Toban B. sent in a link to a set of photos from the 1970s gay rights movement. Given that since the anti-gay-marriage Prop 8 passed in California in November, many people have argued that a) the African American community is particularly homophobic and voted against the bill (so it’s Black people’s fault Prop 8 passed) or b) gay rights organizations have failed to reach out to the African American community and win their support (so it’s elitist gay people’s fault Prop 8 passed), both positions that imply that gay rights and African Americans are at odds, I found this photo from Philadelphia (in 1972) particularly striking as a reminder that African Americans often did and do support gay rights, and the gay rights movement has often actively included them…oh yeah, and also there are gay Black people:
Here’s an image of people picketing the White House in the 1960s in support of legislation to ban discrimination against gays and lesbians in federal employment:
There are also quite a few vintage gay movement images mixed in to this set of photos. Thanks, Toban!
Comments 17
anna — April 7, 2009
i don't think you can use two random photographs from 40 years ago to attest to any kind of demographic statistic.
Nijuro — April 7, 2009
I've never seen the "b" in "black people" capitalised before.
Lisa Wade, PhD — April 7, 2009
The photos aren't the evidence of a demographic statistic. The photos are just a way to challenge us to *remember* what is well documented--that to the degree the gay rights movement is currently depicted as a White social movement, that has been a PROCESS that occurred, and not some inherent characteristic of the movement itself, which has and had many members and leaders who were non-White. Sociologically, we have to ask HOW that image of gay rights as a White issue emerged, and I thought the image was a good reminder of that.
captain crab — April 7, 2009
I was alive and well in the 1960's. Black, Latino, and other non-whites were very involved the "movement", which, at that time, included gay rights, civil rights, worker's rights, protesting the Viet Nam War, and the environmental crisis.
After the war ended, each of these segments went it's own way.
And that, so to speak, was the end of the revolution.
totally unqualified — April 7, 2009
Before commenting I'd just like to say that I really like this blog, and don't want my comment to be seen as a criticism of it. I'm an undergrad (a junior) studying political economy, and my friends and I frequently use entries from this site as a way to springboard discussions about our main areas of interest (finding some way to tie it all back to capitalism? maybe).
Anyway, your critique of the post prop-8 coverage seems to suggest that the mainstream media is trying to slough the blame for prop-8's passage off on minorities by suggesting that black voters are to blame (because they were more supportive of the bill then was expected, and then white voters, and possibly latinos? I'll have to double-check on that one), or by blaming the organizers as "elitist gays" for not reaching out to black voters. While you are correct that there are gay black people, and that "African Americans often did and do support gay rights, and the gay rights movement has often actively included themAfrican Americans often did and do support gay rights, and the gay rights movement has often actively included them", there has also been a split between the mainstream (white, middle class) gay rights movement and activism by LGBT black people (and gay people of color more generally). For years there have been articles, books, movies, blogs etc complaining that white activists are not representing their needs, and are not necessarily interested in accommodating them.
Based on what I've read there is some validity to this criticism, though I don't want to attempt to go into detail on it because I'm not an expert on the history of the gay rights movement (I'm just a beige child of lesbians who has been reading "the Advocate" since elementary school, and has friends who are involved in some actual activism at school).
Post loss post-mortems from within the gay community and gay press have taken a firm, strong look at the degree to which the anti-8 organizers did and didn't court black voters, and their findings suggest that only a vague, cursory attempt was made to woo black voters. Theories I've heard abut why black voters weren't courted include: most black voters in CA are Dems (and that Dem. voters will support marriage equality), the assumption that most black voters would support a bill that is about civil rights of some kind, the belief that young people are overwhelmingly pro-Mar. Eq. and that they would be turning out in significant numbers to vote for Obama, that it didn't matter because black people are less likely to vote (combined with the previously mentioned things), and lastly, that they totally forgot about black voters for reasons that might be attributable to racism.
Either way, a lack of outreach to black voters did have an impact on the outcome of the prop 8 vote. Suggesting that this wasn't a factor because its "blaming the other" seems ridiculous. Besides, while it is possible to look at coverage within and outside of the gay media as "black people screwed up...gays are elitist", it is equally possible to see the narrative as something more like "slash and burn single issue politics combined with an unwillingness to address white privilege led to the neglect of black voters by anti-8 organizers, which led to a higher then anticipated pro-8 turnout among African Americans". Or, more simply, white racism is to blame.
PattiLain — April 8, 2009
I'm not sure if this is relevant or not...
But in South Africa there is a rise in the rape of lesbians in townships because men think that it will "cure" them of their sexual orientation. (http://www.salem-news.com/articles/march302009/rape_africa_3-30-09.php That's the first story I found on Google news, I put it in so you can see I'm not talking nonsense).
