AngryGayBlackCanadianman

The opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai claims he has defeated Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe in the Zimbabwe’s election. According to media reports Mr. Tsvangirai’s party won 50.3% of the vote and the dictator of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party won 43.8%. The vote proves the people of Zimbabwe have spoken they want change.

There are also stories floating that Robert Mugabe is working out a deal so he can escape being arrested. The real question is Mr. Tsvangirai really better then Mugabe? What is Mr. Tsvangirai going to do about the serious economic, social, cultural, and political turmoil in the Southern African nation?

What will the response of the international community be to the election results and does the United Nations honestly believe order can be restored? Will Mugabe even step down? Mugabe has been in power for over 28 years but it does appear finally that Mugabe understands the people of Zimbabwe want him to resign.

I love India Arie her third album “Testimony Vol 1: Life & Relationship”! India Arie’s third album debut at the number one spot on Billboard in the summer of 2006. “Testimony Vol 1: Life& Relationship” has been very successful reaching platinum status and selling close to two million copies worldwide. The high debut and solid sales are very important. It demonstrated India Arie is a force in the music industry and a black woman doesn’t have to change herself to obtain record sales. India Arie is very important not just to black women but everyone and the music industry. India Arie proves you don’t have to lose your integrity or dignity to have a successful career.

Some people have tried to insult India Arie by calling her the “Oprah” of music. So what if India Arie is positive? Sometimes when I feel depressed and miserable I listen to India Arie she makes me feel better. I admire India Arie for her courage to actually think outside of the box. The music industry is all about paradigms and following trends. India Arie has found her own niche and it works for her. India Arie has her own path. I also love the fact India Arie can play the guitar she reminds me of Tracy Chapman but she is less melancholic. I wonder if India Arie will move beyond a mixture of folk and R&B and release a full length folk album?

Don’t we have enough grief in our lives and this world? What’s wrong with a little bit of love? India Arie’s music is very positive and why not? Why should music always be depressing all the time. India Arie is all about helping the public to realize we should be thankful for being alive. Since we are alive we can make changes to our lives to make it better.

There is nothing wrong with examining ourselves and questioning how we can help the world. India Arie is all about exploring the internal side of ourselves the side some people refuse to share with other people. We have feelings of darkness, pain, sadness in our lives. What’s wrong with trying to overcome the unhappiness and grief?

Another reason why I love India Arie is because she is proud of her blackness. So often in pop culture we see black women such as Mary J Blige, Tyra Banks, and Beyonce Knowles with their lace front blonde weaves. The question is what messages are these black entertainers sending to the public? Mary J Blige talks about “real love” yet girlfriend has been rocking the same blonde weave since 1992!

Its like girlfriend get a new hair style! India Arie is all about natural hair but she says its okay to wear a weave and she’s right. Everyone has a right too style their own hair anyway they want to. I am just glad India Arie exists because she is demonstrating to black people and the world that black is beautiful.

I love Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson but I must admit I don’t feel they have dealt with the internal struggles with their blackness. Why did Janet get the unnecessary nose job? Janet Jackson’s original nose is beautiful. Why has Michael had multiple nose jobs and bleached his skin yet continue to deny the truth? My sister says Janet’s nose looks jacked up. Michael Jackson is a completely different story this guy needs a therapist. India Arie is heading to Broadway this summer in New York City she will be in Ntozake Shange’s groundbreaking play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf”.

One of the reasons I started writing this blog is because I want to provide an alternative perspective to the Eurocentric mainstream gay culture. I definitely am not a spokesperson for black gay people so please don’t think that I am. I am simply one gay black man providing my perspective and views about the world. I am no leader or expert. I am a controversial, assertive, and outspoken man.

