Gays, the Black Church, and the Mainstream Media
I had no intention of addressing last week’s California Supreme Court 4-3 ruling, which held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry. I politely declined several media interviews regarding the decision and choose to post nothing on my site about it.
Now, for the record, I am a lesbian. So obviously, I agree with the ruling.
However, I disassociated myself from the movement sometime ago when it became clear and apparent that the groups here in California and in Washington leading the charge were more concerned with obtaining gay marriage than any other issue affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. They were more concerned with reciting quotes from Black civil rights leaders and groundbreaking court cases and pimping out photos of Black gay and lesbian couples on their websites than hearing the concerns of Black same-gender loving people. Concerns that most certainly extend into the gay community as much as they do the Black community.
Having failed for the most part at infiltrating the Black gay community and getting us to act as surrogates to deliver their message of marriage over everything else in our community, today these groups remain completely oblivious. Chalk it up to ignorance and arrogance. Ignorance because their idea of coalition building is telling us what to do and expecting us to go along with it no questions asked and arrogance for having the audacity to think that we would.
Since the ruling, these same groups have been busy invading my inbox with emails about why I need to give them my money so that they can fight for my right to marry. I have yet to receive an email from these same groups about the upcoming California ballot initiative that would do away with rent control. I haven’t received an email about how the gay community in California needs to work together to help fight the Governor’s $144.4-billion spending plan that includes steep cuts in welfare and healthcare, programs that many lesbian and gay families rely on to make it through. You know, those bread and butter issues that many Black gays will tell you matters more than or as much as the Supreme Court’s ruling.
So when the ruling came down I just sat back and watched for what I knew was going to happen and for what did happen.
The L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center’s Lorri Jean’s mug was plastered across my television set along with reps from the usual suspects, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Equality California. Scenes of glee throughout the streets of West Hollywood as mostly white gays celebrated in true typical WEHO style and lesbian talk show host Ellen Degeneres and her partner actress Portia de Rossi announced plans to get married.
The Los Angeles Times’ gave the ruling prime coverage in the A section the following day. Coverage that was void of any color. To television news’ credit, while they didn’t feature any gays of color, they did cut to a group of protesters against gay marriage that prominently featured African-Americans.
More recently, the Los Angeles Times’ has published an article featuring liberal and conservative voices from congregations throughout Southern California on whether or not they support gay marriage.
It wasn’t until I got to the end of the article, which is entitled, “Coming to grips with same-sex marriage ruling,” that I was finally moved enough to write about last week’s ruling.
And I quote:
At Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles, the Rev. William Epps said his congregation has been focused on its 123rd anniversary — which it celebrated Sunday — and has given no thought to the Supreme Court ruling.
Traditional Baptist churches “would not embrace same-sex marriages,” Epps said, although he would be happy to devote a Bible study session to the matter if anyone wanted.
He himself has never been asked to bless a same-sex union. And what would he do if a homosexual couple asked him to marry them now?
“I’d have to prayerfully think about it,” Epps said in an interview. “I would think it would be something I would have to seriously grapple with.”
I want to put this in perspective for you. Out of all of the mainstream media coverage in L.A. from last week’s ruling on gay marriage, with the exception of the anti-gay protesters, there were no Black faces or voices.
But when the conversation turned to the church…you get the picture.
Maybe had there been some sort of balance in the recent media blitz over the ruling, a balance that illustrated the melting pot we’re always claiming to be, perhaps I wouldn’t be so annoyed with Pastor Epps’ quote in the Times’.
Epps’ quote isn’t alarming. After all, he was asked his thoughts and he gave them. What bothers me, is that almost never is the voice of reason on gay issues an African-American. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think there wasn’t a Black church in the country that supported equal rights for lesbians and gays.
With the gay groups, I know that their reasons for exclusion has to do more with the fact that unless they can use Black gays to carry their message to the larger Black community, we’re for the most part no good to them, except for the occasional website profile, mailer, or grant application.
With the mainstream media, there seems to be no real interest in thinking outside the box that has been drawn for them by said gay groups. That is why we see the same faces and hear the same voices on all things gay. The same organizations are looked to as the authoritative representation of the gay community similar to the way that Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are looked too when Blacks are upset.
