About.com Article: Does Demonizing Black Christians Really Help Black Gays Or Just Make Things Worse?
Thoughts on the Bishop Eddie Long Scandal: Is the Black Church More Homophobic Than Others?
It was bound to happen sooner or later. As soon as I heard that Bishop Eddie Long was being sued for allegedly seducing teenage boys from his black megachurch in Atlanta, I wondered how long it would take before someone framed the scandal as a race issue. Well, sociologist Shayne Lee did just that in a piece published Sunday on CNN.com. In it, he insinuates that if the black church didn’t harbor so much homophobia, gays in its midst wouldn’t feel the need to stay closeted and lead secret lives. He writes:
“Many black Christians pride themselves on a plain reading of Scripture, making it virtually impossible to foster an inclusive embrace or acceptance of homosexuality. As long as African-American Christians adhere to biblical mandates as authoritative prescriptions from God, they won’t be easily dissuaded from rejecting same-sex lifestyles as viable alternatives to heterosexual norms.”
To back up his point, Lee cites Pew Research Center data indicating that blacks are more religious than other racial groups, not to mention the group most likely to consider Scripture the literal translation of God. That may be true, but that doesn’t necessarily make African American Christians more homophobic than other Christians. To imply that it does enters dangerous territory.
For years African Americans–Christian and otherwise–have been portrayed as fiercely homophobic. The term “on the down low” was coined to describe black men who have sex with other men but refuse to call themselves gay because of their extreme discomfort with their sexual orientation. Moreover, when California banned gay marriage in 2008, blacks were held responsible. Media outlets erroneously reported that seven out of 10 black voters backed a gay marriage ban. In actuality, blacks were pretty much split on the issue, just like other voting blocs were. One group, however, did vote overwhelmingly in favor of a gay marriage ban–white evangelicals.
Make no mistake. Homophobia in the church isn’t a black or white issue. Both black Christians and white Christians read the same Bible, so why paint the former as extreme homophobes and the latter as tolerant when anyone who attends a Bible-based church is likely to object to homosexuality? To pin this problem on black Christians is to engage in racial scapegoating and to deny the fact that the culture at large is heterosexist. Yet, writers such as Lee and Anthea Butler at RD Magazine seem bent on turning the Long scandal into an indictment of the black church. Butler writes:
“The Eddie Long crisis is not just a crisis for himself, the accusers, Long’s family and the church; it’s a clarion call to African-American churches to cease and desist with the homophobia…”
But this is a shortsighted view. The Long controversy isn’t just about whether the pastor is a homosexual whose religious beliefs forced him into the closet. It’s about an alleged abuse of power. The young men suing Long claim that he used his power and influence as the head of a megachurch to seduce them after they came to him for help. In this way, the scandal has less to do with homophobia and more to do with lack of character. If the allegations against Long are true, it means that the pastor is a predator–gay or straight.
But let’s stick with this idea that virulent homophobia in the black church drove Long to this behavior. If black homophobia is to blame, does it make sense that Long’s flock is now rallying to his side? You’d think that extreme Christian homophobes would abandon a pastor facing such allegations. Long’s followers, in contrast, are saying that they will stand by him whether he’s guilty or innocent. Compare this to the case of Ted Haggard, a white Colorado preacher involved in a gay sex scandal in 2006. After Haggard’s liaisons with a male prostitute became public, Haggard was driven out of his predominantly white megachurch. So, how exactly is homophobia in the church a black thing?
I Am Back In Toronto Making Choices & Taking My Opportunities.
Last weekend, I made the right choice to get outside my comfort zone and attend the black gay men’s retreat outside of Toronto.
Although some people may think of me as some kind of black gay warrior, the truth is, sometimes I get lonely. Sometimes I have feelings of doubt and I question myself. I feel that Toronto’s gay community is like a dysfunctional family. I learned it is okay to say I want support, I want to connect with people, I want to make new friends. Sometimes I think I can solve everything on my own but that is not necessarily true. I am a human being and social isolation will solve nothing and just create more feelings of loneliness and despair.
I am cognizant that, it is deleterious to isolate myself. I have a predilection to having very good ideas but I panic and chicken out! I really happy that I took my opportunity that was available and challenged myself. It can be emotionally draining to introduce myself to new people but it is also very rewarding experience as well.
I am proud of myself that I made the right decision to attend the retreat. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive, I was nervous, anxious, I had doubts that flooded my mind. I only knew a few people prior to attending the retreat. However, I learned a lot that is very empowering being around people are in a similar circumstances such as myself. Although Canada is considered a progressive nation in relation to LGBT rights, the truth is, there is still stigma against gay and lesbian people.
Race is a social construction, we all know this and black feminist bell hooks reminds us that “race” still matters. In Toronto, the LGBT community is white dominated and I am not suggesting that there are not some decent white LGBT people out there because there are some. I am simply arguing that, when you have multiple layers of identities it is sometimes important to gain strength, courage, from being around your own kind. Last weekend, it was nice talking and getting to know black people who are LGBT. In African and Caribbean communities in Toronto, being gay and lesbian is still socially taboo.
The black Toronto newspaper Share Magazine does not discuss “homosexuality” at all. The other black Canadian newspapers such as Pride, Caribbean Camera, there is no discourse with homosexuality. The black Toronto media treat black gays and lesbians as though we are invisible and don’t exist. I guess the attitude is, don’t write about black queers and we will just remain quiet? The message the Caribbean media are sending is, homosexuality does not exist in our community. Of course, we all know this is ludicrous and false. Last weekend, I saw with my own damn eyes a plethora of black gay men that are intelligent, handsome, educated, smart, and talented. My birthday present to myself was getting outside, beyond my own fears, doubts, taking a chance and realizing I am not alone.
Gayblackcanada 