I used to visit mainstream gay blogs only feeling empty, very bored, restless, and yearning for more. I decided I had to start my own blog to claim my space and let my voice be heard. I don’t subscribe to just going with the flow I am an independent thinker. I also wasn’t impressed with the pernicious racism on some of the mainstream gay blogs. I decided instead of just complaining about life I’m going to take action. I want to make a difference in my own way. I know I cannot save the world but I can provide my perspective and arguments on my own blog.

On my blog I have the control nobody can censor me. I was thinking to myself the other day who are my heroes? The black gay and lesbians that inspire me are too many. I decided today I am going to salute a few of the incredible black gays and lesbians that have made a difference in this world.

I remember during my undergraduate days one very important course I learned a lot from was introduction to Women’s Studies. I love Introduction to Women’s Studies because I learned about different forms of feminism. Feminism is not against men in fact feminism is in concert in fighting various forms of oppression such as homophobia, class privilege, racism, health care racism, and institutionalized discrimination and many more.

I recall reading about the black lesbian feminist group the Combahee River Collective and and intrigued with their work. One of the founding members of the Combahee River Collective was Barbara Smith. The Combahee River Collective is a very important black feminist organization. Barbara Smith is also one of the editors of the groundbreaking book “All The Women Are White All The Blacks Are Men But Some Of Us Are Brave”.

“All The Women Are White All The Blacks Are Men But Some Of Us Are Brave” was published in the year 1982 this book is still very relevant. Recent racist comments by white heterosexual mainstream feminists such as Geraldine Ferraro and Gloria Steinem highlight the racial and cultural divide. The Combahee River Collective state black women cannot divorce themselves from the black race and just think about gender. Barbara Smith, Gloria T Hull, and other black feminists state race, gender, class, sexual orientation are inextricably linked.

I think the book “All The Women Are White All The Blacks Are Men But Some Of Us Are Brave” is such an important book especially right now. The media refuses to engage in a dialogue with the public about the racial and cultural divide in the feminist movement.If you read the book you will know the reasons why it does exist.

For example, Naomi Wolf is a mainstream pop culture feminist she’s just a businesswoman. I have read Naomi Wolf’s work in the beginning of her career the “Beauty Myth” is an important book. However, I began to read more of Wolf’s work and realized she is an elitist. Wolf may receive mainstream approval from Oprah but when I listen to Wolf I cringe she is less relevant to feminism these days. Naomi Wolf doesn’t care about black women or about people of colour. I prefer to read the works of bell books, Patricia Hill Collins, and Barbara Smith because their work puts theory into context.

Some white feminists focus only on gender and ignore race and class. Some white feminists refuse to acknowledge their role in discriminating against people of colour, their white skin privilege, and benefiting from the marriage market to powerful white heterosexual men.

Essex Hemphill is very important to me. I recall during my undergraduate days I read his incisive and incendiary book “Ceremonies”. Hemphill opened my eyes to the hidden oppression black gay men endure in North America. Although I am not African American I am a black gay man. I was able to feel Hemphill’s pain when he discussed the hypocrisy of the black heterosexual community about homophobia. Hemphill also discussed a very important issue the ways in which black gay men are treated as sex objects by a hostile and very racist white gay male community. Television shows such as Queer As Folk are a perfect example of this bigotry. On Queer As Folk the only time black men are on the program is during an intense sex scene. Black gay men are depicted as bodies and not as three dimensional and complex people. Queer As Folk is such a disservice but I am not surprised by the deleterious racism and sexism against black men on that program.

Audre Lorde is another black lesbian activist I love! Lorde’s book “Sister Outsider” is a black feminist classic. Lorde highlights the issue of the “Mythical Norm” which is the white, thin, Christian, heterosexual male. “The Mythical Norm” has the ultimate power in society and the white Republican party and the white Christian right are perfect examples of this. Lorde also wrote about the fallacy of the “Global Sisterhood” in feminism. Lorde says that feminism needs to be real about racism within the movement.