And even though Los Angeles is home to a plethora of respected Black clergy that is affirming of lesbians and gays, including Agape’s Rev. Michael Beckwith, Rev. Eric Lee of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles, and civil rights icon Rev. James Lawson, those voices are almost never chosen to represent the voice of reason and African-Americans on gay issues. No, we’ve got to be portrayed as being negative, helping to fuel the notion that Blacks are homophobic.
Had the Times’ reporters gone back a few years in their archives, they would have come across an article written by their now retired colleague, reporter Gayle Pollard-Terry entitled, “A Shout Rings Out,” which profiled Black gay Christians and drew national attention. The article featured Unity Fellowship Church Movement, a 26 year-old Black church headquartered in Los Angeles, but with chapters across the nation. Unity was founded by the Rev. Carl Bean for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender African-Americans.
Nationally, the list of prominent Black clergy supporting the right of lesbians and gays to marry has grown exponentially over past several years to include among others: Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. William Sinkford, President, Unitarian Universalist Church, Rev. Peter Gomes, Harvard University Chaplain, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, his wife Rev. Marcia Dyson, and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.
Yes, that’s right, the pastor whose comments were inaccurately portrayed by the media as being unpatriotic and then used by presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s opponents to distract voters, is and has been a supporter for equal rights of lesbian and gay couples. That somehow was missed in all of the criticism being hurled at Wright.
In 2005, I will never forget receiving an email from Dr. Wright praising my commentary “Purchased Pulpits and Spiritual Exploitations” and asking for permission to reprint it in Trinity’s weekly Sunday bulletin. I remember speaking to him briefly about it on the phone and thanking him for taking the time to read it and offering to share it with his congregation. I received countless emails from various members of Trinity after it was published in their bulletin, also praising my commentary giving me hope that all Blacks are not homophobic.
Last week’s ruling by the California Supreme Court was unprecedented and has set the stage for another national dialogue on equal rights for lesbians and gays, a dialogue that will eventually extend to the 2008 presidential campaign. I fully expect a repeat of 2004 that saw the Republican Party use the issue of gay marriage to convince Blacks to vote against their best interests. After all, that’s what Republicans do best, use the Bible to invoke mass hysteria at the polls. Hopefully this go round, the fact that we’re in a recession and a never-ending war, coupled with a Black Democratic nominee and a little common sense, Blacks won’t be so easily tricked into voting against their best economic interests AGAIN with bias media reports portraying all gays to be white and all Blacks to be homophobic.
Hopefully.
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Great article! I am a former member of Trinity who now lives in Atlanta. Rev. Wright has always been an advocate for the LGBT community. You are also right that the LGBT community fails to incorporate its community of color unless it is needed for their greater agenda. This is one of the main divisions that will hinder the community from truly growing.
Where can i find your commentary, “Pastor Thou Art Loose” ?
This article discusses the exact issues you speak about in this post.
“In the White Male-Dominated Grantmaking World, Advocates for LGBT Minorities Get Screwed”
http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/85956/
It’s a similar problem with the so-called Second wave feminists groups who exclude or marginalize women of color. I attend Glide Memorial and they have always embraced LGBTQQI folks.
Dear Ms. Cannick.
While I can certainly see your perspective on the surface of this issue, I must take exception, because, to me it is just the “surface,” which I trust are at first, valid from your individualistic perspectives, and second, valid from a certain blanket perspective.
However, last week’s ruling was the result of a long and twisting process that does so affect ALL gay men, lesbian women; bisexual, transgendered, and yes, even heterosexual couples, by clearly framing a basic human right. It has and had zero to do with race or economics.
The court’s ruling is independent of whatever media or religious circus antics that have and yet still will occur.
The argument centering around various and current [gay] civil rights groups/groupings: “Only showing white faces!” or “Where are/were they (white gay men) in the current fight for social justice for Black People?!” is rather shallow. Since when is the struggle for basic civil rights a tennis game? Since when did it become ‘tit for tat?’
