Black Heterosexuals (Part 1)

Once again a Google alert lead me to something that I have to comment on. And because I can get rather wordy, I replied here at SPT.

"Gays and Lesbians will now know that they can’t just go around thinking that a minority will care about the GLBT cause. The “minorities” will look out for their selfish religious beliefs first. It was sad to see so many blacks voting for Proposition 8 as if they forgot what being discriminated against was like and as if they forgot what it felt to be on this side of the fence."

There is more and it can be found at: http://www.dailydoseofqueer.com/2008/11/06/prop-8-wins-ca-fl/ Daily Dose of Queer

I, Salty, am a homosexual Black American woman. Being non-White and a homosexual I have had to deal with what homosexual White Americans have not had to endure. My Black heterosexual sisters and brothers have been indoctrinated into religions. It goes all the way back to slavery but Black American citizens have not broken from religion that was forced on them. Black American citizens in this country still have to deal with police brutality and other racist acts, so a problem they don't consider their's they side with the church. It was religion that gave enslaved Blacks the strength to endure believing that one day things would change. Living in a society that beats you down because of skin-tone, and treat you less than, Blacks as a whole are more concerned with being recognized as Americans. Black homosexuals voted on the side of equality for homosexuals. Black heterosexuals voted on the side of the church. There are White hetero family members who voted against members of their family having equality the same as hetero Blacks. So this is not a Black and White issue. That's what wrong with trying to accomplish anything -- placing blame at a failure. Our federal officials are really to blame because they did like the the rulers did who had Jesus killed. The Rulers passed it to the church leaders who passed it to the people. And the people played right into their hands and killed Jesus. So this is nothing new. The same was done with slavery in America. It was endorsed by the federal government and the church.

I have compared how homosexuals are treated in America to how slaves were treated, up to a point. Just as slave owners used the Bible to justify enslaving and denying Black people freedom then, christians are now using the Bible to deny equal rights to homosexuals. But homosexual caucasions need to realize that there is more at stake in being a "Black minority in America". Heterosexual Blacks watch tv and see mostly heterosexual couples who are White and if a person of color has a love interest, it's with someone White. So in a way, Black heterosexuals are more interested in being seen as heterosexuals. They view homosexuality as a weakness. There is such a stigma in the Black community that Blacks don't want to associate with someone who is or thought to be homosexual because then their sexuality would be questioned.

I was hurt to the point of tears when I read that Prop 8 had passed, which means that people can still hate so much. And even more flowed when I read that people of color voted in massive numbers against equality. I wasn't surprised by it, but it hurt. They voted to deny me my legal rights. It would have been better if they had not voted on this issue at all. But they don't know the ramifications of the Federal and State constitutions being changed so easily. (Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.) When ministers are preaching against homosexuality, the church-goers go with what the preacher tells them. It's the same as Blacks and Gays being in the military. They hope that if they serve their country that they will be included. Blacks have to still deal with not being equal. And even with a Black man being elected President, the bigotry, abuse and murders will not cease. And remember, there are plenty of homosexuals who live as heterosexuals, and I wonder how did they vote. Many Blacks are under the influence of the church the same as in other cultures. How does one fight against that type of mentality/brainwashing?

Me, I have few rights as a Black woman and none as a homosexual woman. Which battle do I focus on today? I'm so tired of fighting.

There will be a time when sexuality will be a non-issue in America. So what do you think will be the issue to divide us then? Perhaps people with blond hair and blue eyes will be the next to be discriminated against.