



With a $350,000 grant from New York City's health department, the New York State Black Gay Network this week launched a billboard campaign (and corresponding website) aimed at battling black homophobia. As the "downlow" phenomenon can attest, there seems to be an added layer of prejudice against gay men and women among people of color. The ad campaign – which, smartly, will be featured in predominently black areas like Harlem and Brownsville instead of, say, Chelsea – also has a second goal: to fight the spread of HIV among blacks. Mark McLaurin, the organization's executive director, points out how the heterosexual black community often ignores the AIDS epidemic and labels it a "gay problem." Three versions of the billboard will appear throughout the city, each carrying inclusive messages aimed at family, religion, and recreation. This is one straight-forward cause that has our full support.
Billboards Challenge Black NYC [Gay City News]
We Are Part Of You
A slight quibble: I'm bothered by the widespread tendency to refer to the phenomenon of the "down low" whenever one talks about black gay men. It's just another way of demonizing black men, sexually speaking; there are, to be sure, closeted white men, but we don't feel a need to mention them nearly so often as we do these supposed DL-ers. I applaud the intent of this ad campaign, but caution against the ease with which we cite the DL (and I've never heard anything other than minimal anecdotal evidence to support the contention that life on the DL is a widespread phenomenon within the culture at large). The intent of these ads is to teach tolerance; let's be tolerant ourselves and not just assume that black gay men are skulking around in some mythical shadows.
Why is it called Black homophobia when it involves African-American people, but not called White homophobia when it involves whites? This simply reinforces the ridiculous notion that Blacks are more homophobic whites. Let's call it what it is homophobia. It has no color whether Black or white.
Oh silly Ron "never heard anything other than minimal anecdotal evidence to support the contention that life on the DL is a widespread phenomenon within the culture at large" IT WAS ON OPRAH!!!!!!
Um, I really hope you're being sarcastic.
"This simply reinforces the ridiculous notion that Blacks are more homophobic whites."
Traditionally they ARE more homophobic than whites. What planet are you living on? :(
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