African-American LGBT community
| Part of a series on |
| LGBT topics |
|---|
|
 LGBT portal |
| Part of a series on |
| African Americans |
|---|
 |
|
The African-American LGBT community is part of the overall LGBT culture and overall African-American culture. LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. The LGBT community did not receive societal recognition until the historical marking of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 in New York at Stonewall Inn. The Stonewall riots brought domestic and global attention to the lesbian and gay community. Following Stonewall, Romer v. Evans vastly impacted the trajectory of the LGBT community. Ruling in favor of Romer, Justice Kennedy asserted in the case commentary that Colorado's state constitutional amendment denying LGBT people protection from discrimination "bore no purpose other than to burden LGB persons".[1]
Advancements in public policy, social discourse, and public knowledge have assisted in the progression and coming out of many LGBT individuals. Statistics show an increase in accepting attitudes towards lesbians and gays among general society. A Gallup survey shows that acceptance rates went from 38% in 1992 to 52% in 2001.[2] However, when looking at the LGBT community through a racial lens, the Black community lacks many of these advantages.[3]
Research and studies are limited for the Black LGBT community due to resistance towards coming out, as well as a lack of responses in surveys and research studies. The coming out rate of blacks is less than those of European (white) descent. The Black LGBT community refers to the African-American (Black) population who identify as LGBT, as a community of marginalized individuals who are further marginalized within their own community. Surveys and research have shown that 80% of African Americans say gays and lesbians endure discrimination compared to the 61% of whites. Black members of the community are not only seen as "other" due to their race, but also due to their sexuality, so they always had to combat racism and homophobia.[3][4]
History[]
Before Stonewall[]
The first person known to describe himself as a drag queen was William Dorsey Swann, born enslaved in Hancock, Maryland. Swann was the first American on record who pursued legal and political action to defend the LGBT community's right to assemble.[5] During the 1880s and 1890s, Swann organized a series of drag balls in Washington, D.C. Swann was arrested in police raids numerous times, including in the first documented case of arrests for female impersonation in the United States, on April 12, 1888.[6]
Trans woman Lucy Hicks Anderson, born Tobias Lawson in 1886 in Waddy, Kentucky, lived her life serving as a domestic worker in her teen years, eventually becoming a socialite and madame in Oxnard, California, during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1945, she was tried in Ventura County for perjury and fraud for receiving spousal allotments from the military, as her dressing and presenting as a woman was considered masquerading. She lost this case but avoided a lengthy jail sentence, only to be tried again by the federal government shortly thereafter. She too lost this case, but she and her husband were sentenced to jail time. After serving their sentences, Lucy and her then husband, Ruben Anderson, relocated to Los Angeles, where they lived quietly until her death in 1954.[7]
Harlem Renaissance[]
During the Harlem Renaissance, a subculture of LGBT African-American artists and entertainers emerged, including people like Alain Locke, Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Wallace Thurman, Richard Bruce Nugent, Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Moms Mabley, Mabel Hampton, Alberta Hunter, and Gladys Bentley. Places like Savoy Ballroom and the Rockland Palace hosted drag-ball extravaganzas with prizes awarded for the best costumes. Langston Hughes depicted the balls as "spectacles of color". George Chauncey, author of Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890–1940, wrote that during this period "perhaps nowhere were more men willing to venture out in public in drag than in Harlem".[8]
The Stonewall riots began when butch lesbian Stormé DeLarverie fought back against the police who were brutalizing her.[9] DeLarverie was a Black/biracial singer, drag king and MC, who performed and hosted at the Apollo Theater.[10] After the uprising was underway, African-American drag queens Marsha P. Johnson and Zazu Nova were "in the vanguard" of the pushback against the police.[11]
Other LGBT African Americans and Latinos were among the protestors, notably the LGBT youth and young adults who slept in nearby Christopher Park.[8][12]
It was a rebellion, it was an uprising, it was a civil rights disobedience – it wasn't no damn riot.
— Stormé DeLarverie[10]
Post-Stonewall riot[]
In 1979, the Lambda Student Alliance (LSA) was established at Howard University. It was the first openly black LGBT organization on a college campus.[13][14]
In 1983, after a battle over LGB participation in the 20th anniversary March on Washington, a group of African-American leaders endorsed a national gay rights bill and put Audre Lorde from the National Coalition of Black Gays as speaker on the agenda. In 1984, Rev. Jesse Jackson included LGB people as part of his Rainbow/PUSH.[15]
In 1989, Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term "intersectionality," in order to show how different aspects of one's identity, including race, sexuality, gender, etc, combine to affect their life.[16]
In 1993, Dr. William F. Gibson, national Chairman of the Board of NAACP, endorsed the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation and also supported repealing the ban on LGB service in the military.[17]
On February 2, 2009, the first episode of RuPaul's Drag Race aired, normalizing and promoting drag, and winning many awards.[18]
On May 19, 2012, the NAACP passed a resolution in support of same-sex marriage.[19] That same month and year, President Obama became the first sitting president to openly support same-sex marriage.[20]
In 2013, the Black Lives Matter movement was established by three black women, two of whom identify as queer. From its inception, the founders of Black Lives Matter have always put black LGBT voices at the center of the conversation.[21]
In 2017, Moonlight, a black queer centric film, won several highly acclaimed awards.[22]
In 2018, the critically acclaimed TV show Pose premiered, which is the first to feature a predominately people of color LGBT cast on a mainstream channel.
