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Discussion: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
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fem.men.ist |
Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 17 2008, 9:23 PM EST
hey people. it was an honor to make history with you! i am a representative from the group str8 black ally, and i wanted to share a perspective that has been fairly invisibilized. The perspective is not mine alone, i was part of a group of organizers which were mostly queer people of color, and we had some struggles with well intentioned queer white folks re: their unconscious racism and entitlement issues. it mostly involved trying to get voices of color from the Oakland community represented on stage. In the final analysis we managed to come to a compromise, and people of color from Oakland represented (including myself) and the event was definitely a success. It definitely held some lessons for how we all have work to do if we are really gonna harness the momentum of Change that is happening. Please see my blog for details (as well as links to gorgeous pictures!!), and a conversation is already underway:http://fem-men-ist.blogspot.com Fight The H8! Liberate The Love! 9 out of 9 found this valuable. Do you? |
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MarriedRegardless |
1. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 17 2008, 9:37 PM EST
This is the kind of thing I was hoping to see! Thanks for your helping the gay community. I happen to be really white, really female, and really gay, but I'm all about seeing support from the African American Community!Do you find this valuable? |
jfermiller |
2. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 17 2008, 10:04 PM EST
I went to your website, very cool! You sound like a group of very evolved human beings. Thanks for keeping on trying to get through our thick heads... we're all this thing together!peace, jfer Do you find this valuable? |
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fem.men.ist |
3. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 17 2008, 10:12 PM EST
Thank you both, MarriedRegardless & jfermiller! It means a lot... i experience some vulnerability naming racism of white folks, i brace for the lament of "why did you have to pull the race card?" which is pretty invalidating. So thank you both for being understanding, and for the love and appreciation! We definitely are all in this together, ain't no one free till we all are free.blessings! 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
Binaryan |
4. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 18 2008, 12:48 AM EST
fem.men.ist -Thank you for sharing your perspective and experience... not to mention helping to organize this event. I found it to be incredibly powerful and thank you especially for your efforts to ensure that as many diverse voices and perspectives were heard from. In your blog you shared the conflicts that arose between the various organizing groups due to "unconscious racism". I, for one, am grateful that you perservered in your efforts and were able to say... "But in the end, we actually came to a compromise. And it became a micrcosm for the work that has to be done to move forward into positive Change. So despite differences of vision and consciousness, and across lines of race, privilege and sexuality... we worked it out, and shared the stage and had a beautiful program." Someone at the rally pointed out that it is not religion that is our enemy... but *ignorance*. If we as a community are going to prevail in this fight we are going to have to fight ignorance... including our own. Or perhaps, beginning with our own. We can no longer allow the racism, classism, sexism, transphobia, etc. that exists within our own community to be overlooked or ignored. Just as we can no longer allow the homophobia and heterosexism in the other communities that we belong to go unaddressed. Thank you for being an ally. Thank you for your time and energy and your support. And thank you for working with the other protest organizers despite these challenges and with grace and patience to create an amazing event for Oakland. 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you? |
mworthen |
5. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 18 2008, 2:50 AM EST
Awesome thread! Thank you fem.men.ist (what a cool nic and name for a blog) for your perspective. I grew up an upper-middle class white boy in the 1960's and '70's. My belief is that of course I inherited (absorbed) racial stereotypes and prejudices, some of which I am aware of, some of which I'm sure still lurk in my unconscious. My commitment is to acknowledge these facts and remain open to identifying when and how prejudice might be influencing my interpretation of events or people. And, I further commit to remaining open to feedback from men and women of color when they suspect that unconscious racial prejudice is influencing my perception. I invite you and any other member of this site to tell me if you think I am seeing an issue through a prejudiced lens. Love & Respect, Mark P.S. Everything I said above also applies to the prejudices and stereotypes I have with regard to women, people who grew up in a different socioeconomic class than myself, social conservatives, people with impairments that are labeled as "disabilities," and many others. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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dstep517 |
6. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 18 2008, 4:31 AM EST