Now, I can tell you and anyone else who cares to know from my first-person experience as a Black Gay Man, that all too often when it comes to putting a face on the “Gay Rights Movement,” BLACK MEN shy away, letting their white counterparts suffer the brunt of vicious physical hostility and the like. I know this as fact because I’ve been in the actual situation whereby, I was only one of a handful of other People of Color, risking physical abuse, being spit at, etc., when I dared to be seen in public with my fellow white gay people. NEWSFLASH: The reason why there are more white faces seen has to do with more openly WHITE GAY MEN and WHITE LESBIAN WOMEN. The key here is being OPEN and OUT; not cowering in a closet, for christsakes!!!!
And then there’s this attitude that I’ve had expressed to me by TOO by many young Black Gay Men: “Let those fools (white gay men) risk their lives, we just want to have a good time; to party!” Many younger gay men – race exclusive – have not had the collective life experiences, so this attitude is certainly not unique to young Black Gay Men and or Lesbian women. Ah, with age comes maturity….we all hope.
I have also observed that ALL TOO OFTEN, Black People as a generalized whole, tend to hide behind their respective religious beliefs on gay issues, out of cowardice and fear. I can’t stomach such yellow-bellied behavior when it comes to Basic Civil Rights….particularly from a so-called “Black Community” that is woefully ignorant of the fact that Bayard Rustin, the architect of Dr. King’s March on Washington was both Black and gay. So, [gasp!!!!] there were gay people also involved in the Black Civil Rights struggles of the 1960’s; perhaps only a handful, but – to put it in perspective – only a handful of churches were initially involved in that same struggle. I’ll bet the typical Black person under age 40 is fundamentally oblivious to these details.
To me it is mighty easy to ‘blame’ the media for what is shown and or heard – not just on this issue but countless others, but upon digging deeper, below the surface, I rather suspect the sum total of people who attempt to spin the anti-same-sex marriage issue into a: “It’s harmful to the Black Civil Rights struggle for equality” rationale are either incredibly devious clear across the board, or are fearfully/woefully ignorant, owning to religiously caused brain washing and or bullying.
You can be sure, that when I finally meet the right man, regardless of what his race might be, I’m going to marry him….if he will have me. And the so-called [religious] leaders, Black, Brown, White, or what ever will just have to get used to it…and that goes double for their respective congregrations.
What?!….do such narrow-minded people honestly believe that there are NO marriage-minded Gay Black Men of Black Lesbian Women?
Sincerely,
Richard Phillips
Hey Jas,
The following was my response to your Blowblack piece in the LA Times. My response was too long to post there so I wanted to post it in its entirety here.
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Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. My sentiments exactly. Just like Ms. Cannick, I too, lost interest in the fight for gay marriage a long time ago and for the same exact reasons.
And she’s absolutely right about the media and it using the same sorry soundbites from the same sorry people–black and gay. That actually is the worst crime. The fact that NOT ONCE was it ever brought out into the fold that Rev. Wright’s church has a “controversial” open and super-friendly relationship with gays in the Chicago community, is pathetic. And it shows just how selective, biased and myopic the media is in terms of informative and diverse coverage.
I have been DEEPLY disappointed in the way mainstream media has portrayed blacks in our overall attitude towards gays. I’ve learned to pretty ignore anything written or said by the media in regards to blacks and gays. I actually saw the piece “Coming To Grips With Gay Marriage.” I saw the article the day it was published and skimmed over it; I instinctually knew that it would be bogus, ill-informed and wreak of laziness; I’ve come across this so many times. And, as Ms. Cannick pointed out, the writer of this piece did not disappoint. Bottom line is, as far as covering gay and/or black issues, LA Times you SUCK right along with the rest of them.
You haven’t a clue about the actual current state of affairs in California gay communities because you don’t bother to speak to anyone but the same people over and over again. You have no idea that many local black gays are disenchanted with gay politics overall. And you could care less. Instead of a piece about Gay Marriage, how ’bout a piece about why a huge percentage of white gays in California overwhelming support Hillary Clinton despite the fact that Obama attended a church for 20 years that openly embraced gays? Now there’s something interesting to read. But a piece like that is not gonna happen because it actually entails going out and doing some work–getting fresh and unheard perspective on things, actually bringing some new and eye opening information to the fold. Naw, why do a labor-intensive job like that when you can just pick up the phone and get a couple of glib quotes from the HRC’s president or press relations manager and call it a day, right?