Patrik Ian Polk may be young but his incredible television show “Noah’s Arc” is so important to me. Ian Polk took the initiative and transformed pop culture. Thank goodness for Noah’s Arc and thank goodness black gay men we are no longer on the sidelines or in the back row we are in the front row! The issues that are important to black gay culture emerge and thank goodness for that! Black gay men we are no longer in the shadows in pop culture. Patrik Ian Polk has a huge role in demonstrating black gay men we fall in love, we have friends, jobs, careers, families, difficulties, just like everyone else.

Finally I was able to see people that looked like me that are black and gay fall in love. Black gay love is so important and Noah’s Arc is a groundbreaking television program. I wish Noah’s Arc was able to reach a larger black heterosexual audience though. Why isn’t Noah’s Arc on BET or MTV? Viacom is the parent company for BET and MTV so I don’t see why Noah’s Arc can’t be returned to television. For a very long time I have yearned to see black gay men in love with each other.

Patrik Ian Polk’s television show Noah’s Arc shatters a lot of cultural, racial, and social barriers. The program does not ignore gay racism which is rampant in the North American gay communities. Black gay men we are presented as comfortable with our sexual orientation and our racial identity. We are not depicted as licentious sex objects but as real people. On Noah’s Arc the black gay men are cognizant of the black issues. Some black straight people think just because black gay men we are gay we lose our blackness and that is false. Noah’s Arc also explored issues important to the black gay community. I can’t wait for the Noah’s Arc movie to come out this year!!!

Langston Hughes is also a gay black hero but he was reticent about his homosexuality due to the pernicious homophobia of the black heterosexual community. Hughes poetry has dealt with homoerotic themes. The poems such as joy, desire, cafe 3am, waterfront streets, tell me, young sailor all deal with homoeroticism. The writer Faith Berry also wrote a biography on Hughes and discusses the fact Hughes loved black men and he had a Jamaican lover. Arnold Rampersad also wrote two memoirs about Langston Hughes and he admits Hughes was indeed a homosexual. Hughes is a major inspiration to me because he was a black gay male writer he also believed in black activism and human rights.

Lorraine Hansberry is a black lesbian icon and she was an amazing playwright. The heterosexual black media always discuss Hansberry’s play “A Raisin In The Sun” refusing to acknowledge Hansberry was also a black lesbian. Hansberry also concealed her lesbianism during her lifetime she encountered multiple layers of oppression. Black women encounter racism, sexism, and also homophobia. Hansberry wrote for the lesbian publication “The Ladder” in the 1950s. Hansberry is known for her electrifying play “A Raisin In the Sun” yet the public doesn’t know she was also a black lesbian.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know Tracy Chapman is a lesbian. So why is Chapman still reticent after all these years? Chapman has sold millions of albums, is a multiple Grammy award winner, and a black lesbian feminist icon. Its not like Chapman’s audience is oblivious that she’s gay.

Another interesting fact about Tracy Chapman is that her core audience is white and not black. Even though Chapman sings about racism and other forms of discrimination in her work she never was accepted or embraced by the black community.

I think some black people just didn’t “connect” with Tracy Chapman perhaps due to homophobia and sexism. I think most black people already know Tracy is a lesbian and believe lesbianism is not palatable. Another reason the black community doesn’t like Tracy Chapman is due to the fact she is a folk rock singer and not an R&B and soul singer. Some blacks say Tracy Chapman is acting white and that’s such bullshit.

Why can’t a black entertainer breakthrough stereotypes? I applaud Tracy Chapman for having her own vision and being extremely successful. Why should all black singers just sound like Mary J Blige or Beyonce? Isn’t this boring? Musical taste is a personal choice and preference its just interesting that many blacks have shunned Chapman for so many years.

Why has Tracy Chapman been on the cover of Rolling Stone but not Essence, Upscale or Ebony Magazine? Although Tracy doesn’t discuss this its got to hurt that her own race disrespects her this way. Tracy Chapman is a legend it is so horrible that black people have no respect for this legend. Chapman was never really embraced by the black media, black community for a variety of reasons. Another reason I believe Tracy Chapman wasn’t accepted by the black community is due to her androgynous appearance.

