Jun

11

Queer Feminist Porn – Let the Rampant Racism Begin

Filed Under Gender, Race, Women's Issues | 1 Comment

Twitter user @FemmeDrea asked me the following today:

Am I offended by a queer feminist pornzine? Absolutely not. I like porn. I like porn a lot – and I don’t care how many Andrea Dworkin-like feminists roll their eyes at that comment. It makes me proud that there are feminists out there who weren’t persuaded – by Dworkin and her cronies – that porn is evil.

Even though the idea of a queer feminist pornzine isn’t offensive to me, I’m pretty sure I’ll be annoyed by the predictable racism that will run rampant through its pages. Anytime I see the words “feminist” and “queer” used together, it usually implies “white feminist same-gender loving folks.” Don’t believe me? Check out On Our Backs Magazine: page after page after page of white women.

Jump on over to Bitch Magazine – a feminist publication overflowing with white feminists, sprinkled with a little color when annoying Black bitches like me start to complain.

A common complaint about Ms. Magazine was that it used to be exclusively for white feminists, but I noticed they’re making an attempt to be a bit more inclusive. Too little too late if ya ask me.

Feministing.com – very white.  They used to at least try to appear as if they cared about women of color.  I guess that one colored girl doesn’t work there anymore.

Feministe.us: their staff lacks serious diversity. Pulling most of their columnists’ pictures off the site won’t help them hide that fact.

Racism has been running rampant in white feminist circles forever. See exhibit A, B, C and D.

So, while I’m not bothered at all by the existence of yet another queer feminist pornzine, I can tell you I don’t plan to support the project because I doubt I’ll see women who look like me on any of their pages.   If I’m wrong, they need to educate a sista.

May

26

To My White Gay Brothers In Pain . . .

Filed Under Gender, LGBT, Race, Women's Issues | 6 Comments

Dear White Gay Male Brothers:

Once upon a time, you were sitting at the top of the social class ladder – a spot that gave you the best possible view of (and access to) the world and all it has to offer. You had the best seat because you were a white male who the world assumed was a heterosexual.

And then . . . you came out. You told the world you were a homosexual. From there, your position changed drastically, pushing you from position #1 to a spot closer to where racial minorities and women are placed. That must’ve hurt like a bitch – and you couldn’t have seen it coming. There’s no way you saw it coming.

As a young boy, you might have grown accustomed to certain privileges, like: the assumption that you would head off to college, get a great job and marry a great girl. If you were a Black male, the assumption would’ve been you would father several illegitimate children and end up in prison. If you were a Black female, the assumption would’ve been that you would give birth to several illegitimate children and end up on welfare.

You probably never had to deal with store clerks automatically assuming you had sticky fingers just because of your race. You probably never had to deal with the police pulling you over to question you about how you acquired the nice vehicle you were driving – because white men always drive nice cars, right? You probably never had to deal with teachers automatically assuming you would be a troublemaker in class – because white kids are always perfect students, right? You probably never had to deal with a grocery store clerk automatically assuming you were using a food stamp card when you reached into your wallet at the checkout – because white people don’t need food stamps, right?

Now that you identify as a homosexual, you can no longer enjoy the privileges afforded to you when you were an assumed straight white man. If I were you, I’d be fuckin’ pissed, too! Rich people who lose it all suffer far more emotional pain than those of us who never had more than enough to live on – because they remember what it was like to have it all. I’m guessing white gay men who lose their place at the top of the social ladder are suffering from the stab of injustice far more than the rest of the gay community because the pain is so very unfamiliar. It aches and aches and you haven’t developed a coping mechanism for that kinda grief just yet.

Relax. I have great news. You get used to the pain and, over the years, it’ll become somewhat manageable. You’ll learn how to function in the world and keep the pain at a minimum. If you need some tips on how to survive through the rougher spots, ask a Black woman. She’s a pro at it.

In the meantime, I suggest learning how to work within a system of oppression to remove the oppression. If you need help with that one, ask a feminist – or a Black man, or a Black woman, or a Hispanic individual. They all have great pointers. And pay attention as they speak; you might actually learn something.

Regards,
Genia Stevens

May

17

Is Dobson’s Book ‘Bringing Up Girls’ Anti-Feminist?