Now, I'm wondering, what is the correlation? I'm certainly not saying that all black people are homophobic, since it was the new predominantly black government that legalised gay marriage here in the first place. Is it related to lack of education and ignorance?
Is it related to patriarchal issues in low-income areas, and is only prevalent among the black areas because they make up the largest part of the low income population (and the population as a whole)?
Is it not a black issue at all? Is my comment totally irrelevant?
Parapluie — April 8, 2009
PattiLain:
The sex/rape-as-cure mentality about lesbians isn't limited to South Africa. I can't count how many times I've heard men here in America imply that if lesbians slept with "real men" (and they always mean themselves when they say that), they would suddenly see the light and magically become straight.
I would say you are correct that it's an idea born of patriarchy and ignorance.
Village Idiot — April 8, 2009
I think what captain crab said is both an extremely important point and a factor that is mostly neglected among the disparate groups seeking their own various progressive political goals these days.
Civil Rights can't work as an a la carte issue, picking some and discarding the rest. One group calls for equal pay for equal work between men and women, another for outlawing job discrimination based on race, a third tries to afford committed couples who happen to be same-sex the same domestic rights as heterosexual married couples, yet another opposes the continued evisceration of the Constitution, etc.
They're all the same thing -civil rights- and governments the world over throughout history have recognized the truth and power of "divide and conquer." COINTELPRO was brilliantly successful in that regard, but of course nothing like that happens anymore; that's just tin-foil hat conspiracy talk...
Cecil — April 8, 2009
Amongst lower classes there can be more gender equality since oftentimes both parents (adults) have to work outside the home to support the family. This supports more equal roles and attitudes between men and women.
Waking Vixen » Blog Archive » What’s in a Word? Why Language Matters When it Comes to Sexuality and Gender — April 9, 2009
[...] best language shifts over time. Case in point, the above picture, which I snagged from a post about Images of Early Gay Rights Movement on Sociological Images. The phrase “sexual preferences” seems antiquated and awkwardly [...]
links for 2009-04-13 « Embololalia — April 13, 2009
[...] Sociological Images » IMAGES FROM EARLY GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT Toban B. sent in a link to a set of photos from the 1970s gay rights movement. Given that since the anti-gay-marriage Prop 8 passed in California in November, many people have argued that a) the African American community is particularly homophobic and voted against the bill (so it’s Black people’s fault Prop 8 passed) or b) gay rights organizations have failed to reach out to the African American community and win their support (so it’s elitist gay people’s fault Prop 8 passed), both positions that imply that gay rights and African Americans are at odds, I found this photo from Philadelphia (in 1972) particularly striking as a reminder that African Americans often did and do support gay rights, and the gay rights movement has often actively included them…oh yeah, and also there are gay Black people (tags: 2008election:prop8 photography lgbt race activism) [...]
Sociological Images » A “RAINBOW” COALITION AGAINST GAY MARRIAGE — April 17, 2009
[...] on 8″ website also appeal to a multicultural (if segregated) constituency. See also this post challenging the idea that Black people and gay people are always at odds or even, of [...]
By Erin Ptah — April 29, 2009
[...] Proposition 8: The Musical. Sing along! (Also, check out these vintage gay rights photos from the ’70s.) [...]
kdlsoz — June 7, 2009
i am a gay
kdlsoz — June 7, 2009
sand images gay for me
raj — October 28, 2010
good and continue
Berty88 — April 14, 2012
Did you see where a second rate actor from a 80's sit comedy has been very outspoken in anti gay lesbian rhetoric? How does doing "bad tv" make any opinion more worthy to be spotlighted by the media in 2012? There are so many more important issues... many gays and lesbians deal with discrimination on a regular basis. Why is a tv (tv no less) star from the 1980's given method and means to promote agendas that attempt to justify 2nd class citizen treatment ("God" said so) of anyone? Why do the words of discrimination and the "justifcation" of unequal treatment given a platform just because it comes from a star of a "bad tv" program in the 1980's? Gee I wonder what Gary Coleman of "Differnet Strokes" fame thought about the "day after" RU482 "birth control" pill? Oh too, darlings.. you know what they say about latent homosexuals... Their venom comes from issues in the self. So "Bone r" from "Family Ties" has a personal view on gays and lesbians.. So what..? Ps I think the Mom from "Family Ties" is an out lesbian... anyway..whatever.. live free... your right to an opinion is the only thing that is really yours today... Take ownership..it is just and opinion.. and your opinion is just as important as that of "Bone r's" from Family Ties. Kiss kiss sweetie darlings....