Another point to consider is the black media can be very myopic at times. Tracy Chapman was never treated fairly by the press in the black community. Tracy was often ignored on black radio, BET, black magazines and newspapers. Tracy Chapman is an incredible artist a black woman that defied the odds. Chapman is a music superstar she shattered through the pop world and claimed her place and audience. Chapman’s tours are very successful and yet the black race ignored her due to prejudice. Tracy has never denied her blackness she has always been a proud black woman and yet blacks still treat her badly.

Why is the representation of “black music” so limiting? I think there is more to black music then just R&B and hip hop. However, black radio and the people in the black media still promote less talented artists then Tracy Chapman. I think if the black media did make the effort Tracy Chapman could of had a larger black audience. I do wish black radio, black TV was a bit more open about different musical formats. I mean why isn’t Meshell N’Degeocello on BET more often?

Now Tracy Chapman has never denied she is a lesbian but she hasn’t exactly been open about her sexuality either. I understand Tracy has a career and she has a right to a private life. However, given the fact that black gays and lesbians we have so little visibility in the mainstream it would be nice if Tracy was more open.

By now I am sure everyone knows that Alice Walker the famous bisexual author/feminist talked about her former lover Chapman in an interview with the UK newspaper The Guardian. Here is the link: http://books.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1972800,00.html

Luther Vandross situation is similar to Tracy Chapman but Vandross was loved and respected in the black global community. Vandross was gay yet he kept his secret leading all the way to his death. People will say well the black audience didn’t care that Luther was gay we loved him anyway. I disagree. I think the love the black audience had for Luther was not unconditional because if it was he would of come out. I think Luther remained in the closet not just because he feared about losing revenue by coming out but he also feared losing his place within the black community.

Vandross was cognizant that he needed the black heterosexual audience to buy his CDs, concert tickets, DVDs. Vandross also was aware of the fact the white gay community certainly was not a market he could rely on to keep the revenue flowing. Luther had a “don’t ask don’t tell policy” with the black community. I think its so sad that Luther’s life was a tragedy he wasn’t able to really be himself in the public sphere. The black media did ask Luther numerous times in interviews about his sexual orientation and he always either ignored the question or just denied that he was gay. I wonder though would the black community really turn on him? Everyone knew Luther was the “eternal bachelor.” It was the “fear” I think that held Luther back the unknown. In some ways Luther was a sex symbol for some black women he sang songs about heterosexual love. Vandross was the “classy” R&B singer he didn’t sing the bump and grind such as R Kelly and his clones.

Yet when a black entertainer does have the courage to come out the black community and the mainstream white gay community either ignores or disrespects the openly gay/bisexual black artist. Bisexual singer Meshell N’Degeocello has been out for several years although she has never attained the success or respect she so richly deserved. I still believe there was a resistance to her work because she was so brash, bold, and outspoken. Meshell never denied or hid the fact she is bisexual.

When I was coming out as a teenager in the mid 1990s it really helped me a lot to accept my sexuality when I watched Meshell talk about her sexuality and life on Much Music. People that are not black and gay don’t understand what it feels like to be a double or even triple minority.

When K.D. Lang and Melissa Etheridge came out in the 1990s that didn’t register with me because they are white. I just couldn’t relate to them. Yet when I saw this courageous young black woman Meshell N’Degeocello on Much Music talking about her second album the amazing “Peace Beyond Passion” and the song “Leviticus Faggot” it really resonated with me. It meant so much to me to see someone that looked like me on TV that was black and gay. It takes a lot of guts what Meshell did it really does.