Filed Under Race, Women's Issues | 2 Comments

I haven’t read the book yet, but I definitely plan to make that happen.  Until then, all we have is this book trailer to help us figure out whether Dr. James Dobson’s (founder and chairman emeritus of the anti-gay organization Focus on the Family) book “Bringing Up Girls” is an anti-feminist piece of crap.

My first observation: The family is white and their daughter is a pretty little blonde. I’m guessing that’s the case since Black families are not Dr. James Dobson’s target market – unless his organization is recruiting Black families to help them fuck over homosexuals and transgender people.

Second observation: Dad’s a jackass. He stands up with a sign that proclaims “My daughter runs faster than yours.” Yep. Train your daughter how to be a swell-headed, self-centered person whose goal is to always be better than everyone else.

Third observation: Their daughter has a little Black friend present at her tea party. Brownie points for the brown face. There’s also a Black man handing their daughter a diploma. I’m guessing that’s a calculated attempt to shut up people like me who would be looking for any sign of color. It didn’t work.

Fourth observation: Their daughter appears to get married right out of high school. At first I gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought she was graduating from college. But, since the man who hands her the diploma is not dressed in traditional attire worn at a college graduation, I’m guessing it’s a high school diploma – not college.

Without reading the book, the trailer suggests that parents who see their daughter graduate high school and find a good man have done their job. Nevermind the whole “learning to be self-sufficient before you settle down” thing. That would make her too much of a modernized woman and bring her dangerously close to being a feminist.

I will be reading this book – just so I can rip on each chapter on SistersTalk Radio. I’ll let you know when the rip-fest begins.

May

17

32 Black Republicans Run for Congress: Can They Win?

Filed Under Politics, Race | Leave a Comment

Cross-posted with permission from Essence.com:

Angela McGlowan has been drawn to politics for some time — as a conservative commentator for FOX News and BET, and author of “Bamboozled: How Americans Are Being Exploited by the Lies of the Liberal Agenda” — but this year she stepped into the arena as a candidate.

She’s got some company, too. Running in Mississippi’s first congressional district, McGlowan is one of 32 Black Republicans campaigning for the U.S. Congress this primary season. It’s the largest showing since Reconstruction.

“I was asked to do this,” says McGlowan, as she recounts recruitment from jobless voters in her hometown of Oxford, Mississippo and impassioned protestors who approached her at Tea Party demonstrations.

The self-described “controversial sister trying to make things happen” cites less federal spending, more tax credits for small businesses, and reforming education,  particularly for special needs children, as her priorities. She spoke to ESSENCE.com about the curious influence that President Barack Obama has had on Black Republicans, the suggestion that she’s a poster child for the right, and whether or not Black candidates on the GOP ticket generally stand a snowball’s chance of winning.

ESSENCE.com: What do you think is behind the boom of Black Republicans running for Congress?
ANGELA MCGLOWAN: There has been this myth that there are not many Black Republicans out there. Well, there are. Compared to Democrats maybe it’s not a lot, but people think there’s just one or two. And this is an election year like no other. I have not ever recalled such a bad economic time, and you have a lot of people who are fed up with politics as usual. In the past, we had common folk — accountants, even an exterminator — run for office, and I think that’s what you’re seeing now. I also think Barack Obama being elected President has paved the way for more Black people to say, “Hey, we can do it!” It takes hope to be able to run, and even though he may have given hope to people on the right side of the aisle, we’re all Black people in this. Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, the first Black President has made a difference in our lives.

ESSENCE.com: What about the election of Michael Steele as the Republican National Committee Chairman? Do you think that’s played a role in inspiring more Black Republicans to run for office?
MCGLOWAN: Can’t answer that. Sorry.

ESSENCE.com: Okay… do you not want to speak about Michael Steele?
MCGLOWAN: I think that it is a great feat for Michael to be RNC Chair. But we have to judge by the content of one’s character and qualifications; not just because he’s a Black man. I know I’m contradicting myself here. Basically, I think it’s great that he won that, and I’m not going to comment on him further. I think the President, as the leader of the free world, is more inspirational if you put it in perspective. The President of the United States. RNC Chair. There you go.