In 2019, Atlanta's mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first elected official to establish and host an annual event recognizing and celebrating the black LGBT community.[23] Also in 2019, Spelman College which is part of the Atlanta University Center, became the first historically black college or university to fund a chair in queer studies. The endowed chair is named after civil rights activist and famed poet Audre Lorde and backed by a matching gift of $2 million from philanthropist Jon Stryker.[24] And also in 2019, Chicago's mayor Lori Lightfoot became the first openly queer black person elected to lead a major city.
In 2020, Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones became the first openly queer black members of the United States Congress.[25]
Cultural[]
Ball culture[]
"Ball culture", "drag ball culture", the "house-ballroom community", the "ballroom scene"or "ballroom culture" describes a young African-American and Latin American underground LGBT subculture that originated in New York City, in which people "walk" (i.e., compete) for trophies, prizes, and glory at events known as balls. Ball culture consists of events that mix performance, dance, lip-syncing, and modeling.[26] Attendees dance, vogue, walk, pose, and support one another in numerous drag and performance competition categories. Categories are designed to simultaneously epitomize and satirize various genders and social classes, while also offering an escape from reality.[27][28]
The culture extends beyond the extravagant events as many participants in ball culture also belong to groups known as "houses," a longstanding tradition in LGBT communities, where chosen families of friends live in households together, forming relationships and community to replace families of origin from which they may be estranged.[27][28]
Kiki[]
A "Kiki" is a get-together of friends for gossiping and chit-chat.[29]
Black gay pride[]
Several major cities across the nation host black gay pride events focused on uplifting and celebrating the black LGBT community and culture. The two largest are Atlanta Black Pride and D.C. Black Pride.
Voguing[]
Voguing is a style of dance that arose from Harlem ballroom cultures, as danced by African-American and Latino gay/trans people, from the early 1960s through the 1980s.[30] The drag competitions that began during this time eventually shifted from elaborate pageantry to vogue dance battles.[30] Inspired by the style of Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs and the famous images of models in Vogue magazine, voguing is characterized by striking a series of poses as if one is modeling for a photo shoot. Arm and leg movements are angular, linear, rigid, and move swiftly from one static position to another.[31]
Dance competitions often involved throwing "shade," or subtle insults directed at one another in order to impress the judges and the audience. The competition style was originally called "presentation" and later "performance."[32] Over the years, the dance evolved into the more intricate and acrobatic form that is now called "vogue".[3][33][34]
Persecution inside the Black community[]
It has been asserted that the African-American community is largely homophobic.[35][36] Reasons for this include the image young, black males are expected to convey in the public sphere;[37] that homosexuality is seen as antithetical to being black in the African-American community;[38][39][40][41] and the high association of the African-American community with the church in the United States.[42][43][44][45][46][47]
African Americans disagree with LGBT civil liberties more than their White counterparts; some theorize this is because of conservative churches' role in advocating for African-American civil liberties and that this advocacy has expanded into the LGBT population.[48] African-American LGBT people tend to identify more with their racial/ethnic category rather than their sexual orientation as a main identity reference group. Black LGBT people are often hesitant about revealing their sexuality to their friends and families because of homosexuality's incompatibility with cultural gender roles.[49]
Education[]
Education has an impact on homophobic attitudes and views of sexuality within the Black community.[50] This follows a nationwide trend; more educated people are likely to be more accepting of non-heterosexual sexuality. Better education typically means less affiliation to conservative religions or denominations, which limits the influence of socially conservative ideas.[51]
Barack Obama acknowledged homophobia within the African-American community and said; "If we are honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to Martin Luther King's vision of a beloved community ... We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them".[52]
Hip-hop[]
Hip hop has long been one of the least LGBT-friendly genres of music, with a significant body of the genre containing homophobic views and anti-gay lyrics.[53] Attitudes towards homosexuality in hip hop culture have historically been negative. Gay slurs like "no homo", and "pause" can be heard in hip hop lyrics from the industry's biggest stars.[54] According to the Los Angeles Times, these slurs were used to put "queerness as a punchline".[54] Artists like Lil Nas X and Kevin Abstract have been changing the face of hip-hop to make it more inclusive. On March 9, 2021, he released the song and music video for the song "Montero." Both the song and music video depict the struggles of being gay while within a homophobic culture and society.[55]
Economic disparities[]
The current federal law, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, prohibits employment discrimination. The federal law specifies no discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. The current federal law does not specify sexual orientation. There is legislation currently being proposed to congress known as the ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) that would include hindering discrimination based on sexual orientation, too. And most recently, the Equality Act. However, current policies do not protect sexual orientation and affect the employment rates as well as LGBT individual's incomes and overall economic status. The alone Black people in the United States of America as of the 2010 consensus is 14,129,983 people.[56] Out of that, it is estimated that 4.60 percent of the black population identify as LGBT.