Thanks Ms. Cannick for your Blowback essay. If anything it underscores just how ridiculous, irrelevant, lazy, biased and irresponsible the mainstream media has become in its coverage of the cultural and political landscape here in Los Angeles and across the nation.
And as for the Richard Phillips commentary, Mr. Phillips you have demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that you are completely alienated from the black community and have decided that any gripes or issues that black gays and lesbians may have with any aspect of the mainstream gay political agenda are unfounded and rooted in internalized homophobia, ignorance of our own history, and racism.
You are a tragic result and exibit painful evidence for all to see of what happens to a black gay man in America (if that’s what you are) when white penis becomes his god.
Well Derrick I completely disagree with you and it’s unfortunate that you’ve resulted to name calling in order to assert your blackness. I agree with a lot of what Richard Phillips wrote and I’ve made it apart of my life’s work to advocate for black gays and lesbians . So what does that make me? Certainly not a black man who worships a “white penis” as my partner of over a year is black. Sad.
My response to the Blowback piece as seen on my website:
I told myself after discussing this issue with my partner Trey last night that I wasn’t going to write about it today, but after reading a comment about this issue on another website that I could have easily written myself I had to speak on it…so here goes.
Lately there has been a lively debate on this blog concerning the importance of marriage equality for black gays and lesbians and whether or not we’re actually interested in legalizing our relationships. I have to point to a recent post by Jasmyne Cannick where she does an incredibly good job of explaining why she didn’t write about the major Supreme Court ruling last week that granted marriage rights to same sex-couples and why she has refused to participate in the fight for marriage equality.
There is this belief that as a gay person of color if you’re interested in benefiting from marriage equality or participating in an effort that is clearly spearheaded by white gay organizations then you’re somehow out of touch with the black gay community and the “real issues”.
I simply reject the idea that as black gay men and women we cannot be concerned or pour our efforts into more than one cause at a time or that gay marriage is simply of interest to only white people. Maybe my position on this issue is a little bias because I’m in a committed relationship and I look forward to the day when my relationship is recognized legally and my family is extended all of the legal protections that are afforded in marriage, versus all of the legal red tape most gay families have to go through in order to protect themselves that in many cases in the end are not enough.
Does the broader gay community have a lot of work to do when it comes to including black gays on important issues? Of course. Is it fair to say that we’ve felt “pimped out” by the mainstream gay community when they only come to us when they need black faces to support a cause they deem important? Maybe so.
Yet these problems shouldn’t dissuade us from openly embracing a civil right that we’ve been denied for far too long or even participating in the fight for marriage rights despite the collective guilt that is spreading in our community for doing so.
There are hundreds or even thousands of black gay couples who will jump at the chance to be married and just because they’re faces aren’t seen on the nightly news doesn’t mean they don’t exist. How many black gay men do you know that are out and willing to say so in front of a camera? If we’re ever going to be a driving force in the gay rights movement or change the worlds perception of how gays and lesbians look then we must come out. But that’s another topic for another day.
So I’m not buying the idea that gay marriage is not important to the black gay community and I question the motives of anyone who would purport such. Contrary to the growing belief, there are black gay couples who are in committed relationships and who look forward to taking those relationships to the next level. I know because Trey and I are fortunate enough to be one of those couples.
Gee Darian,
Who said that gay marriage was not important to the black community???? I certainly didn’t. And correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think Ms. Cannick did either. What I said was like Ms. Cannick, I too, have lost interest in the fight for gay marriage. I spoke for myself–and only for myself.
My point throughout my response to the Times was that the mainstream media is irresponsible, lazy, biased and irrelevant in regards to its coverage of gay issues and issues surrounding the black community. Somehow, you seemed to miss all this. I can’t see how that happened given that my entire commentary was aimed at that and only that.
I think in your haste to “react” to my response to Mr. Phillips’s sad diatribe, you didn’t take the time to gather your thoughts in terms of an articulate response to my statements.
If you read my response to Mr. Phillips comment, I didn’t call him any names. Darius, please quit making things up due to the emotional dialogue you’re having with your inside voice. It’s really not fair to the rest of us.
I did in my response point out what I believe to be Mr. Phillips’ misguided state of mind. I still feel that way. Your mini laundry list of “black credentials” don’t sway me from thinking that. And good for you that you have a black partner. I don’t. My boyfriend is from Chile. I worship his penis quite often actually and I still call a spade a spade.