ESSENCE.com: You were encouraged to run by members of the Tea Party. There’s an argument that Black Republicans are elevated and cheered on by White conservatives, or that you’re tokenized–
MCGLOWAN: Ohhh, Cynthia! I can’t answer for what other folks do. I can’t answer whether or not they’re pimping anybody. But I’m not a poster child. I won’t be put in front of a camera like a Black Barbie doll. If I ever think that’s happening to me, it’s going to be on. And if any people of color have joined this movement because they want to be on the forefront, and I don’t think they have, then that’s a shame. I’m certainly not doing that. I want people to vote for me in this district because of what I stand for.

ESSENCE.com: What’s the response you’ve received from your constituents?
MCGLOWAN: I do coffee meet-and-greets at my campaign headquarters. One time, I had about 40 people show up, and 30 of them were Black. I’m having Blacks stop by my office, knowing that I’m a Republican, and tell me that I’ve inspired them.

ESSENCE.com: And from White voters?
MCGLOWAN: From White voters I’m getting a lot of support, but I gotta tell you — I’ve had to meet with officials because we have gotten death threats. I’m the first Black female to run in this district in the history of Mississippi. There is a website where I’ve been called “the Negress” and a “filthy pig.” My two opponents are older White males. Some of their supporters took a picture of me and altered it to make my skin darker, turned up my nose, and kinked up my hair. They put it on a flyer saying that I don’t want White people to have guns. My staff and I have been threatened with calls. People in the street have come up to me being hostile. But it’s a small, ignorant minority.

ESSENCE.com: Given all that, plus the fact that most African-Americans vote for Democrats, do you think many Black Republican candidates have a viable chance?
MCGLOWAN: When Colin Powell was going to run for President and he stepped down, so many people were upset because they believed in him. He led by example. I think that if you are a darn good leader, it doesn’t matter what color your skin is. Look at Gary Franks and J.C. Watts. It depends on the candidate, and how they articulate what they’re going to do. Right now, poverty knows no color. I’ve had White and Black people come to me and say they want a job. If this were a normal election year, you might be right to question the viability of Black Republican candidates. I just know now people are voting with their pocketbooks.

Read more: http://www.essence.com/news/hot_topics_4/black_republicans_running_for_congress.php

May

16

LZ Granderson Discusses ‘Closeted anti-gays are the enemy within’

Filed Under DADT, Gays, Lesbian Podcast, Race | Leave a Comment

LZ Granderson is a senior writer and columnist for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com, and has contributed to ESPN’s Sports Center, Outside the Lines and First Take. He is a 2010 nominee and the 2009 winner of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) award for online journalism as well as the 2008 National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) winner for column writing.


Granderson joined us to discuss his latest op-ed piece “Closeted anti-gays are the enemy within.”

May

13

Black Women Have a Bone to Pick With Obama

Filed Under Race, Women's Issues | Leave a Comment

Move over anti-Obama homosexuals. Black women now have a bone to pick with our Commander in Chief.

A recent interview published on Essence.com reads:

Dr. Charles Ogletree clearly knew, after I left a general message at his Harvard Law School office, that I wanted to talk about the criticism gaining traction against President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Solicitor General Elena Kagan. In Kagan’s six years as dean at Harvard Law School, for example, with the exception of one Asian-American woman, all of the tenure-track professors hired there were White. There’s also sparse evidence of her views on important legal issues–and much grumbling that the President failed to further diversify the Court and nominate a Black woman.

Ogletree was gamely prepared to take on these concerns. The renowned Harvard law professor, who has known Kagan for 25 years (and has also been a longtime mentor to President Obama), rapidly, and at length, listed diversity-related facts about Kagan. And, although he agreed that the time is ripe for a Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Ogletree also explained why he approves of the nominee.

[INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS:]

ESSENCE.com: President Obama has been criticized, too, for failing to nominate a Black woman — particularly when there are many qualified candidates, and the Supreme Court has never had an African-American woman justice. What are your thoughts on this disappointment?

OGLETREE: I share that concern, and I have said publicly and privately that there [are] a large number of talented African-American women who should be considered. I applaud the remarkable accomplishments of people like Judge Ann Claire Williams on the Seventh Circuit and Leah Ward Sears, who was extraordinary as Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. I also think it is disgraceful that in the year 2010, when over half of the members of the legal profession are women, that we have only two women on the Supreme Court, and we’ve never had more than that.