Within the Black LGBT community many face economic disparities and discrimination. Statistically black LGBT individuals are more likely to be unemployed than their non-black counterparts. According to the Williams Institute, the vast difference lies in the survey responses of "not in workforce" from different populations geographically. Black LGBT individuals, nonetheless, face the dilemma of marginalization in the job market. As of 2013, same-sex couples' income is lower than those in heterosexual relationships with an average of $25,000 income.[57]
For opposite-sex couples, statistics show a $1,700 increase. Analyzing economic disparities on an intersectional level (gender and race), the black man is likely to receive a higher income than a woman. For men, statistics shows approximately a $3,000 increase from the average income for all black LGBT identified individuals, and a $6,000 increase in salary for same-sex male couples.[58]
Female same-sex couples receive $3,000 less than the average income for all black LGBT individuals and approximately $6,000 less than their male counterparts. (Look at Charts below) The income disparity amongst black LGBT families affects the lives of their dependents, contributing to poverty rates. Children growing up in low-income households are more likely to remain in the poverty cycle. Due to economic disparities in the black LGBT community, 32% of children raised by gay black men are in poverty. However, only 13% of children raised by heterosexual black parents are in poverty and only 7% for white heterosexual parents.
Median Incomes for African American Individuals[59]
Chart of unemployment percentages of couples and single African American individuals.[59]
African Americans and Same-Sex Couples[59]
Comparatively looking at gender, race, and sexual orientation, black women same-sex couples are likely to face more economic disparities than black women in an opposite sex relationship. Black women in same-sex couples earn $42,000 compared to black women in opposite-sex relationships who earn $51,000, a twenty-one percent increase in income. Economically, black women same-sex couples are also less likely to be able to afford housing. Approximately fifty percent of black women same-sex couples can afford to buy housing compared to white women same-sex couples who have a seventy-two percent rate in home ownership.[60]
Black transgender people[]
Black transgender individuals face higher rates of discrimination than black LGB individuals. While policies have been implemented to inhibit discrimination based on gender identity, transgender individuals of color lack legal support. Transgender individuals are still not supported by legislation and policies like the LGBT community. New reports show vast discrimination in the black transgender community. Reports show in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey that black transgender individuals, along with non-conforming individuals, have high rates of poverty.[31]
Statistics shows a 34% rate of households receiving an income less than $10,000 a year. According to the data, that is twice the rate when looking at transgender individuals of all races and four times higher than the general black population. Many face poverty due to discrimination and bias when trying to purchase a home or apartment. 38% of black trans individuals report in the Discrimination Survey being turned down property due to their gender identity. 31% of the black individuals were evicted due to their identity.[31]
Violence[]
Black transgender individuals also face disparities in education, employment, and health. In education, black transgender and non-conforming persons face brutish environments while attending school. Reporting rates show 49% of black transgender individuals being harassed from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Physical assault rates are at 27% percent, and sexual assault is at 15%. These drastically high rates have an effect on the mental health of black transgender individuals.[31]
As a result of high assault/harassment and discrimination, suicide rates are at the same rate (49%) as harassment to black transgender individuals. Employment discrimination rates are similarly higher. Statistics show a 26% rate of unemployed black transgender and non-conforming persons. Many black trans people have lost their jobs or have been denied jobs due to gender identity: 32% are unemployed, and 48% were denied jobs.[31]
Black lesbian culture and identity[]
Black lesbian identity[]
There has historically been a lot of racism and racial segregation in lesbian spaces.[61] Racial and class divisions sometimes made it difficult for black and white women to see themselves as on the same side in the feminist movement.[62] Black women faced misogyny from within the black community even during the fight for black liberation. Homophobia was also pervasive in the black community during the Black Arts Movement because "feminine" homosexuality was seen as undermining black power.[63]
Black lesbians especially struggled with the stigma they faced within their own community.[62] With unique experiences and often very different struggles, black lesbians have developed an identity that is more than the sum of its parts – black, lesbian, and woman.[64] Some individuals may rank their identities separately, seeing themselves as black first, woman second, lesbian third, or some other permutation of the three; others see their identities as inextricably interwoven.
Gender roles and presentation[]
The gender relations perspective is a sociological theory which proposes that gender is not just a state of being but rather a system of behavior created through interactions with others, generally to fill various necessary social roles.[61] Same-sex-attracted individuals are just as impacted by the societally reinforced need for these 'gendered' roles as heterosexuals are. Within black lesbian communities, gender presentation is often used to indicate the role an individual can be expected to take in a relationship, though many may also simply prefer the presentation for its own sake, assigning less significance to its association with certain behaviors or traits. According to sociologist Mignon Moore, because black lesbians generally existed "outside" of the predominantly white feminist movement of the 1960s and 70s, the community was less affected by the non-black lesbian community's increased emphasis on androgyne as a rejection of "heterosexual" gender norms.[62]
Instead, they adapted the existing butch/femme dichotomy to form three main categories:
- The terms stud or aggressive (AG) was used to refer to more masculine-presenting lesbians. Stud fashion is generally more in-line with trends popular among black men, rather than the styles typical to non-black butches.
- Individuals now commonly called stems – whom Moore referred to as "gender blenders" – differed from androgynous lesbians by combining aspects of both masculinity and femininity instead of de-emphasizing them.
- Black fems were generally more consistent with white femmes in their feminine expression, though in the modern day, their styles also often align more with the fashion of other black women.
Health disparities[]
 | This section needs to be updated. (June 2017) |
Black LGBT individuals face many health risks due to discriminatory policies and behaviors in medicine. Due to lack of medical coverage and adequate medical treatment, many are faced with heath risks. There is no current legislation fully protecting LGBT individuals from discrimination in the public sphere concerning health care. President Barack Obama has recently written a memo to the Department of Health and Human Services to enact regulations on discrimination of gay and transgender individuals receiving Medicare and Medicaid, as well as to permit full hospital visitation rights to same-sex couples and their families. The United States of Housing and Urban Development proposed policies that would allow access and eligibility to core programs regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.[65] The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is currently working to be inclusive, as courts have recently passed interpretation of the ACA to prohibit discrimination against transgender individuals and gender non-conforming persons.