Meshell never looked like the typical female black singer she has a shaved head, her music was not just soul it was also rock, funk, pop, maybe even some folk too. Meshell was not a puppet controlled by the record company either. Although Meshell is slim she wasn’t a size two, she didn’t wear the designer clothes but she has a lot of natural talent and is a true multi instrumentalist musician. Meshell was radical in the sense she was proud of her sexual orientation and her blackness.

Meshell has spoken honestly about the pernicious racism, hypocrisy, and bigotry of the mainstream white gay community. When Meshell came out she didn’t receive that much press in the white gay media either. There was an indifference and ambivalence the white gay press had for her because she is black. Meshell let it be known that just because she is bisexual does not mean she didn’t care about black issues or the black community. And some heterosexual black people still believe this fallacy that just because a black person is gay that means we don’t care about black issues and that’s false.

I know for a fact that although there is homophobia in the black community the racism in the mainstream white gay community is so rampant and so obvious. It’s the reason why I couldn’t be bothered with the gay pride events in Toronto, I don’t read the gay newspapers because they never write about issues or things I am interested in. I don’t go to the gay bars in Toronto either.

Some people say Meshell’s music was too ”preachy” meaning too “black” but I loved it! Meshell should of sold millions of albums she should of become a bigger star. Meshell can play several instruments and she also is a very good singer/songwriter. Meshell basically started the “Neo Soul” movement all by herself in 1993 with her first album”Plantation Lullabies.” Yet black heterosexual singers Erykah Badu, Maxwell, and Jill Scott get all the credit. Meshell released five albums on the Maverick label yet not one album went gold or platinum. Meshell never even won a Grammy award. How could such a talented artist be so disrespected? I think part of the reason Meshell wasn’t more successful was because she was honest about her sexual orientation.

I remember when I was sixteen back in the year 1993 and I had the biggest crush on Tevin Campbell I absolutely adored him. A lot of people I talk to these days say they always knew Tevin was gay. I recall rushing home from school and tape recording Tevin’s hit songs “I’m Ready”, “Always in my heart”, “Can we talk” and playing the videos over and over and over again. I just loved him! I still believe Tevin’s second album “I’m Ready” is one of the best R&B albums of the 1990s. Tevin as everyone knows got caught a few years back trying to solicit gay sex with an undercover police officer. Tevin has never officially come out of the closet but its well known he’s gay. Tevin is trying to make a comeback he’s in the musical “Hairspray” and he’s working on a new album. So is Tevin going to be singing about loving a woman when everyone knows he prefers men? I understand the music business is after all a business but shouldn’t music be made from the heart? Why do so many closeted black gay and lesbian singers sing about the opposite sex when everyone knows they are gay?

There are a few black rappers that everybody knows are lesbians yet they will continue saying in the press that they aren’t gay. I mean people aren’t stupid people can put it together. I am not going to mention the names of these black lesbian rappers because anyone that’s paid attention to hip hop music can figure it out.

There are also some black entertainers everyone knows are bisexual or gay yet its another one of those “don’t ask don’t tell” policies. I can understand if the black gay actor was a leading man it could perhaps shatter the mystique the female audience has with this entertainer. I think that could be a reason some of the black gay male actors in Hollywood remain in the closet. Also, there is the issue of being typecast.

I wonder if we will ever be honest with each other? Anyone that’s been to the black church knows there is always the ubiquitous choir director, gay piano player, or gay pastor. Everybody knows somebody that’s gay whether its a realtive or a friend.

The easiest way fans can figure out if an artist is indeed gay is not by what they say but by what the entertainer doesn’t say. Actions speak louder then words. Whenever you read an interview about your favourite black star think to yourself why does this black celebrity never talk about his or her’s love life? Why is the topic off limits during the interview?

Whether people want to admit it or not the public wants a connection with stars. It is the human connection that not only attracts people to the star but also gets people to go see their movies, buy their CDs, DVDs, or got to their concerts. If society is so accepting of homosexuality these days why is there an imbalance in the type of stars coming out and those that remain in the closet?