Yup, Gays Can Be Racist, Too

If there’s one ignorant statement I’ve heard repeatedly, it’s that gay men can’t be racist. After all, we're also subjected to hateful legislation, are disproportionately affected by health disparities and live under constant threat of violence. While this is all true, being oppressed, unfortunately, doesn't eradicate the natural human tendency to harbor bigoted views.

Just as the feminist movement is rife with critiques over its relationship to the experiences of women of color, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) movement also has its own history of racial tension. As I discussed in a recent piece, the LGBT movement has failed to dismantle the racism that pervades its past and much of its present.

For an example of just how poor LGBT racial consciousness can be, I offer you drag queen and comedian Charles Knipp’s character, “Shirley Q. Liquor.”

In his performance of Shirley Q., Knipp -- a white gay man -- performs drag in blackface, while pretending to be a black Southern mother of 19 on welfare. This character taps into centuries of history that degrades black communities, particularly black women. But while LGBT people of color and allies have spent years protesting Knipp’s performances and calling for boycotts of venues that host him, his following continues to grow.

Those supporting Knipp, including RuPaul (who collaborated with Knipp), claim that people who object to Knipp hold a double standard, and are infringing on his freedom to express himself. After all, male impersonations of black women are not new (see Eddie Murphy, Tyler Perry, etc). But as Jasmyne Cannick points out, while those actors may be demeaning to black women, their performances are an act of sexism, not racism.

Those of us who aren't black and laugh at caricatures like Knipp's have some explaining to do. Feeding off centuries-old, bloodstained stereotypes in the name of comedy is never acceptable -- or funny.

What troubles me most isn't Knipp’s persistence in the face of his detractors. After all, if you believe the KKK has a right to burn crosses on your lawn or legally rally on the steps of Austin, TX’s City Hall in support of anti-marriage laws, surely Knipp is within his rights. What I find most disturbing is that some LGBT people, like RuPaul, continue to rally in support of this abhorrent caricature of black women.

Sure, you could argue that those supporting Knipp’s racism aren't part of the LGBT movement. But unless we begin carrying membership cards to distinguish ourselves (as if we lived in Arizona), we’re all in this together. Queer or not, we all have a role to play in owning our ‘isms and ‘phobias, and dismantling the structures that sustain them.

While Knipp might be within his rights to capitalize on ignorance, the LGBT community still has a responsibility to confront acts of racism. After all, how can we ask people of color to support LGBT rights, when the broader movement enjoys entertainment at the expense of black women?

Photo Credit: vectorlyme