HIV/AIDS[]
One of the greatest concerns in the Black LGBT community is sexually transmitted diseases, and one of the greatest STDs affecting the Black community is HIV/AIDS. Black people account for 44% of new HIV infections in both adults and adolescents. Black women account for 29% of new HIV infections. For black LGBT male-identified individuals, 70% of the population accounts for new HIV infections for both adults and adolescents. The rates of HIV for black LGBT men are higher than their non-black counterparts.[66] One of the major factors that contributes to higher rates of STDs like HIV/AIDS is lack of medical access. Rather than a high prevalence of unsafe sex, it is caused by a limited supply of antiretroviral therapy in non-white communities.[67]
Depiction in popular culture[]
African-American LGBT culture has been depicted in films such as Patrick Ian Polk's Noah's Arc and Punks, Dee Rees' Pariah, and Barry Jenkins' Moonlight, which not only has the main character as a gay African-American but is written by an African American and is based on a play by black gay playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney.[68]
In 2018, the critically acclaimed TV show Pose premiered. It is the first to feature a predominately people of color LGBT cast on a mainstream channel.
Organizations[]
[33] See also: Category: African-American LGBT organizations
| Name | Years active | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adodi, Inc. | 1986–Present | Adodi is one of the oldest Black gay organizations in the United States. It was founded by Clifford Rawlins. | National |
| Association of Black Gays | 1975–1979 | The ABG was a radical gay activist group that used education, political engagement, and grassroots activism to improve conditions for the city's African American gays and lesbians.[69] | Los Angeles, Ca |
| At the Beach LA | 1988- | At The Beach, Los Angeles (ATBLA) is the organization that promotes and administers the Los Angeles Black gay pride. | Los Angeles, CA |
| Arkansas Black Gay Men's Forum | Arkansas Black Gay Men's Forum's mission is to empower, uplift and unite same-gender-loving men through interactive dialogue on pressing economic, health, and social issues. | Little Rock, AR | |
| Atlanta Black Pride | 1996–Present | Atlanta Black Pride is the largest official black gay pride event in the world and one of two officially recognized festivals for the African-American LGBT community in the US. | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Black AIDS Institute | 1999– | A non-profit charitable organization founded in 1999 by Phill Wilson to promote awareness and prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS by targeting African American communities. | National |
| 1987–1992 | Bay Area Black gay men's support group that included Marlon Riggs and members of the Pomo Afro Homos.[70] | Oakland, CA | |
| Black Gay Stuck at Home | 2020–Present | A project created during the COVID-19 pandemic to gather Black queer community and to center Black queer film. | National |
| Black Men's Xchange | 1989–Present | The oldest and largest community-based movement in the U.S devoted to promoting healthy self-concept and behavior, cultural affirmation, and critical consciousness among SGL, gay-identified and bisexual African-descended males and their allies. | National |
| Brave Space Alliance | 2017–Present | The first Black-led, trans-led LGBT Center located on the South Side of Chicago.[71] | Chicago, IL |
| Brothers of the Desert | -Present | Brothers of the Desert builds interpersonal relationships by nurturing, supporting and connecting black gay men in Coachella Valley.[72] | Coachella Valley, CA |
| Brother to Brother | 1982–1984 | Brother to Brother organization was a support group for the Black Community of and by gay Black men exclusively. They produced a newsletter called "Brothers."[73] | San Francisco, CA |
| Center for Black Equity | 1999–Present | The Center for Black Equity (known until 2012 as International Federation of Black Prides) is a coalition of Black gay pride organizers formed to promote a multinational network of LGBT/SGL (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Same Gender Loving) Prides and community-based organizations. | National |
| Colours | 1991–Present | Colours started as a social justice magazine centered on the Black LGBTQ community. It has since become a community organization, funded mainly through the Philadelphia Department of Health. It provides space, hosts programming, and offers sexual health resources. [74] | Philadelphia, PA |
| Combahee River Collective | 1974–1980 | The Combahee River Collective (/kəmˈbiː/ kəm-BEE)[1] was a Black feminist lesbian socialist organization active in Boston from 1974 to 1980. | Boston, MA |
| 1979– | Created during the World Gay Conference in Washington, DC, the committee was interested in creating a national network for and by Black gay men. They held a national conference in Atlanta in 1980.[33] | National | |
| Counter Narrative Project (CNP) | 2014-Present | The Counter Narrative Project uses education, advocacy, and community mobilization to raise awareness about and support the city's community of Black gay men.[75] | Atlanta, GA |
| D.C. Black Pride | 1991–Present | D.C. (District of Columbia) Black Pride is the first official black gay pride event in the United States and one of two officially recognized festivals for the African-American LGBT community. | Washington, DC |
| Dallas Black Pride | 1996–Present | Dallas Black Pride (also known as Dallas Southern Pride) is an annual five-day event to celebrate the emerging black LGBT community in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. | Dallas, TX |
| Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) | 1986–Present | Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) is the largest and oldest African American organization dedicated exclusively to the well being of Black gay men. | New York, NY |
| Greater Chicago Committee | 1980's-90s | Co-founded by Derrick Hicks, The Greater Chicago Committee was a social organization with a civic mission for African American gay men and lesbians.[76] | Chicago, IL |
| 2009–Present | HBGC works to inspire and empower Latinos, Hispanic and Black LGBT individuals to improve their livelihood through activism, education, community outreach, and counseling.[77] | Boston, MA | |
| Hotter Than July | 1996–Present | Hotter Than July! is a week-long black LGBT Pride celebration held annually since 1996 in Detroit | Detroit, MI |
| LGBT Detroit | 2003–Present | LGBT Detroit is a Michigan nonprofit organization serving the African American lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population of Detroit, and nearby communities | Detroit, MI |
| 2019–Present | The Foundation advocates for the Black LGTBQ community in Chicago. Intersectional community caucuses bring issues to leadership and a direct action organizing group works to address them.[78] | Chicago, IL | |
| Men of All Colors Together | 1980–1999 | The two major goals of the Boston chapter of MACT were to continue combating racism, particularly within the LGBT community, while simultaneously fighting to end homophobia in society as a whole | Boston, MA |
| 2016–Present | MoMM creates social spaces for queer men of color to connect and develop relationships.[79] | Boston, MA | |
| 2017–Present | MOBI is a series of curated social connectivity events for black, gay and queer men to see their holistic self.[80] | New York, NY | |
| National Association of Black and White Men Together | 1980–Present | (NABWMT) is a network of chapters across the United States focused on LGBT and racial equality, founded in May, 1980 | National |
| National Black Justice Coalition | 2003–Present | (NBJC) is American civil rights organization serving primarily lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. | National |
| National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays | 1978–1990 | The National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays (formerly The National Coalition of Black Gays) was the United States' first national organization for African American and Third World gay rights. | National |
| Native Son | 2016–Present | A full-fledged advocacy organization dedicated to supporting Black queer men of all backgrounds. | New York, NY |
| The Okra Project | 2018–Present | The Okra Project is an American grassroots mutual aid collective that provides support to black trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people. The organization is based in New York City. | New York, NY |
| 1989–2008 | POCC provided HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention efforts to Black men and women. The organization notably evaluated and demonstrated the efficacy of the Many Men, Many Voices (3MV) intervention among black men who have sex with men (MSM).[81] | Brooklyn, NY | |
| Pomo Afro Homo | 1990–1995 | Pomo Afro Homos, short for "Postmodern African American Homosexuals" and founded by Brian Freeman, Eric Gupton and Djola Branner was part comedy, part performance art, part activism.[82] | San Francisco, CA |
| The Portal (Community Center) | 2001– | The Portal was a Baltimore LGBT community center for LGBT African Americans in the Baltimore, Maryland metropolitan area. | Baltimore, MD |
| Salsa Soul Sisters | 1971 | The Salsa Soul Sisters, Third World Wimmin Inc Collective is a group for lesbians who are also womanists and women of color, in New York City. The group is the oldest black lesbian organization in the United States. | New York, NY |
| 1989– | UNITY, Inc. was a grassroots organization created by Black gay men, for Black gay men in order to address racism in the HIV/AIDS advocacy community.[83] | Philadelphia, PA | |
| 1985– | Us Helping Us provides HIV treatment and prevention (and other health) services to the African-American LGBT community.[84] | Washington, DC |
Some notable people[]
Gay and bisexual men[]
- Jonathan Capehart
- DeRay McKesson
- Tevin Campbell
- Colman Domingo
- Taylor Bennett
- E. Lynn Harris
- Bayard Rustin
- Glenn Burke
- Johnny Mathis
- Keith Boykin
- Darrin P. Gayles
- Countee Cullen
- Ryan Jamaal Swain
- Ritchie Torres
- Langston Hughes
- Wilson Cruz
- Alvin Ailey
- Larry Levan
- Frankie Knuckles
- Tony Humphries
- Billy Porter
- Karamo Brown
- Mel Tomlinson
- Clark Moore
- Jason Collins
- Michael Sam
- Jussie Smollett
- iLoveMakonnen
- John Ameachi
- James Baldwin
- Paris Barclay
- Charles M. Blow
- Jericho Brown
- Lee Daniels
- Terrance Dean
- Anye Elite
- Willi Smith
- Michael Arceneaux
- David Hampton
- Marcellas Reynolds
- Ryan Russell
- LZ Granderson
- Essex Hemphill
- Langston Hughes
- Don Lemon
- Darryl Stephens
- Bruce Nugent
- Saeed Jones
- Tarell Alvin Mccraney
- Patrick Ian Polk
- Alain LeRoy Locke
- Frank Ocean
- Marlon Riggs
- Shaun T
- Harrison David Rivers
- RuPaul
- Justin Simien
- Andrew Gillum
- Joshua Johnson
- Daryl Stephens
- Sylvester
- Andrew Leon Talley
- Tyler The Creator
- Lil Nas X
- Wentworth Miller
Lesbian and bisexual women[]
- Candace Parker
- Sha'Carri Richardson
- Niecy Nash
- Deborah Batts
- Lori Lightfoot
- Tessa Thompson
- Barbara Jordan
- Willow Smith
- Raven-Symoné
- Tyra Bolling
- Brittney Griner
- Seimone Augustus
- Angel McCoughtry
- Samira Wiley
- Young M.A.
