TransGriot Note: A guest post by NBJC 100 Leaders To Watch honoree Brandon Mack.
You can click on this link to see Part 1 of this post at Ashton Woods' Strength In Numbers blog.
Thanks to Ashton and Brandon for giving me the honor an pleasure of allowing it to be posted here.
I recently attended an event that discussed Black Leadership
and its relationship with the Black LGBTQ community. The event was seeking to
answer the question: Are Black LGBTQ
people being left behind by Black Leaders? In my opinion, we are being left behind, but
that is partly due to our own fault as a Black LGBTQ community. We are not answering the Call to Arms to
fight for ourselves. We are not
utilizing our voices to assert our humanity and existence enough to have our
issues addressed. We do have many great advocates, activists, and allies who
are doing the work, but we need more.
The phone is ringing but the call is going unanswered. In my opinion,
this call is not being answered for three reasons: fear of rejection, fear of
recognition, and fear of being labeled.
FEAR OF REJECTION
As African Americans we have a history of having our voices
being rejected or not equally considered. Slaves could not speak out against
their own oppression and enslavement. Early African Americans could not use the
tools of the government through the ballot box and public service
representation to have their voices heard.
There is a history of our voices being drowned out or not considered. Couple that with the rejection experienced on
a personal level when your family and community reject you for being gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered, then it is easy to see why it is hard to
raise your voice. However, we have to overcome this fear of rejection and
utilize the tools we do have, because the SILENCE is killing our community and
us.
FEAR OF
RECOGNITION
Even though there is a greater visibility of GLBTQ people in
the media and our society, there is still a fear of being recognized as a GLBTQ
person that prevents people from participating in advocacy and activism. People are worried about if they are going to
be seen at a particular event or speaking out in support of the GLBTQ
community, they are now going to have their identity questions by their family
and community. Often, I hear from
SGL/GLBTQ people that, “its nobody’s business who I sleep with, or what goes on
in my bedroom.” My problem with these statements is that it reduces who we are
as SGL/GLBTQ people to sex. We are full human beings with full lives. All of those aspects of ourselves should be
respected and protected. You can’t be respected or protected if people cannot
see you. Therefore, we need to get over
the fear of “what is this person going to say, or what will happen if they
think I’m gay,” because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.
FEAR OF BEING
LABELED
This may seem that it is similar to the fear of recognition,
but it is different. The fear of being
labeled comes from the fear of being labeled as an activist. Activists are often labeled as angry or
difficult because they are always advocating on behalf of their communities.
Activists are often accused of turning everything into a cause. This fear of
being labeled as an activist or becoming bitter and angry because of the work
causes people to not participate. My response to that: GET OVER IT. Activism can be done in a variety of ways. It
can be a simple as sending an email or letter to your Council Member or
Congressperson. It can be as simple as casting your vote in an election. It can
be joining a protest. It can be speaking out on the news and in front of
decision makers. All of these actions
are needed to get our issues addressed. Therefore, we need more people to do
the big and small acts of activism. Also, if you do not like what is currently
being done by those who are doing the work, STEP UP and TAKE OVER. Many times activists remain in their roles in
organizations and on the front lines because there is no one to take the baton
and keep the fight going. If you have a new approach, or want to take the lead,
come take it! We need all soldiers to advocate on behalf of our community, big
and small, but we need to get over this fear of being labeled the “angry
activist” because the SILENCE is killing our community and us.
ANSWERING THE CALL
GLBTQ rights and equality is going to be achieved. However
in order to do is we need to show up and show out. We need to bring all of
ourselves, our race, gender, sexual orientation, education, talents, etc. to
the table. We need to be unafraid to raise our unapologetic voices. We need to
demand the recognition of our full humanity and all of who we are. We need to
advocate for our community through the ballot box, the meeting rooms, and halls
of government. This movement needs to be radical, conservative, intersectional,
multipronged, and inclusive. In order for that to happen, we need to answer the
call. The phone is ringing, are you going to pick up?
H/T Strength In Numbers blog.
