More than ever, discussions are taking place around the country about the controversial topic of rights for gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals.
Recent developments seem to indicate a greater acceptance of those in the African-American community who have what is often described as an “alternative” lifestyle.
Is it because the Black community is more open-minded and progressive? Or is it because the community is beginning to abandon long held values that have sustained the traditional African-American family?
“It’s slowly but surely being accepted because it’s right in our face everyday,” said Rosalyn Shepherd, president of Indiana Black Pride, an advocacy organization for African-Americans in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community.
Indeed, national news headlines seem to show growing acceptance in the community of gays and approval for concepts such as same sex marriage.
Earlier this month R&B/hip-hop singer Frank Ocean published an open letter revealing his bisexuality and that his first love interest was another young man. Some observers were surprised by the support Ocean has received from peers in the hip-hop community.
Seeing Barack Obama, the nation’s first president of African descent, endorsing same-sex marriage in May also seemed to give Blacks in the LGBT community encouragement.
Seemingly overnight, gay rights is being used more often in conjunction with the term civil rights. The NAACP recently endorsed same-sex marriage as “a continuation of its historic commitment to equal protection under the law.”
However, many in the African-American community, especially family advocacy groups and ministers, are not happy about the seemingly rising trend of support for LGBT rights.
In a statement, The Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) said President Obama could pay “a high price” for supporting same sex marriage, and this week encouraged the NAACP to reconsider its position on the issue.
“This is supposed to be an organization for Black people who were beaten, who were mistreated and who were enslaved,” Rev. William Owens, president of CAAP told The Huffington Post. “You’re advocating for something that’s not normal, that’s not natural. Gay marriage is leading us down a bad path. Our young people are already hurt. They’re already damaged.”
Bishop Peter Fenton, pastor of First Samuel Holistic Ministries in Indianapolis, also has concerns.
“We’re seeing the growth not only in the African-American community but all over,” he said. “And we see it dripping down to our younger people, all the way down into elementary schools.”
However, Fenton, who is also president of the Indiana Healthy Marriage and Family Coalition, said the blame for an increase in acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle rests largely with the faith community.
“We as the Christian community have lost the identity of what Christ taught, and because of that, people don’t get healed and delivered like they should,” he said. “They get focused on the physical and financial instead of realizing we are in spiritual warfare, then they get trapped.”
Minister Lawrence Wooden, who serves at Oaklandon Church of Christ, noted that the church, an institution of great importance in the African-American community, has not embraced the LBGT lifestyle overall because it goes against basic scriptural teachings.
“It is important to remember, however, the circumstances different people have,” said Wooden, who is also a therapist. “Some people were abused at some point in their lives and are working through it, others have actually chosen the lifestyle, which is a different matter. Still, they should not be ostracized by family members or the church.”
Recent polls have shown a slight reduction to Black opposition to same-sex marriage and rights for those in the LBGT community. According to a Washington Post-ABC survey, African-American support increased 18 percent shortly after Obama revealed his stance on the issue.
“It seems like more people are being less judgmental of what another human being does in their private life and are more willing to look at what they distribute to the world as a whole,” said Marcus Sanders, program director at Brothers United, an organization that provides STD testing and other health programs. “Being a minority and LGBT can be a struggle because many people are so quick to judge your orientation over what kind of person you really are, and a lot of people still stay closeted out of fear of isolation from family and friends.”
Shepherd, of Indiana Black Pride, agrees, saying many people tend to let their minds automatically go to “the gutter” when it comes to those with same sex preferences.
“That’s all it is – a preference. You have yours, and I have mine,” she said. “There are professional African-Americans that are LGBT and doing the same type of jobs that you’re doing and living in the same areas. We’re doing the same thing everybody else is doing.”
Shepherd added that she is concerned about a double-standard in many churches, stating, “If you look into some of the churches that are disagreeing, the choir director could be gay and you would be surprised at how many of the members are,” she said.
Lovada Merriweather, a social worker, said the issue of LGBT rights has become “tough one” in the African-American community. She believes that regardless of which side of the issue a person may fall on, everyone should be encouraged to be themselves.
“People can come out in the open and move on with their lives, or stay in the closest and be double-minded. Or worse yet, be married while practicing another lifestyle,” she said. “Which one is worse?”
