What is Don’t Black Gay Me?
Don’t Black Gay Me is a space for Black folk of the queer experience to express themselves about the many things in our world that do not fulfill or describe our experience. It was sprung out of a recent conversation I had with some other Black folk of the queer experience. I am hoping that it will serve as a catalyst for conversations and posts about the many affronts we as Black LGBTQI etc… folk experience on the daily. Items can be about anything from popular culture, politics, something that happened on the train or anything that as the larger Black queer community we feel belittles or undermines our experience as whole feeling people.Soon I will post items which embody this for me to give yall better examples but for now; When you feel like someone is regulating your experience as a Black Queer make sure to tell them “Don’t Black Gay Me”.
August 21, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Nice Start…..I’m Queer and I’m Here!
August 22, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Hi!!! Im so happy that this topic has arisen as it is not talked about much. I feel that it is such a valid claim on so many levels. For me, this PTSD has manifested itself as an overactive sense of having to defend myself against what people say and think about me, bordering paranoia…I like to think of myself as a laid-back person, so when this paranoia and anxiety occurs, a lot of times unwarranted, it saddens me that it can be so difficult for me to see past it. When I read this blog it made me think of growing up gay in an urban/west indian community: the things you’re called, family stigma, religious stigma, physical harm…then the lightbulb went off. A lot of us gay black men experience this heightened sense of paranoia which I always passed of as a slight lack of self-esteem (which can also be part and parcel of the problem), and what it can actually be is a form of PTSD. And even as cosmopolitan and “with it” as a lot of us black gay men make ourselves (speaking for myself here), the effects often seep through, sadly effecting many of our social, professional, and familiar settings. (SIGH)
August 22, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Im not black or part of the “queer experience” should I still read your blog?
August 22, 2008 at 6:13 pm
BRING IT!
August 23, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Good blog – I’m always ambivilant about the use of the word “queer” especially as a black bi identified person. While I understand attempts to own and shape it’s context and use, I’m not sure if we can all rise above it’s hateful beginning.
August 25, 2008 at 4:54 am
keep it rolling, and let’s inform each other. did you listen to TPR’s hate crime-themed podcast? stevon tells his story, it makes me emotional to hear it.