Carry the Torch
Would you let go of homophobia if it meant all Black people could be free?
I remember where I was when I found out Nipsey Hussle had been killed. I was sitting in a plant store with a group of some of my favorite Black women; and most of us were queer. I anticipated the complicated feelings many Black queer people would have in light of Nipsey Hussle’s homophobic comments last year. I had them myself. Community investment, job creation for artists and creatives, clothes and jobs for formerly incarcerated people? Whew. I identify with so many of the dreams Nipsey Hussle had for the Black community. AND I saw the comments he made (and his apology afterward). Ironically, with each passing day, his words became less important to me. Why?
Because I couldn’t take watching people I loved and respected let their indifference to us show, expecting their grief to give them a pass. And what hurt the most was the indifference. With each “not the time” or “be respectful” or “not everyone will agree, people sent a clear message-that the Black LGTBQ people you encounter in your daily lives were not as important as a Black heterosexual man you never knew.
The main reason this indifference to LGBTQ people was justified? Nipsey Hussle had big dreams for the Black community. Dreams they shared with him- Black queer people’s mixed reactions became an insult to their desire to carry the torch in Nipsey’s honor. But you can’t carry a torch with a homophobia in one hand. Would you let go of homophobia if it meant all Black people could be free?
MY POINT: The dreams you have for the Black community are impossible without Black Queer people.
Don’t believe me? Follow me for a second:
Your dreams for Black mental health
After articles like these, I’d support almost any effort that is geared toward improving the mental health of Black people. We have responded to the need for healing from racial trauma with initiatives that seek to address Black mental health in wholistic ways. But the counseling center you wanna open? The shelter you wanna open?This cannot happen without an understanding that Black LGBTQ people are more likely to be in need of the resources you wanna provide. Look at this report on LGBTQ Black youth.Look at this report on trans and gender nonconforming people in the South. Any initiative focused on Black mental health must be aware of the specific mental health struggles of Black LGBTQ people if it has any hope of being successful.
Your dreams for Black entertainment
Every time a mediocre white film wins an Oscar, it is perfectly okay to say, “We need our own entertainment.” And we do. In fact, some of the top writers, producers, and directors right now are Black women and yes-Black queer people. The entertainment industry is moving (inching along) towards LGBTQ inclusion. Some of the top poets and writers of this generation are Black and Queer. Yall- Beyonce Giselle Knowles — Carter is a supporter of LGBTQ people. Mr. Ratburn got married to a man last week! Black entertainment has always had Black Queer influence (to put it mildly). And now, Black entertainment that is Queer exclusive will be shelved for more dynamic stories that represent more of us.
Your dreams for Black education and publications
Education is my personal passion, so I’m always excited to hear people talk about how badly Black people need independent systems of education. But remember the report about Black queer kids? How is your school liberating Black children if you wont address one of the main reasons Black LGBTQ children are struggling in school? As for Black publications? Some of THE most knowledgeable education innovators- the ones already building the change you want? Queer. As far as publications, the premier publications for radical Black content? Managed and run by Black queer people. The future of Black radical education is being led by the same people who are erased from dominant Black culture.
Your dreams for Black buying power
I am not as invested in this next point, because I don’t believe that Black capitalism is the answer to anything. You can’t get through a conversation about Black liberation without talking about Black people and money. “Our buying power is 1 trillion dollars!” is a statistic often given as an example of why Black businesses should be started and supported. But did you know LGBTQ buying power is just as high? Furthermore, 20% of millenials and 33% of GenZers identify as LGBTQ. What am I saying? If you’re expecting a homophobic Black business to flourish? It wont. If you’re expecting to partner with multi million dollar brands with homophobic “opinions”? You won’t. If you’re expecting your brand to survive your homophobic “opinions”? It wont.
Your dreams for Black love, relationships, and communities.
Ive never seen love like the love between Black Queer people. Black Queer ppl have broken “love” down beyond gendered Instagram cliches. We love our friends and partners in a way most people swear is impossible. The liberated relationships, outside of binaries and expectations? Dreams that Black cishet spaces have for what our love and relationships could look like? They are already taking shape in Black Queer spaces.
I don’t mean for any of this to sound like you should only be inclusive of Black LGBTQ people as a smart business move. I need you to understand that these are tangible dreams for us, but we cant get there without a commitment to ALL Black people. This is meant to move beyond an abstract, philosophical idea of that. This is meant to show you, in very concrete ways, that the dreams we have for the Black community are impossible without Black Queer people.
TO RECAP: I couldn’t help but be moved by the amount of people who committed to continue his work in the wake of Nipsey Hussle’s death. A commitment to carrying the torch is the most noble commitment to make in honor of someone who gave so much of himself to the Black community. But there are torches that need to be dropped if any of our dreams are to become a reality. Black queer people already know this. So for Pride Month this year, I let’s work harder to carry the torch for Black LGBTQ people- not because we were forced to, but because we know that we ALL must be free for our Black community dreams to be a reality.
