I wrote a blog back in February on Gay Racism!?, which, continues to trend globally at the top of my posts.
I stated clearly at the bottom of the article “I’m happy to read and discuss homophobia in the black community with anyone, but as yet, I personally haven’t experienced this or I would have documented this by now in my writing. This, I’m certain of.”
Well, that all changed last week.
Yes, I experienced my first online homophobia from within the black community. Personally, I don’t care whether it’s in the virtual or real world – I tolerate neither, regardless of your skin colour.
One of the greatest assets a man has is his integrity, mine’s not up for negotiation.
A friend posted on Facebook that the movie ‘star’ Rupert Everett stated in a Mail newspaper interview recently that … “Rihanna has them, Kim Kardashian has them, Beyoncé has them, with her elephant ankles and gigantic a***. I think it’s the reason these great big clumpy shoes are fashionable – to support these huge legs they all have”, with many finding Everett’s comments to have racial overtones. I hear this.
I haven’t the time for Rupert, but two wrongs don’t make a right.
The replies to my friend’s post were various, from Everett being so desperate to promote his new work that he’s just trying to create publicly to clear homophobia – nothing more, nothing less.
One person wrote … “For man who is gay, what an earth does he know about African women?”
Another, “No it don’t matter that he is a batty BWOY but what matters is he need to concentrating on his own life and stop watching ASS THAT HE HAS NO INTEREST IN.”
To the best one … “Kev, unfortunately, we don’t have to agree with each other, but it isn’t right for Africans to practice things which isn’t only unhealthy, but it is so weird. You got to understand that majority of our African men and women don’t approve of this backwardness.”
Firstly, as I replied … what has Rupert’s sexuality got to do with his comments? The fact he’s a gay man should have nothing to do with it. As someone quite rightly said, “well we all know who the gigantic arse is in all of this”.
Secondly, I despise the term ‘batty boy’ and all it represents.
Thirdly, the only thing that appeared unhealthy was the mind of the third commentator and that he thinks homosexuality is backward. It wasn’t that long ago that the white man was saying black people were backward, a black man now being the most powerful person in the world.
I have written passionately about racism within the gay community on this blog and for news organisations like Pink News, however, I am nobody’s fool and will not shy away from challenging homophobia from the black community.
I’ve said it to the gay community and I’ll say it to the black community, you cannot ask for equality on one hand and discriminate on the other. It just holds no credibility.
I am on no one’s side, just the side of fairness and decency to all ‘human’ beings – regardless of their race, sexual orientation and/or other.
To those in the black community who think it is okay to discriminate against gay people because of who and what they are, I say this … the next time you are subjected to racial abuse, remember your past words/actions.
Divide and conquer.
Wake up, and get a grip.
Take care, Max.