The LBGT community is growing stronger for equal rights today. Gay marriage being legalized nationwide is a huge step in society. However, there are certain things happening that make it seem like the LGBT community is taking two steps back.
It’s racism.
Not many people are aware of this but racism is a big problem that is at-large in the LGBT community. There are many individuals in the LGBT community who are racially biased against minority ethnicities, specifically blacks. Years ago, some gay bars would put up signs that said ‘No blacks or Asians” in their establishments.
What I’ve noticed, primarily from what my friends share with me, are the discrimination of black gays on dating sites such as Tinder and Grindr. My black friend was talking to a white guy on Grindr. When it came to the point of him identifying his ethnicity, the white guy said “I cannot have sex with a black boy.” When asked why, the white guy then said “Sleeping with a black guy would make me feel less of a man.” He sent me the screenshots of the conversation and when I read it, I could not believe what I was reading. It literally gave me an uneasy feeling that this person would have the nerve to say something like that. The crazy thing is my friend was denied before he even showed a pic of himself. This isn’t really okay.
Many white guys in the LGBT community will deny a black guy specifically because they assume they will automatically not be attracted to a black guy. There’s some shallow minded bigotry there. This is a huge issue. It’s okay to have a preference, but also be open minded. The first thing someone could say is “I’ve never been with a black guy before” and that’s okay. But to say something like not messing around with someone of a different race than yours because it makes you feel like less of a man is not a preference. There is something personal there.
My gay friend from Cleveland was even kicked out of a party for being a “gay black.” The party was full of gays of mostly white, some Asians, and he was only black person there. He was simply told that he was kicked out because “There’s no one here that likes black guys.”
Hearing all this from my friends honestly upsets me. I didn’t expect this from the LGBT community out of all the communities. I thought the world we were living in was starting to become more race friendly. I’ve never heard of a minority group singling out another minority within that same group. It’s mind blowing.
Some things I’ve even seen for myself. One day, I overheard one person say “Black people smell.” I went up to this individual immediately and said to him: “Black people do not smell. First and foremost, you can’t say someone smells weird just because they have a different scent than yours. Anyone could smell funny. It’s dependent on the individual person and their habits, not the race. Before you judge someone based on race, get to know them first. Don’t make assumptions.”
That’s not the only problem I’ve experienced. My friend and I visited a gay bar in downtown Sandusky. We were both racially profiled the minute we walked in. We were constantly asked for our IDs after initial ID check. The bouncers and bartenders all looked at us the whole time we were in the bar. Another guy in the bar even came up to us said. “Shouldn’t you guys be at a black bar? I don’t think you’re anyone’s type in here.” My friend was feeling a bit too uncomfortable, so we left.
I couldn’t believe how we were being treated. I mean, who automatically decides who goes where and what someone is attracted to? So, I’m asking all you readers out there to not let things like this happen. There’s a fine line between a simple preference and pure bigoted racism.
One of the problems is that people don’t really see this as being a big issue so it typically gets swept under the rug. Not if people were to say something about it. If you were in one of these situations, how would you react? It’s not important until it actually happens to you.
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