ESSENCE.com: There’s also concern from the left wing over the lack of information on Elena Kagan’s views, and that she may not be liberal enough. Many hoped the President would have picked someone decisively liberal to ensure that viewpoint is represented. Do you think that’s the right approach to take?

OGLETREE: Let me be frank in my assessment — there are no liberals on the Supreme Court. I say that with all due respect to the current justices serving, but we don’t have a Thurgood Marshall or a William Brennan on the Court today. I don’t know that we’ll be able to have one in the foreseeable future, in light of the fact that so much has been made about politics. We have conservatives — we have ultra-conservatives — but we don’t have liberals. I think that Elena Kagan’s views are hard to predict.

Any day now, I expect to see hundreds of Black women chained to the White House fence to protest what appears to be . . . umm, anti Black female sentiment? You think that fence is large enough to hold everybody?

May

12

Immigration Debate: The Crimes of Our Past Have Come Back to Haunt Us

Filed Under Culture, Race, WTF? | Leave a Comment

This video is almost 3 years old, but it actually fits today’s immigration discussion as if it were created specifically to speak to AZ’s very recent and very blatantly racist immigration bill:

I had a discussion with an exgirlfriend yesterday. After hearing her announce that she was joining the Tea Party, nothing she said surprises me anymore – well, almost nothing. She said:

I am getting sick of all of this immigration crap. Come legally or get the fuck out. Seriously.

I am hopeful that WI will adopt the federal law to state law like AZ and PA and the 13 other states who are going through the legislative process now.

Come legal or stay the fuck home!

And I replied with:

As for illegal immigrants – your ancestors came here and took land from Native Americans. I say fuck every person of European descent who’s running around bitching about people coming here illegally. And I agree with this picture 100% – http://twitpic.com/1k3cvk

Hell, I’d love to own one of those signs. I’d hang up outside my house and dare a motherfucker to say something.

You completely annoy me when you use the words “our country.” It ain’t our country. This country rightfully belongs to the Native Americans.

Of course her response was riddled with crap like, “Why are you bringing up old shit? That’s in the past.” I had to remind her that the crimes of our past will always come back to haunt us. I suggested that she was afraid that white Americans would suffer – at the hands of illegal immigrants – the same horrendous destruction of “their” land and people that Native Americans did.

Wouldn’t that be a bitch?

And now AZ has passed a law banning ethnic studies? What the hell is going on in that state? Any day now I expect to see AZ replace its flag with one that vaguely reminds you of a confederate flag.

May

10

C.D. Kirven Discusses the Absence of Color in LGBT Leadership

Filed Under Lesbian Podcast, Podcast, Politics, Race | Leave a Comment

Author, activist, artist, screenwriter and filmmaker C.D. Kirven joined us on SistersTalk Radio to discuss her work and her political activism. We also discussed the absence of color in LGBT leadership.

C.D. is a powerful speaker.  This interview will give you goosebumps.

May

5

Why Immigration Reform Should Be Important to the LGBT Community

Filed Under LGBT, Race | 1 Comment

Rachel Tiven, Executive Director of Immigration Equality, joined us to discuss why the LGBTQ community should be concerned about immigration reform.

Immigration Equality is a national organization fighting for equality under U.S. immigration law for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and HIV-positive individuals. Founded in 1994 as the Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights Task Force, the organization has grown to a membership of 10,000 people in cities all over the country.

May

1

Are Illegals Taking What Rightfully Belongs to White Folks?

Filed Under Politics, Race | Leave a Comment

Immigration rallies took place all over the country today. I’ve tweeted the best protest sign I’ve seen all day – and lots of people are in

agreement because it’s been my most retweeted update since I started using Twitter.

In honor of today’s immigration rallies, I wanted to resurrect a 2006 post I wrote regarding the immigration issue. I’m as annoyed today with anti-immigrant people as I was in 2006.