- Robin Roberts
- Barbara Jordan
- E. Denise Simmons
- Da Brat
- Karine Jean-Pierre
- Josephine Baker
- Octavia Butler
- Gladys Bentley
- Angela Davis
- Rosario Dawson
- Lorraine Hansberry
- Mabel Hampton
- Audre Lorde
- Meshell Ndegeocello
- Ma Rainey
- Moms Mabley
- Wanda Sykes
- Lena Waithe
- Rebecca Walker
- Nell Carter
- Ethel Waters
- Alice Walker
- Tracy Chapman
- Mimi Faust
- Bessie Smith
- Janelle Monáe
- Kehlani
- Amber Rose
- Alice Dunbar Nelson
- Azealia Banks
- Halsey (singer)
Pansexual[]
- Janelle Monáe
- Amandla Stenberg
- Bob the Drag Queen
- Angel Haze
Transgender[]
- Amiyah Scott
- Angelica Ross
- Dominique Jackson
- Patricio Manuel
- Kye Allums
- Laverne Cox
- Ts Madison
- Sir Lady Java
- Isis King
- Cece Mcdonald
- Janet Mock
- Kortney Ryan Ziegler
- MJ Rodriguez
Gender non-conforming[]
- Ryann Holmes
- Marsha P. Johnson
- Pauli Murray
Some first African-American LGBT holders of political offices in the United States[]
State legislature (partial list)[]
Rhode Island[]
- Gordon Fox (D)
- 1st gay African-American member of the Rhode Island General Assembly
- 1st gay African-American Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
- 1st gay African-American member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from the 4th and 5th district
Georgia[]
- Rashad Taylor (D)
- 1st gay African-American member of the Georgia General Assembly
- 1st gay African-American member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 55th district
Massachusetts[]
- Althea Garrison (R)
- 1st transgender woman African American member of the Massachusetts General Court
- 1st transgender woman African American of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 5th Suffolk District
Nevada[]
- Pat Spearman (D)
- 1st lesbian African American member of the Nevada Legislature and 1st lesbian African American member of the Nevada Senate from the 1st district
North Carolina[]
- Marcus Brandon (D)
- 1st gay African-American member of the North Carolina General Assembly and 1st gay African-American member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 60th district
Texas[]
- Barbara Jordan
- 1st African American woman to serve in the Texas House of Representatives (1966)
Mayoral[]
California[]
- Ron Oden (D)
- 1st gay African-American United States mayor and 1st gay African American mayor of Palm Springs, California
New Jersey[]
- Bruce Harris (R)
- 1st gay African-American mayor of Chatham Borough, New Jersey
Legislative[]
New York[]
- Keith St. John (D)
- 1st gay African-American public office holder
- 1st gay African-American member of the Albany Common Council Alderman of the 2nd ward
Judicial[]
Federal[]
- Darrin P. Gayles (D)
- 1st gay African-American male United States federal judge
- 1st gay African-American United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Works[]
- Black is... Black Ain't
- Paris Is Burning
- How Do I Look
- Mississippi Damned
See also[]
- House music
- J-Setting
- Homophobia in ethnic minority communities
- Racism in the LGBT community
- Timeline of African and diasporic LGBT history
- Black lesbian literature
- UK Black Pride
- Down-low (sexual slang)
- Media and LGBT youth of colour in the United States
- Atlanta Black Pride
General:
References[]
- ^ "Movement Analysis: The Pathway to Victory, A Review of Supreme Court LGBT Cases" (PDF). National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ Newport, Frank. "American Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Continue to Become More Tolerant". Gallup. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ a b c Gecewicz, Claire (October 7, 2014). "Blacks are Lukewarm to Gay Marriage, but Most Say Businesses Most Provide Wedding Services to Gay Couples". Pew Research Center. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ^ Elk, Ronit (July 2021). Ramalingam, Suresh S. (ed.). "The intersection of racism, discrimination, bias, and homophobia toward African American sexual minority patients with cancer within the health care system". Cancer. Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Cancer Society. 127 (19): 3500–3504. doi:10.1002/cncr.33627. ISSN 1097-0142. LCCN 50001289. OCLC 01553275. PMID 34287834. S2CID 236158145.
- ^ Joseph, Channing Gerard (31 January 2020). "The First Drag Queen Was a Former Slave". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
- ^ Heloise Wood (July 9, 2018). "'Extraordinary' tale of 'first' drag queen to Picador". The Bookseller. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
- ^ Riley, Snorton C. Black on both sides: a racial history of trans identity. Minneapolis. ISBN 9781452955865. OCLC 1008757426.
- ^ a b Dis-membering Stonewall
- ^ Yardley, William (May 29, 2014) "Storme DeLarverie, Early Leader in the Gay Rights Movement, Dies at 93" in The New York Times.
- ^ a b Chu, Grace (July 26, 2010). "From the Archives: An interview with lesbian Stonewall veteran Stormé DeLarverie". AfterEllen.com. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
- ^ Carter, David (2004). Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution. St. Martin's. pp. 64, 261, 298. ISBN 0-312-20025-0.
- ^ Carter, David (2004). Stonewall: The Riots that Sparked the Gay Revolution. St. Martin's. p. 162. ISBN 0-312-20025-0.
