AP Reports on Marriage Equality Debate in D.C.'s Black Community

Very interesting. The Associated Press takes up the thorny issue of blacks and same-sex marriage in our nation's capitol, framing the recent city council vote to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages as a "signal the gay rights movement is making inroads among groups traditionally opposed to it."

"Washington became the first place in the U.S. with a large percentage of black residents to take up the issue. As more than 100 mostly black protesters gathered outside city hall, council member Marion Barry, a longtime supporter of gay rights, rejected the measure and sided with ministers who he said "stand on the moral compass of God." Despite Barry and Jackson's claims, there's evidence the city isn't as split on gay marriage as some suggest. Of the 12 council members who voted in favor of gay-marriage, six are black."

The money quote is from Donna Payne at the Human Rights Campaign on the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on blacks gays in the black church. "A black preacher once told her she would be accepted into his church under one condition—that she didn't tell anyone she was a lesbian. Payne said keeping quiet wasn't possible. 'That's the conundrum in the African-American community,'  Payne said. 'They don't want to talk about it, but they know you're there.' "

Payne is spot-on. There are precious few black gayborhoods in the country and the majority of black LGBTs live in the larger black community. On the other hand Washington D.C. has one of the largest black LGBT communities in the country—many of whom live in NE and SE, many others in suburban Maryland. Will the District's many black gay men and lesbians stand up and be counted while Marion Barry and Harry Jackson insist there are few "out" black gays in their city? We shall see...

Gay Marriage in DC Moves Debate [AP]

Some Background...
Anti-Gay Black Pastors Threaten to Unseat Council [R20]
D.C. Council Votes to Recognize Other States' SSMs [R20]
Marion Barry Reneges on Marriage Equality [R20]
Mayor Fenty Defends Council's Gay Marriage Vote [R20]
DC Mayor Fenty to Meet with Activists on Anti-Gay Violence [R20]
DC Police Say Fatal Attack Robbery, Not Hate Crime [R20]
Report: Fenty Pledges to Sign a Gay Marriage Bill [R20]
Marion Barry Supports Gay Marriage [R20]
Fenty Staff Blamed For Objections to DP Bill [R20]
Fenty Admin. Objects to Domestic Partnership Bill [R20]

Comments

[Shane Moseley]

Once again, it all comes down to "black church"...the third rail of discussion in the black gay community.

DC has very many out black gay men who go to clubs, parties and attend black gay events. Many attend churches that are not very gay supportive, like Bishop Alfred Owens church.

I think many are fine living in their closet with the door halfway open. Will they become active in the gay marriage fight in DC? Who knows. But I know many black gay and lesbian couples in the city who have been together long time..

[Antwan]

does everyone know about bishop owens church?....

greater mt calvary holy church is one of most hateful churches toward gays but their choirs are packed with the queens.

=MESS

[say]

I bet a month's salary that the majority of out gay blacks in DC don't show up. They are COWARDS. They choose to support churches and other christain's group that verbally bash them weekly. As long as the hind behind their closet door, their will be no justice for them. They want someone else to do the fighting for them. The white gay communities dont stand by and be victimize

[butchie]

-Antwan

it's not just the choir at Greater Mt Calvary that is fill of queens. It's the whole church. When I first went to the church, I had never been in a church with so many obviously gay men and women.

I don't understand why so many of them allow Bishop Owens to tear them apart and stay.

I don't go to a gay church, but my pastor does not talk about gays at all. I could not stay in a church where I was torn down by the pastor all the time.

My lover went to a church where the pastor attached gay people ever week, going as far as to stand over people that he thought was gay and looking right in their face as he preached so that every one in the church knew that he was talking about that person. My lover is just getting to a point where he is comfortable with who he is and its all because of the things that happened to him in that church.