A few weeks ago, I had a rather heated discussion with an associate about immigration. Before this discussion, I wasn’t paying much attention to the immigration issue. My associate said something about the issue that sparked a fire in me. Because I’d always felt this person was a selfless, compassionate soul, I was quite surprised by what I perceived as very selfish reasons for wanting to see illegals booted from the USA. Some of her reasons, and I paraphrase:

1. This country is hers; her ancestors made it hers.

2. Illegals are destroying the healthcare system.

3. Illegals are taking things from her and other Americans that rightfully belong to Americans.

I guess reason #2 isn’t really a selfish reason; however, it is a reason that has been developed from misinformation. Americans have always complained about the healthcare system in this country, citing welfare mothers (and welfare fathers), the rising cost of healthcare for senior citizens, and a misappropriation of funds (thanks to our American politicians in Congress). Think about all the tax dollars that could fund the healthcare system if illegals in this country were allowed to become taxpaying American citizens. Think about the millions of unemployed American citizens who are receiving free healthcare; I heard not one complaint about them. Why? Because Americans are allowed to be lazy, unemployed, free-loaders; illegals are not. Now I know that not every unemployed American who receives free healthcare is a lazy free-loader, but you get my point.

As for reason #1: I don’t think there are too many Americans who can’t trace their family tree back to a foreign nation or two. In other words, we are all descendants of immigrants. This country is what it is because of immigration (and slavery, but we won’t get into that too much right now). There are too many native-born Americans who have forgotten that — or choose to ignore it. When I hear people cite reason #1 as their main reason for wanting to boot illegal immigrants from the USA, I think of two 5 year olds fighting over something that doesn’t belong to either one of them.

Reason #3: This country rightfully belongs to the “Native” Americans. The anti-immigration fools really oughta check-in to somebody’s mental health clinic — and make sure they prescribe you the good shit before you leave.

During the course of my discussion with my associate, I touched on the slavery issue. I told her that I found it pretty ironic that white Americans — of all people — are bitching about people coming to America illegally. I mean, after all, it was their ancestors who forced Africans to come to this country so they could make slaves of them. But see, the difference is: slaves were controlled property and did what they were told; illegal immigrants belong to no one. I also told her that I didn’t care in the least if illegals were destroying the system that slave-owning white Americans built from the ground up. Karma’s a bitch, eh? To that, she said she was very sorry I was so hateful. She then quoted Dr. King “The marvelous new miltancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.” I wanted to ask her how long it took her to look that quote up in Google. By the way, did she call me a militant?

I had another discussion with a friend about immigration. He and I disagreed, but never did we stoop to name-calling or condescending comments. The adult-like conversation allowed us to discuss the issue, hear each other out, and walk away from the discussion with our friendship intact. He feels there are too many illegals in the country draining the healthcare system, ruining local schools, and destroying the local economy. This may be true; however, if illegals were allowed to become citizens then they would pay taxes just like the rest of us. Are the problems my friend cited something we should fault illegals for, or should we tell our elected officials to hand the illegals a social security card, make them Americans, and take their tax dollars? I vote for the latter. I think too many people who lack critical thinking skills are unable to come up with obvious workable solutions to our immigration problems. They jump on the “Be American or Be Gone” bandwagon. Personally, I think the fact that Hispanics are the fastest growing population in the United States just scares the hell outta white folks who are used to having only ONE racial minority group to attempt to control. Now they have to figure out how to control the Blacks and the Hispanics. Ain’t that a bitch? Can you imagine what our elected officials will look like in 50 years? Blacks, Hispanics, and women running the show. I’d be scared too if I were a white person who’s use to being the majority — and reaping the rewards of such an honor.

I agree, we need to control the border better. What good does it do us to use strict security at the airports when Bin Laden’s friends can simply go to Mexico and crawl under the fence? Keep in mind though, the really dumb people who are complaining about illegal immigrants aren’t citing national security as their concern. They’re screaming “This country is mine! Go home!”

At the risk of sounding like one of those morons who says, “I don’t have a problem with Black people. My best friend in kindergarten was Black,” I have to say, I don’t have a problem with white people. I don’t have a problem with Americans. I’m not out to annihilate white people. I just really dislike ignorant people — be they white, Black, Hispanic, Asian, or whatever. The loudest, most ignorant voices in the immigration discussion just happen to belong to white people. Don’t believe me? Take a seat in front of your TV during the news hour, flip through your channels, and see for yourself. When the media finds a minority who wants to give illegals the boot, that person becomes the poster child of the hour. It’s like they’re saying, “See, even the niggahs hate illegals!”

Original post: You Have the Right to be a Free-Loading American – June 5, 2006

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