Academic

The Poltics Of Prop 8: Race And Gay Marriage

By Dan Filler

Jasmyne A. Cannick has an interesting and provocative op-ed in the LA Times today entitled No-on-8's White Bias.  Arguing from the perspective of an African-American lesbian, Cannick slams the No-on-8 campaign as completely out of touch with Black voters.  On the substance, she argues:

The right to marry does nothing to address the problems faced by both black gays and black straights. Does someone who is homeless or suffering from HIV but has no healthcare, or newly out of prison and unemployed, really benefit from the right to marry someone of the same sex? Maybe white gays could afford to be singularly focused, raising millions of dollars to fight for the luxury of same-sex marriage. But blacks were walking the streets of the projects and reaching out to small businesses, gang members, convicted felons and the spectrum of an entire community to ensure that we all were able to vote.

Some people seem to think that homophobia trumps racism, and that winning the battle for gay marriage will symbolically bring about equality for everyone. That may seem true to white gays, but as a black lesbian, let me tell you: There are still too many inequalities that exist as it relates to my race for that to ever be the case. Ever heard of "driving while black"? Ever looked at the difference between the dropout rates for blacks and for whites? Or test scores? Or wages? Or rates of incarceration?

She has an even harsher critique of the political strategy.  After scorching No-on-8 activists for focusing on the NAACP as the linchpin of it's strategy to mobilize African-Americans, she writes:

Holding the occasional town-hall meeting in Leimert Park -- the one part of the black community where they now feel safe thanks to gentrification -- to tell black people how to vote on something gay isn't effective outreach either.

Stiff tonic for those organizing the repeal of Prop 8.

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on November 11, 2008 (boomark / email).