- ^ Cooke, Janet (1980-04-24). "Gays Coming Out on Campus, First Black Group at Howard". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ "Meet Chi Hughes: The Activist Who Co-Founded The First Openly LGBTQ+ Student Organization at an HBCU". Black Women Radicals. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Homosexuality, Volume 1
- ^ Crenshaw, Kimberle (2013). "Toward a Field of Intersectionality Studies: Theory, Applications, and Praxis". University of Chicago Press. 38: 784–810 – via JSTOR.
- ^ NAACP's Long History on LGBT Equality
- ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' and What People Get Wrong About the History of Drag". Time. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
- ^ NAACP endorses same-sex marriage, says it's a civil right
- ^ Gast, Phil (2012-05-09). "Obama announces he supports same-sex marriage | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ "From the start, Black Lives Matter has been about LGBTQ lives". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ Johnson, Myles E. ""Moonlight" is 2016's best movie, but its impact on black storytelling is much more important". Quartz. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ "Mayor Bottoms Hosts Inaugural Black Gay Pride Reception". Georgia Voice. 2019-08-16. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ "Spelman first HBCU to create chair in queer studies". NBC News. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ "Ritchie Torres And Mondaire Jones Make History As The First Openly Gay Black Members Of Congress". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
- ^ Bailey, Marlon. "Gender/Racial Realness: Theorizing the Gender System in Ballroom Culture". Feminist Studies. 37: 365–386.
- ^ a b Podhurst, L.; Credle J. (June 10, 2007). "HIV/AIDS risk reduction strategies for Gay youth of color in the "house" community. (Meeting Abstracts)". Newark: U.S. National Library of Medicine. p. 13. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2007.
- ^ a b Stuart, Baker (January 1, 2011). Voguing and the house ballroom scene of New York City 1989–92. ISBN 9780955481765. OCLC 863223074.
- ^ Marion, Mitchell. "Scissor Sisters popularise KIKI". GayStarNews. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ a b "A Brief History of Voguing". The National Museum of African American History & Culture. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Grant, Jaime; Mottet, Lisa; Tanis, Justin; Harrison, Jack; Herman, Jody; Keisling, Mara (2011). "Injustice at Every Turn" (PDF). National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-06. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ Jackson, Jonathan David (Autumn 2002). "The Social World of Voguing" (PDF). Journal for the Anthropological Study of Human Movement. 12 (2): 26–42.
- ^ a b c Bost, Darius (21 December 2018). Evidence of being: the black gay cultural renaissance and the politics of violence. Chicago. ISBN 978-0-226-58979-4. OCLC 1028903800.
- ^ Upadhye, Janet (2012-06-21). "Vogue: Not Madonna's Dance". HuffPost. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
- ^ Magee, Lenox (January 2012). "Pariah: A New Film Challenging Homophobia in the Black Community". Chicago Now. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
- ^ Desmond-Harris, Jenée. "Don Lemon: Yes, the Black Community Is Homophobic". The Root. Archived from the original on 2014-01-22. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
- ^ "Trayvon, Sharpton, and homophobia". Spectator. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
- ^ Smith, Barbara (1983). Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology. ISBN 9780813527536. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
- ^ West, Cornel; Glaude, Eddie S. (2003). African American Religious Thought: An Anthology. ISBN 9780664224592. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
- ^ Dunning, Stefanie K. (2009-04-21). Queer in Black and White: Interraciality, Same Sex Desire, and Contemporary [...] - Stefanie K. Dunning. ISBN 978-0253221094. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
- ^ Carbado, Devon (1999). Black Men on Race, Gender, and Sexuality: A Critical Reader. ISBN 9780814715536. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
- ^ Boykin, Keith (2012-06-05). "Why Blacks Evolved So "Quickly" on Gay Marriage". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
- ^ Freedman, Samuel G. (2012-06-01). "Gospel Music Book Challenges Black Homophobia". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ Anson, Aaron (2011-10-07). "Resistant Homophobia in the Black Community". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ "Column: Homophobia In The Black Community". CBS News. 2009-02-11. Archived from the original on 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ Maxwell, Bill. "Homophobia: It's a black thing". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ Haque, Fahima (2011-02-22). "Black Men: Dandyism, masculinity and homophobia – The Root DC Live". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2012-08-05. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
- ^ Buttaro Jr., A.; Battle, J. (2012). "More Than Meets the Eye: An Ecological Perspective on Homophobia within the Black America". Black Women, Gender + Families. 6 (1): 1–22. doi:10.5406/blacwomegendfami.6.1.0001. S2CID 37805786.
- ^ Bridges, S.K.; Selvidge, M.M.D.; Matthews, C.R. (2003). "Lesbian women of color: Therapeutic issues and challenges". Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development. 31 (2): 113–130. doi:10.1002/j.2161-1912.2003.tb00537.x.
- ^ Harris, A. C. (2010). Sex, Stigma, and the Holy Ghost: The Black Church and the Construction of AIDS in New York City. Journal of African American Studies, 14(1), 21–43.
- ^ Lewis, Gregory B. (2003). "Black-White Differences in Attitudes toward Homosexuality and Gay Rights". Public Opinion Quarterly. 67 (1): 59–78. doi:10.1086/346009.
- ^ Harwood, Matthew (28 March 2008). "Obama Takes On The Black Community's Homophobia". Huffington Post. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
- ^ Garcia, Marcelo (2018-01-28). "From Eminem to Offset, an analysis of hip-hop's history of homophobia". Highlander. Archived from the original on 2019-05-07. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- ^ a b Kennedy, Gerrick D. (July 31, 2019). "Lil Nas X came out, but has hip-hop? A macho culture faces a crossroads". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2019-08-01. Retrieved 2019-08-01.
