I am a white gay guy, and I am saying we easily had to go through the same degree of hardship as black people.
Again, we need to be clear about this, because I don't feel you are helping matters that much by making statements like this. From what I can tell, we need to be more specific with Blacks, because somewhere there is clearly a lack of communication, and we aren't on the same page with a lot of them.
To our Black friends on here, we are not comparing what we have to go through today, to what your ancestors went through.
*****However, at the same time, YOU GUYS clearly aren't going through what your ancestors had to go through, in this day and age. But, the attitude from SOME (a percentage) Blacks would almost seem that today's Blacks feel they are also out there on the plantation picking cotton, churning butter, and getting lashed on a daily basis out in the fields. And that is the kind of mentality that is also creating a rift between Blacks and the rest of society.
If we want to talk about Civil Rights and being treated equally, and discrimination, that's one thing. But for Blacks to imply that they feel they are still treated like slaves in society in this day and age, that is what has to come to an end.
So Bankside, as Gay Whites, we absolutely can not imply that we went through the same things that the ancestors of Blacks had to go through. I think if you are making an outrageous claim like that, then I think that is disgusting. But, if you want to compare being Gay today in this day and age, compared to being Black in this day and age ... I think those two are much more comparable.
To Whites and Blacks, we need to deal with the HERE and NOW when making these comparisons. White Gays are not talking about comparing the Gay Civil Rights Movement to Slavery. So let's get the "S" word out of the picture.
No black parent treated their child as a freak, or a traitor, or a degenerate, simply because they were born black.
That is absolutely very true. However, if anything, Blacks should realize this as they certainly had to go through the same thing within their own households. It wasn't just Whites that dealt with the impact of the family hating you.
Out in public, Blacks have made tremendous headway. However, based on what I see, Blacks seem to have an easier time in public than Gays do.
Blacks can get married. Gays can not.
When slaves were being freed, gay people were being locked away in asylums, or castrated, or injected with testosterone by Mengele or any number of medical "pioneers" before him. Gay people face terror at the hands of their own family. Even a black slave had a mother who loved him.
What about a Black Gay person, though? Do you think they would be as loving, if they knew the child was Gay back centuries ago?
Gay people don't face those struggles today, but then again neither do black people.
Like I said, I think there are a lot of Blacks out there that still attempt to pull the "Slavery" card, and that stuff just doesn't fly with me as far as I'm concerned. Blacks do not live in slavery today. They do not live the same life that their ancestors do, so I resent it when Blacks try to compare their own lives with the lives of their ancestors. It isn't the same thing. It isn't anywhere near the same thing. But this is where a lot of Whites get upset with Blacks, because we know this, and it is insulting to our intelligence to pretend that a Black person today is going through the same type of life that their Black Ancestors went through.
However, being Black today and being Gay today are much more comparable. However, I think Blacks are overwhelmingly held in higher regard with the public today, compared to Gays. Put it this way, we elected a Black President. Do you think a Gay President could ever be elected in this day and age? You know the answer to that. It's a resounding "No". So I think that is a good indication with where Gays stand in the eyes of the public, compared to Blacks.
Like I stated before, I think Gay Blacks need to understand that the themes of the two movements are what is being compared. Not who suffered worst. And that theme is Ending Discrimination and fighting for Equal Rights. Gays should be allowed to get married. Gays should be allowed to be open in public, and live without the fear of being persecuted. Gays shouldn't have to fear coming out to their parents. Gays shouldn't have to fear losing their jobs if their employer knows their true Sexuality.
And I think Marley is correct in the Hot Topics thread when he indicated that he feels there is a lot of Self Hatred amongst Blacks who are also Gay. And that could also be a possible reason why many don't view the movements as the same. They hear from their parents the type of life their parents and grandparents lived through and the hardships they faced .... yet homosexuality is viewed as utterly detestable in the Gay Community. Therefore, a lot of Blacks likely hate themselves and simply adopt their parents beliefs simply by hearing their parents words.
Again, Blacks need to keep in mind that the comparisons are along the line of theme. Not who's ancestors suffered worse in the past.
It is because a whole lot of people worked hard to make it that way. Gay people support equality for black people, gay or straight, and I'm here to say the expectation is mutual.
Wake up.
And I agree. And this is something more in the Black Community perhaps do need to wake up, too. If I had to vote on a bill which fought discrimination against Blacks, I would unquestionably support it. Therefore, the expectation is mutual, as you said.
