Why are Black Gay Men Missing from Politics? Take a Look in the Mirror
- Tim Pulliam
- Jan 8, 2016
- 2 min read
(Tim Pulliam's work originally published in The Tenth Zine. Volume 3).
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The Democratic Presidential debate showcased Hillary Clinton as the clear frontrunner for Democrats. Surprisingly, the debate highlighted many issues of interest to the African-American community: criminal Justice reform, jobs and the trending movement of #BlackLivesMatter. But the Republican and Democratic debates have failed to talk about some of the most serious issues affecting the Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, and so have we.
While Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox are celebrated in the mainstream as the new faces of the transgender community, it’s the nameless, faceless white and black transgender individuals from Anytown, USA, that are still suffering in the shadows. Caitlyn and Laverne can’t protect them, and, it seems, neither can the community itself, or our government. Recently 21-year old Zella Ziona, a transgender black woman from Montgomery County, Maryland, was allegedly lured behind a dumpster, attacked and shot to death following an altercation with Rico Hector LeBlond, the suspect charged with her death. The Washington Post says it’s unclear if a hate crime charge will apply. And that’s a problem.
In fact, 15 states with hate crime penalty laws do not include protections for crimes associated with sexual orientation, according the National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce. The states include: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia. Additionally, the advocacy group says Georgia, Arkansas, Michigan, South Carolina, and Wyoming do not have hate crime laws that specify special protections under its law. According to the latest statistics by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the agency estimates that 20 percent of hate crimes were the result of sexual orientation, which is the second highest rate reported. One would think this is an issue Black gay men and women would rally around and challenge presidential candidates to address on the campaign trail. That hasn’t happened either.
Another issue in the Black LGBT community getting little attention is employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. There is no federal law that protects the LGBT community against employment. And according to the advocacy group Catalyst, LGBT individuals are protected from being fired in only 29 of the 50 states. Rallying around this issue and other discriminatory practices in housing and credit access should be a top priority. But it’s not.
Where are the voices from our community? Where is the modern-day Bayard Rustin, Does the community even know who he is? Google him. Rustin, who was gay and proud, joined the civil rights movement with Dr. King to fight for equal rights and gay rights. The time is now for black gay leaders to champion the causes that matter and negatively impact the community’s advancement economically, politically and socially. The community cannot sit on the sidelines and wait for straight allies or some white savior.
HIV and AIDS is not the only disease killing us—it’s our silence.
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Finalist - Best Magazine Commentary, Salute to Excellence Award in Journalism, National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).