...d one would be hard pressed to not find a gay slur embedded in the lyrics of any of the genre's most famous architects. In fact, an entire lexicon dedicated to pointing out discomfort with gay men has permeated rap lyrics. Slang such as "sus" and "No homo" and "Pause" that use queerness as a punchline have been thrown around casually for years.
- ^ "Lil Nas X Wants 'Montero' to Help 'Normalize' Same-Sex Lust in Music". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
- ^ "Households and Families: 2010" (PDF). CB. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ "LGBT Families of Color: Facts at a Glance" (PDF). National Black Justice Coalition. January 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ "LGBT Families of Color: Facts at a Glance" (PDF). National Black Justice Coalition. January 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ a b c "LGBT Families of Color: Facts at a Glance" (PDF). National Black Justice Coalition. January 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ^ Dang, Alain; Frazer, Somjen (December 2005). "Black Same-Sex Households in the United States" (PDF). National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute National Black Justice Coalition. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ a b Moore, Mignon (2008). "Gendered Power Relations among Women". American Sociological Review. 73 (2): 335–356. doi:10.1177/000312240807300208. S2CID 143591010. ProQuest 218828367 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c Moore, Mignon R. (2006). "Lipstick or Timberlands? Meanings of Gender Presentation in Black Lesbian Communities". Signs. 32 (1): 113–139. doi:10.1086/505269. JSTOR 10.1086/505269. S2CID 146712513 – via JSTOR.
- ^ Lewis, Cristopher S. (2012). "Cultivating Black Lesbian Shamelessness: Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple'". Rocky Mountain Review. 66 (2): 158–175. doi:10.1353/rmr.2012.0027. JSTOR 41763555. S2CID 145014258 – via JSTOR.
- ^ Bowleg, Lisa (2008). "When Black + Lesbian + Woman [Not Equal To] Black Lesbian Woman: The Methodological Challenges of Qualitative and Quantitative Intersectionality Research". Sex Roles. 59 (5–6): 312–325. doi:10.1007/s11199-008-9400-z. S2CID 49303030. ProQuest 225362720 – via ProQuest.
- ^ Burns, Crosby (July 19, 2011). "Gay and Transgender Discrimination Outside the Workplace". Center for American Progress. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ^ "HIV Among African Americans" (PDF). Centers for Disease Control. February 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
- ^ Oster, A.; et al. (2010). "Understanding disparities in HIV infection between black and white men who have sex with men in the United States: data from the national HIV behavioral surveillance system". International Aids Society. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ Gilbert, Sophie. "The Symbolism of Water in Barry Jenkins's 'Moonlight'". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2016-12-28.
- ^ Quin, Kevin C. (March 2019). ""To Stamp Out the Oppression of All Black People": Ron Grayson and the Association of Black Gays, 1975–1979". The Journal of African American History. 104 (2): 227–249. doi:10.1086/702439. ISSN 1548-1867. S2CID 155623942.
- ^ Obejas, Achy. "Between Two Communities". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ Mathewes, Francesca. "'If they cannot hear you when you whisper, watch when you say a cuss word'". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Event Calendar | City of Palm Springs". www.palmspringsca.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
- ^ "Brother to Brother records". oac.cdlib.org. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
- ^ Fraser, Adriana (2019-01-10). "COLOURS' community comeback". Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
- ^ "Get to Know the Non-Profit Making Atlanta's Black Gay Community Heard". PAPER. 2016-10-03. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
- ^ "DERRICK ALLEN HICKS – Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ "HBGC to Honor Radical Organizing by and for LGBTQ People of Color at 7th Annual Gala". The Rainbow Times. Boston. 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ "Meet Your Neighbor: Lighthouse Foundation". Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ "Facing homophobia and dwindling venue spaces, Boston's QTPoC are seeking inclusive nightlife". The Scope. 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ "Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative: Empowering Black Gay Men to Tackle Trump's America". The Root. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
- ^ Herbst, Jeffrey H.; Painter, Thomas M.; Tomlinson, Hank L.; Alvarez, Maria E. (2014-04-18). "Evidence-Based HIV/STD Prevention Intervention for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men". MMWR Supplements. 63 (1): 21–27. ISSN 2380-8950. PMC 4680977. PMID 24743663.
- ^ Jones, Chad (2012-10-15). "Pomo Afro Homos: 'Fierce' force returns". SFGATE. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
- ^ Zipkin, Michele (2020-10-27). "Racism runs deep in Philadelphia Gayborhood". Philadelphia Gay News. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
- ^ Chibbaro, Jr., Lou (2019-02-27). "Us Helping Us wins $600,000 grant". Washington Blade. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
African Americans | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| History |
| ||||
| Culture |
| ||||
| Notable people |
| ||||
| Education, science and technology |
| ||||
| Religion |
| ||||
| Political movements | |||||
Civic and economic groups |
| ||||
| Sports |
| ||||
| Ethnic subdivisions | |||||
| Demographics |
| ||||
| Languages |
| ||||
| By state/city |
| ||||
| Diaspora |
| ||||
| Lists |
| ||||
| |||||
- LGBT African-American culture
- LGBT in the United States
- LGBT topics in the African diaspora