Why I Choose to Show All of My Colours
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In light of the recent global power surge to the Black Lives Matter movement and Gay Rights movement I think more than ever it’s extremely important to show who we are. Why hide it in a time where the world is up in flames and everyone is being exposed anyway? I’ve been a Black woman all of my life which is apparent in my skin, my hair, my features and some of my cultural practices, but what happens when you embody another identity that isn’t so easily detected? I knew about my queerness as early as the fourth grade, but knew it wasn’t something to take pride in as I would hear “That’s so gay” being hurled as an insult on the playground and saw peers being ostracized as I grew older. Blackness has been feared, misunderstood and generally looked down upon for so long as is evident in slavery, the civil right’s movement, discriminatory practices and laws as well as and the covert forms of racism we see today.
Being gay, or queerness has always been around and people who identify that way have been made to suffer painfully just as Black people have. Unfortunately these two movements are normally seen as very different and those who identify with both groups are often made to feel like they have to choose a side, much like someone who identifies as biracial. The argument for this is that you can’t hide being Black, but you can hide being gay. Although I see where people are coming from with this argument I’m going to have to discredit it because much like queer individuals try to tone themselves down as to not be outed and potentially put in danger, Black people do it too. Black people are made to feel like we have to blend in with white supremacy by hiding the things that make us unique (hair, food, style of dress, etc.), to not portray the stereotypes (hypersexual, thugs, loud, ghetto) and to not appear as aggressive/threatening when there’s a disagreement just to basically be seen as human. The reality here is that no one should have to choose a side when they’re both a part of you as a whole. The two movements are definitely not the same, but there are commonalities.
The concept of intersectionality helps us all to understand that the different portions of one’s identity make us unique, but also unfortunately leave some of us to experience more challenges due to these same portions. Intersectionality is a term coined by Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw that allows us to holistically take into consideration all of the social and political identities we embody and look at how they either provide us with privilege or discrimination (Bright et al, 2016). This can put individuals in situations where they really benefit from the social constructs of their society, like say a pretty white girl from an affluent background who is educated and Christian. A woman who ‘s Black, doesn’t fit European beauty standards, poor, educated and Muslim will no doubt have a tougher time in a society that is based is white supremacy - this our society unfortunately.
The murder of George Floyd by police was the last straw for Black people all around the world and our allies (old and new) in the fight for racial equality. We’ve seen the murders of Trayvon Martin, Philandro Castille, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor and so many more take place with the police or citizens who have killed them go unpunished or what even seems to be rewarded with paid administrative leave and other opportunities. Black people and a growing number of allies are protesting these unjust killings, proceedings, racist institutions and white supremacy in hopes of reaching an equality where no one is negatively judged based on the colour of their skin. With that goal in mind, it’s been so upsetting to see a lack of enthusiasm when Black members of the LGBTQ+ community are killed, especially Black trans women.
I’ve had to explain to people, mostly transphobic Black people that if we want Black lives to matter, all Black lives have to matter. This glaringly obvious statement has caused me a few heated Facebook arguments and a lot of unfriending, which to be honest I’m quite happy about. I’ve tried, but I can’t educate someone who doesn’t want to learn. I don’t know what it will take for individuals like this to understand that we can’t expect the rest of the world to respect and value Black life when there are some Black people who don’t see this flippantness as problematic behaviour. The names I’ve mentioned above have had significant amounts of support and demands for justice but what about Merci Mack from Texas, Riah Milton from Ohio or Dominique Fells from Pennsylvania? These are only 3 of the 17 known Black trans women who’ve been murdered this year (Fitzsimons, 2020).
There are Black people, white people and other POCs that support the Black Lives Matter movement, but are silent when the murders of LGBTQ+ people occur. There are members of the LGBTQ+ community who support LGBTQ+ rights, but can also be anti-Black, and also anti-trans because the issues of these communities don’t affect them, therefore they cannot see them as real. No one is perfect and as humans we have been conditioned to fear and hate what we don’t understand. Being so closed off to people who are different is wrong and it’s harmful to larger society, how can we band together to tackle issues like homelessness and increasing the minimum wage, etc if we can’t even accept each other's differences?
I sit here writing this article as a Black, pansexual woman not to profit off of the current state of the world, but hopefully to educate and to show unity. When some people look at me, they are shocked to learn that I don’t identify as heterosexual and some assume me to be mixed with another race because of my complexion. I want people to understand that things are not always what they seem, someone who looks like you may not think like you and vice versa but all lifestyle choices are valid so long as no one is being hurt by them. If you’re someone who doesn’t support equality for marginalized people, I challenge you to ask yourself why that is. If you’re not willing to learn and understand why the Black Lives Matter movement exists, why the LGBTQ+ community is still fighting for rights, why you should respect the religion of others, what white privilege is, how misogyny or ableism work then why do you expect anyone from these groups or even someone from your own to give you the time of day? These ways of thinking are taught and I encourage you to begin to do the work of unlearning so that you can think for yourself.
Like the great Miss Lauryn Hill once said, “How you gonna win, when you ain't right within?”. This is why I decided to re-introduce myself to my audience and hopefully some new supporters as I embrace everything that makes me, me. Being more honest and open with my music is my form of resistance. My choice to do this is about taking a stand for the things I believe in and inspiring others to do the same. If I want to help people feel comfortable in their own skin then I have to lead by example. The truth will always set you free.
References
Bright, L. K., Malinsky, D., & Thompson, M. (2016). Causally Interpreting Intersectionality Theory. Philosophy of Science, 83(1), 60–81. https://doi.org/10.1086/684173
Fitzsimons, T. (2020, July 1). Black transgender woman shot dead in Dallas. Nbcnews.Com. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/black-transgender-woman-shot-dead-dallas-n1232704