And as far as your agreeing with Mr. Phillips, I don’t know what to say about that, my friend. Might I suggest writing out a gratitude list on 100 things that make you grateful for being a black gay American? Why don’t you do that. You may be surprised at what comes up. Might even change your perspective about things.
Gays first, then illegals
Yes, immigration reform is vitally important. But if Congress wants to debate the extension of equal civil rights to U.S. residents, let’s start with gays and lesbians who are already citizens
By Jasmyne Cannick
An Advocate.com exclusive posted April 4, 2006
Gays first, then illegals
Debate around America’s illegal immigration problem has reached an all-time high. With several versions of various bills being debated in Washington and hundreds of staged protests around the country both supporting and against extending citizenship and other rights to millions of illegal immigrants, America has forgotten that there are legal, taxpaying, and voting citizens in America who don’t yet have all of their rights.
American citizens continue to be denied the right to marry because of their sexual orientation while their families are deprived of access to the 1,138 federal rights, protections, and responsibilities automatically granted to married heterosexual couples.
It’s a slap in the face to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to take up the debate on whether to give people who are in this country illegally additional rights when we haven’t even given the people who are here legally all of their rights.
If we’re going to hold 24-hour Senate sessions using taxpayers’ dollars, let those sessions be used to come up with a comprehensive plan that allows America’s same-gender-loving stakeholders to have the opportunity to have the right to make decisions on a partner’s behalf in a medical emergency or the right to receive family-related Social Security benefits.
While I agree that immigration reform is an important issue—and perhaps it could become the next leading civil rights movement—we haven’t even finished with our current civil rights movement.
Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts got it right when he said, “There is no moving to the front of the line.”
Immigration reform needs to get in line behind the LGBT civil rights movement, which has not yet realized all of its goals.
Which is not to say that I don’t recognize the plight of illegal immigrants. I do. But I didn’t break the law to come into this country. This country broke the law by not recognizing and bestowing upon me my full rights as a citizen. As a black lesbian I find it hard to jump on the immigration reform bandwagon when my own bandwagon hasn’t even left the barn.
President Bush wants a comprehensive guest worker program.
With all due respect, Mr. President, there can be no guest worker program until we resolve the issue of making sure that all lesbian and gay legal workers have the right to take up to 12 weeks of leave from work to care for a seriously ill partner or parent of a partner and the right to purchase continued health coverage for a domestic partner after the loss of a job.
Both Senator Kennedy and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas backed away from insisting that guest workers would have to leave the United States after their initial two-year visa expired, basically guaranteeing that immigrant families wouldn’t be separated.
Well, what about making sure that the children of same-sex couples are protected and not separated from the parent they know and love in the event of an untimely death? Same-sex couples make commitments and form families just like heterosexual couples and need the same protections.
So, you see, America needs to take care of its own backyard before it debates on whether to take care of its neighbor’s backyard.
Lesbians and gays should not be second-class citizens. Our issues should not get bumped to the back of the line in favor of extending rights to people who have entered this country illegally. Bottom line.
Author and poet Audre Lorde once said, “I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.”
While I know no one wants to be viewed as a racist when it comes to immigration reform, as a lesbian I don’t want to move to the back of the bus to accommodate those who broke the law to be here. After all, immigrants aren’t the only ones who want a shot at the American dream.
Cannick is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and can be reached via her Web site, http://www.jasmynecannick.com. She lives in Los Angeles.
Wow! Aren’t you the RACIST and presumptious one. Are you one of Clinton’s campaign advisors? I said my boyfriend was from Chile. Yes, that’s true. But you automatically assume that he is an illegal alien. Sorry sweetie. Not all spanish speaking people sneak over the border.
My boyfriend was born and raised in Chile by a Chilean mother and his expatriate AMERICAN father. He has dual citizenship in the US and in Chile.
And yeah, if we decide to get married–we can..HMMMMMMMM….
Ms. Cannick,
As one of the pastie white faces constantly telling straight folks I’m not a one issue voter, THANK YOU!
And as a freedom fighter tired of dumb ass generals of liberation ‘front’ organizations, THANK YOU!
Darien in Indianapolis, IND.
I just want to be happy.