I'm posting this because it's rare that leaders in the black community talk about gay issues.
I hope Towleroad forgives me for stealing this clip. According to the blog, this is what happened:
Judge Mathis handled a case recently between two men that dealt with one of them possibly being in the closet.
Said Mathis: "If you are [gay] I think you should be up front about it. So many young men and women try to stay in the closet because their family and friends might be biased, or what have you. Forget about them. Be who you are."
Added Mathis later: "Certainly I believe that most sexual orientations come biologically and not by choice."
If only more black leaders were as vocally supportive of the lgbt community.
7 comments:
I guess you're black based on your handle, but your final comment strikes me as unnecessary.
Coretta Scott King spoke out for us, so has Julian Bond of the NAACP. Two of the most persuasive speakers in NY Senate's vote on Marriage Equality are black. Alcee Hasings in the House There are many strong black voices for equality.
Now we have one more. :-)
The part you highlighted was great, but I think the judge was way out of line for beraking the black guy for not having come out earlier. As if we don't live in a violently homophobic society! So his 'alls well that ends well" approach was crap, if you ask me.
And I want more black leaders speaking out in support. The more black leaders speaking in support, the better. That's one thing I have no shame in being greedy about.
While I definitely praise him for speaking out and it's nice to see he's open and happy about it..
But really, straight guy tells gay man they should come out - regardless of reaction of friends and family? No. nice on paper, but there are consequences to coming out - literally life and death consequences for some people. If Mathis is straight, then he
Love that he's positive. Love that he's happy with gay people. But telling a gay man to come out? Yeah, that's a privilege line cross
Yeah, but the only way you're going to effect real change in society is by being open and honest about your sexual orientation.
Hell, I'm a furry, and... well, that community drama is pretty tame compared to the violence and outright malice directed at the LGBT community in general, and (from what I've heard) it's worse in the black community than in the "white" community. (I think that's more of a religious influence, though.)
I wish the hate and violence, on ALL sides, would stop.
I wouldn't say its worse in the black community.
Eh, I could be wrong.
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