Gay white male
As LGBTQ+ equality moves forward, we are increasingly presented with the selfishness of the white cis male lover man. Jon B gives his opinion on why gay men need to do better by the rest of the Queer community.
Gay men need to do better.
This may seem fond a somewhat theatrical way to open an article that admittedly already has a title seemingly drawn from the annals of ‘How To Achieve The Best Click-Bait’ but, after a number of wrong starts, it seemed the best and most succinct manner in which to begin.
OK, let’s issue the disclaimer right now. No, not all white cis gay males are greedy. Yes, the way I have opened the article is deliberately provocative because it seems to draw on a certain stereotype. Nevertheless, as with many stereotypes it proceeds from a grain of truth, however hard that may be for anyone’s wounded homosexual pride to accept. Now that we’ve dealt with the perceived threat to ‘gay pride’ implied by my statement, let’s progress.
There has been a alter in the last ten to fifteen years, and it worries me. Homosexual men have changed, and not for the enhanced. Nowhere is this transform more evident than in our friend, lover and ad
White gay privilege exists all year, but it is particularly hurtful during Pride
This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the event that arguably jumpstarted the up-to-date LGBTQ movement. But while June has become a month-long celebration for many, it’s apparent that we currently have two other prides occurring.
While rainbows are replacing corporation logos across the nation, Black folks like myself are attending rallies for the death of our trans sisters — most recently Layleen Polanco Xtranveganza, who was found dead in her jail cell in Rikers Island, and Zoe Spears, who was shot to death on June 15. Unfortunately, this is nothing new for the Jet queer community; the architects and elders of the movement have been all but erased. This alabaster gay privilege exists year-round, but it is particularly frustrating during Pride.
The architects and elders of the movement have been all but erased. This alabaster gay privilege exists year-round, but it is particularly frustrating during Pride.
All communities struggle in some way with race, and the LGBTQ community is no different. Racism has always played a role in relationships between white and Black queer pe
Malherbe ’26: Do we really need more stories about white gay men?
Growing up in a pretty conservative and homophobic environment, it took me a while to come out. In the time before I could embrace my persona and find my group, I remember queer advocacy in media being super important for me. I would eat up anything with even a short-lived LGBTQ+ subtext, whether that be a show as explicitly queer as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” or a film that at least had a gay person in it, like “Mean Girls.” The pickings were a little basic, for sure; I couldn’t be expected to have the taste of RISD’s artsiest film student as a preteen. To a new, uninformed me, these forms of media gave me an insight into the queer culture I wanted to be a part of so badly. Unfortunately, I quickly found that this representation — which I hoped would movie the entire culture and community — was near exclusively focused on cisgender colorless gay men. Though this was an issue in my childhood, I had hoped it would be mostly solved by the time I had grown up. I was a bit too optimistic.
According to a GLAAD report on LGBTQ+ representation in motion picture this past year, most queer characters featured were white, most
I used to sit around and wonder where the Black gay men were. I never wondered where the gay white men were: they seemed to be everywhere.
White lesbians were few,but they existed and where they existed they were making things happen.
Black lesbians were a rarity, gems only to be heard of but seldom ever seen.
Others? What others? They didn’t exist.
Things have changed. My locations have changed: from New York to Atlanta to Columbus, Ohio to San Francisco, and now back to Columbus. My jobs have changed:thank goodness finally for the better. My significant others have changed: joy! I’ve changed: the best alter there is. Our society has changed: from them to us.
I’m seeing more Black gay men: still few and far between, but I see me.
I see white lesbians: they’re still around making things happen.
Black lesbians are being seen and seen in public positions of leadership: we look you.
Others? They exist!! These last few years, the beautiful human diversity of our intersectional homosexual community has been such a wonderful thing to witness and champion on a public stage, in full view of all to see.
Centering the conversation on different identities isn’t dimin
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