IS SSM LIKE INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE? DaleA replies to Steve Swayne and Interesting Monstah

[Quoting Swayne's piece:] "[W.E.B.] DuBois listed five demands: the right to vote; the elimination of separate accommodations (which he called 'un-American, undemocratic, and silly'); the freedom to associate; equity in law enforcement; and proper education. The outer two claims have no immediate parallel to the gay experience, but the inner three certainly do, as laws segregating and singling out gays persist."

[Dale replies:] Actually the outer two do also. In the mid 70's in Chicago, gay neighborhoods tried to get gays through the registrar of voters (or some such) program. Anyone who looked gay was thrown out of class. Which meant that they could not become registrars, which meant there could be no voter drives in gay venues. Which meant gays could not vote.

If intense harrasment, outright bullying, physical violence, teacher disparagement and administrative rejection are not barriers to proper education, what is? The stories are out there of gay kids beat up at school. Of teachers who put gay kids down. Of principals who refuse to protect gay kids. The statement is ignorant and offensive.

[Laura at Interesting Monstah writes:] "...To my knowledge, pigs don't stop a Black man and ask if he's gay prior to beating him up. Gay Black men are profiled in the same way as straights. So this equivocation between 'gays' and 'blacks' must end."

[Dale replies:] Gender atypical gay men and women are frequently stopped by police simply because they are not dressed according to gender norms. In the 70's gay men dressed in the "clone look" were frequently harrassed by police. Men in leather also continuously have this problem.
posted by Eve at 6:11 PM | link

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