"Noah's Arc" Doug Spearman on Gay Racism: "It's Worse Now Than When I Came Out in 1980"

Actor and gay activist Doug Spearman, the handsome openly gay co-star of Noah's Arc and the newish film Noah's Arc Jumping the Broom, writes an excellent essay for the Human Rights Campaign's HRC Backstory blog. Spearman argues that despite the rainbow flag of the gay community, racism in the community is "worse now than it was when I came out in l980."

People tend to believe that racism, on all sides of the color lines, is something that stops at the gates of the LGBT community. As though at the entrance to the various Boys Towns around the country you were required to check your ideas about Blacks, Asians, Jews, Arabs, etc. the way cowboys were required to turn over their guns when they walked into a salon in the Old West.  It just doesn’t happen that way.  In fact, I think it’s worse now than it was when I came out in l980. Back then the bars felt a lot more friendly, prejudice was a dirty word, and the kids of the l960’s and early 70’s—those that had created the gay movement—were still on the dance floors of America elbow to elbow with the people who’d marched in Vietnam protests and Black Power parades, and had been active participants in the original Civil Rights Movement.  Those were the grownups who were standing at the bar when I got there.  They welcomed me.  But they’re gone.  That spirit seems to have evaporated.

Race and race relations are a thick thread in the fabric of our country.  It was a factor in the last presidential election, and for a while it was the cause of a lot of finger pointing after the Proposition 8 decision here in California.  In the early days after the election, a lot of gay activists blamed black voters for not showing support for their plight for marriage equality.  First they got the numbers wrong. Black voters, especially in Los Angeles, were not the tipping point.  Second, they failed to understand what the issues of civil rights and equality mean to black people in this country.  They— meaning well-intentioned gay activists—assumed that since theirs was an issue of equality and civil rights, that they’d have natural allies among a people who’d spent centuries being discriminated against.  It’s a valid hope.  But then again, when did a group of gay activist ever show up to make sure that black and Latino/a neighborhoods had decent schools or safe streets, or march for union job protection? 

Spearman adds: "It’s a different world for white Americans than it is for black, brown, and yellow Americans. Especially if you have education, income, and available resources.  And we’re finally beginning to openly talk about the differences."

Spearman, who is on the board of Equality California and played a married gay man on Noah's Arc, was one of the most prominent black gay activists fighting Proposition 8 last fall. He taped a PSA against the ballot initiative and headlined a news conference featuring several pro-gay and pro-marriage equality black pastors. Props to Doug Spearman for pushing back against the "blame the blacks" meme that resulted after Prop 8, when national black leaders such as the NAACP's Benjamin Jealous have ... well, what are they saying about it?

Spearman's essay for the Human Rights Campaign is latest installment of Equality Forward, the group's new national and virtual dialogue on race, sexuality and gender.

Did You Read? ...
"Noah's Arc" Doug Spearman's PSA Against Prop 8 [R20]
Doug Spearman in "The Advocate"[R20]
"Noah's Arc" Cast Urges "No" on Proposition 8 [R20]
"Noah's Arc" Actor Doug Spearman, Black Ministers Urge "NO" on Prop 8 [R20]
SCLC Leader Criticizes Anti-Gay, Black Pastors [R20]
Darryl Stephens Talks Coming Out to "Instinct" [R20]
Rodney Chester of "Noah's Arc": I'm Still Not Gay! [R20]
Behind the Scenes Video from Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom [R20]
Noah's Arc Has Sailed [R20]
Deal or No Deal? [R20]
Rodney Chester: I'm STILL NOT Gay!" [R20]
Beyond the Sassy Sidekicks? [After Elton]
What Does the Future Hold for Noah's Arc? [After Elton]
TV's Most Influential Gay Sex Scenes [After Elton]

Comments

[Kevjack]

Something told me it wouldn't be long before somebody went into that "dating whites" issue. SMH

This Blog will erupt in 5...4...3...2...

[Chitown Kev]

@Kevjack

lol- Well, what say you on all of this?