As an organizer of one of the rallies It is a struggle to make sure to have everyone represented. One of the signs of the protesters was "What about the Black LGBT Community" and that made me sad. I never want anyone to feel left out or not included. I know the sign was not aimed at me but the community as a whole. I would have loved to have had a voice from someone who as African American or even Transgendered speak at our Rally. My having all white speakers was not purposeful. I planned the speakers the day before and all my speakers I found from posting on the main website. As someone who wants to include everyone. Do you have any suggestions on how to reach out to the African American community? I would love to have all walks of life speak at the next rally. Do you find this valuable? |
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Hothulagurlzzz |
7. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 18 2008, 4:40 AM EST
"As someone who wants to include everyone. Do you have any suggestions on how to reach out to the African American community? I would love to have all walks of life speak at the next rally. "One of my ideas is to try to have a group discussion with a group of people who happen to be of different walks of life, who are differing cultures and faiths, and find common goals that the group can all share together. Like, trying to find a common ground. Do you find this valuable? |
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fem.men.ist |
8. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 18 2008, 1:03 PM EST
Thank you everyone for your words! Definitely feelin the love and revolutionary spirit in here.Binaryan: Yes, i remember someone saying that "ignorance" is the enemy. I would agree and extend that into "ignorance of the humanity of others". Each of us has had the positionality of oppressed and oppressor. Even a hetero, Christian, middle class, able bodied, white man. At some point he was at the mercy of elders, and anyone (unfortunately) is susceptible to possibility of being abused. Of course, there is much less institutional oppression, except maybe the oppression of rigid gender roles under patriarchy (be tough, don't cry, etc), and other restrictions placed by Christianity. For everyone else, i would say it is much easier to tap into the experience of being the oppressed and the oppressor, and institutions are definitely not created to benefit us. I believe that if we deeply and honestly tap into the reality of our dual power status, that we will have the empathy and drive to HAVE to make a better place for future generations. This has got to be the age of the ally for things to really work. mworthen: Mark. Wow. Thanks for the deep hearted sharing on my blog. Much love for that. Glad you are so feeling my blog and my moniker! i am proud of both :) And thanks for sharing your journey of unlearning racism, and for being so open and non-defensive while on your journey. definitely REALLY essential elements for coalition building!! i myself also consider myself "unlearning sexism", "unlearning heterosexism".... i identify as a straight ally and a feminist, but i have no illusions that i am finished with my work and have become scott-free of the clutches of patriarchy and homophobia. I figure i have to remain open and non-defensive, and be actively anti-oppression in order to counter-act what i too have absorbed. whoa.... running out of space here! gonna post and continue... Do you find this valuable? |
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fem.men.ist |
9. RE: Perspective from str8 Black Male Protest Organizer in Oakland
Nov 18 2008, 1:31 PM EST
back again :) the two white men i mentioned before were not able to contain any notion that they could be capable of anything racist, and this was very upsetting to them. And understandably so... this isn't an oppression olympics or anything, but under white supremacy, there is HUGE silencing around pointing out racism. There is even terminology like "oh why you gotta pull the race card?" there isn't really a colloquialism for pulling a "sexuality card" or "gender card"....for some reason, culturally this is very charged. There is inversely something to be said about the minimizing of other oppressions, such as naming homophobia when kids call something stupid "gay", and that is shrugged off. There is something really effed up in both extremes. Anyways, i know that some white folks can get really triggered by having racism pointed out. So it is sooooo great to hear from non-defensive peeps. Thank you!!dstep15: i hear ya. and really, i dunno when you jumped aboard but there was really next to zero time to organize this rally! So it makes sense that you just had to roll with who was easiest to find. Organizing queer folks of color is pretty new for me, i have been trying to focus more on organizing str8 black allies, but i would recommend going to a local LGBTQ Center and seeing what resources they have there for communities of color (and other populations too), and I know GMAD is Gay Men of African Descent. Thank you for your work! Hothulagurlzzz: awesome username! :) Your idea sounds great to me. perhaps that too could be done at an LGBTQ center where there are diverse populations (hopefully?). Some of the best ideas and revelations come over some good food and good honest discussions :) LASTLY, thanks for your words. also wanna nudge y'all to talk to *each other*...i don't wanna get stuck in a "educating people" dynamic, you know?:) thanx, blessings! Do you find this valuable? |
