Essay On Discrimination In The Gay Community Published in Guardian UK Newspaper
My essay was published in the Guardian newspaper’s Comment Is Free section on Friday. My essay is about same sex marriage but I feel some people don’t understand my argument.
Link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/jul/03/gay-rights-race-marriage/print
Gayblackcanada 
“Another quandary is the issue of white gay entitlement that same sex marriage is a “right” when actually it is an example of white gay privilege.”
So is interracial marriage between a black person and white person also “an example of white privilege” just because the white member of the couple benefits from it? This statement is so absurd as to be a farce and a caricature of what otherwise could be a serious argument. In fact, at first I thought the article was intended to be a spoof of such arguments, and I’m still unsure if it is or not.
What throws me off is the fact that you are a gay black Canadian man:
http://orvillelloyddouglas.wordpress.com/
and in Canada, all adults have the right to marry [an] adult[s] of their choice, regardless of sex or race.
Who the hell are you, who have the right to marry another man, to advocate denying the right to marriage for other gay people in other countries?
Unless you really are joking, I’m ashamed of you as a fellow Canadian.
Suedehead77 just because I am gay does not mean I must automatically support same sex marriage. I think your statement is very ignorant. The gay community is not a monolithic group. I have an opinion and I am entitled to my opinion. We agree to disagree because I do believe same sex marriage is an example of white skin privilege. A white gay person can “hide” his or her’s sexual orientation and still benefit in society by being white. However, a black person will encounter racism due to being black.
“Was Shepard’s death considered more important because he is white?”
Unfortunately, I think your statement is true. The US is a melting pot. Anything that is not white, male, heterosexual and Christian is bad. In Canada, we embrace differences. In the US, they squash them.
“It is hypocritical of the white gay elite such to suddenly attack blacks without looking at the source of the problem that’s within white culture.”
Ah, yes…the irony of these situations: we create the very condition we are trying to avoid. Check out George Monbiot’s book “Bring on the Appocalype: Essays on Self-Destruction” It is filled with such examples.
You still haven’t addressed the issue of interracial marriage. Is interracial marriage a ‘white privilege” just because the white member of a black/white couple benefits from it?
Also from the Guardian UK: African-American CHURCH leaders opposed DC bill to recognize gay marriages from outside the district.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/07/gay-marriage-law-washington
I think it’s critical to distinguish that CHURCH LEADERS of African-American churches tend to be homophobic, as are many leaders of many churches (though African-American church leaders are not necessarily more homophobic than other church leaders.) Secondly, CHURCH MEMBERS of African-American churches tend to be homophobic, as are many church members of many kinds of churches (though African-American church members aren’t necessarily more homophobic than other church members.) I think a serious discussion about this issue has to include those distinctions.
It also has to include a discussion of the fact that the media plays up the political power and participation of CHURCHES in American generally, and tends to ignore participation by average African-Americans. It has to include a discussion of the fact that fewer African-Americans vote than their white counterparts, and some are excluded from voting because of past criminal records.
A law recognising same-sex marriages performed elsewhere in the US has gone into effect in the District of Columbia.
The bill was approved in a 12-1 vote by the Washington DC council in May, with council member Marion Barry casting the lone no vote.
Congress, which has the final say over the city’s laws, had 30 days to review the bill. A push by African-American church leaders who oppose gay marriage failed to get a referendum on the matter.
And Congress took no action, allowing the bill to become law today.
Suedehead77, I never said homophobia does not exist in the black community of course it does. However, I find it interesting that you fail to acknowledge the people in the power structure that create anti gay laws are white not black folks. My article was directly focusing on the argument that Dan Savage and other white gay elites should be focusing on the problems with the people with political power.
“It’s the white power structure that creates homophobic laws.” I have to totally agree with you on that one, Orville.
This statement is so absurd as to be a farce and a caricature of what otherwise could be a serious argument.