[piersgavestonjr]

Luther do you have any links for this?
"I've seen you trying to teach tolerance on a couple of gay blog's that make a meeting of klansmen seem tame whenever a black face shows up,"
or this "And after the Prop 8 debacle and all the racial slurs spewed in front of TV camera and online and still going full steam on almost all non-black gay owned blogs," Almost all non black gay owned blogs? Thats a lot of blogs there. What do you mean "almost all"? Could you maybe give a percentage figure? Bear in mind that there are millions of blogs, and it is a safe bet that ten percent are gay owned. Do you have the time to read all these blogs?

[Rahsaan]

Piers, I think you left you pointy white hood and white robe at one of those PNP sex parties you discuss at your ummm "blog".

Thanks for educating us colored folk about racism and white privilege, though!

[Chitown Kev]

@piers

oh, let's just say the major gay blogs. queerty (PUMA Central Headquarters), towleroad, and joe.my.god, shall we? Even though Joe Jervis doesn't have a tolerance for that stuff on his blog too much, towleroad just really posts the news, and queerty...well...

[Talarico]

Rod: Let me cosign Ravenback and thank you being "you" and reaching out to young Kevin. This sounds like a very intelligent young man but in much pain. That was me for many years before I learned to love "me, myself and I". Your blog has helped many young black and Latino gay men get to that level. Please talk to Rod, Kevin, we are all concerned.

D: Why does someone always come on this blog to play their tired "blacker than thou" cards? No one is getting their "swirl" om here. Chad White hasn't been on this blog since (according to archive) February 2008 and Cristiano Ronaldo has been in only three or four posts. But even if there were more, so the eff what, both Chad and Cristiano are FINE!

As far as some other black gay activists, who cares? They are sticking their necks out for you and can love who they want to love. What the freak are you doing besides going to the punk bar every Saturday and the homo hating church all day Sunday?

[Talarico]

Oh and Piers: White privilege much?

Love the fact you parachute into this blog and have no comment on what Doug Spearman says, but are demanding "links" and "proof" of any gay racism.

What did Rod say earlier? Isn't it time to punch in at the Piggly Wiggly?

[Chitown Kev]

Rod, thank you for helping Kevin Perez and Kevin...godspeed to you.

I think it was in the 1st Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass where Douglass said that when he learned to read, he became a sadder person because he could no longer deny the awareness of his situation. That awareness spurred Douglass on to freedom and to helping others.

In a way, I think Rod 2.0 has done the same thing for Kevin P., as it is probably doing for many others. Unawareness and denial of one's circumstances is easy. Being honest and aware of one's painful circumstances can be so difficult that many choose to escape in some way, shape, or form. Granted, our path is nowhere near as serious as that of Douglass but Douglass' courage is an example for all of us. May of us have had those journeys from blissful unawareness to self-realiziation; many of us are still going through that process. But we can get there.

Take care, Kevin P.

[DW Jazzlover]

@ Kevin Perez
Baby Boy you are in some serious pain! There are many of out here that really know how you feel, and it seems most of the Brothers in this comment section are with you.
I am sure any of us would be here for you to talk to if that is what you want.
You are not alone.
dwjazzlover@gmail.com

[Kevjack]

@chitown

I think Doug raises a lot of good issues. As much as we would like to draw similarities between race and sexual orientation, the experiences are different for a number of reasons. These differences cannot be ignored.

I think that many blacks feel that they "own" civil rights and just see gays as a group of (mostly) white folks trying to co-opt their struggle. Part of the problem is that there are few blacks involved, and those that are tend to be very...white identified. Not all, but many. (As an aside it does not help when we have black gay activist like Jasmyne who dismiss gay rights causes and don't call blacks on their homophobia). Add in the church and the hegemonic masculinity of the black community (where, despite the absence of men from our homes we excuse any behavior from them), and you have a recipe for not only homophobia, but a deep offense and resentment of gays. We need to talk about that.

Gays see their issues as part of the same struggle, but their own rhetoric shows that they seriously misunderstand the deep scars of racism. They really don't get what the back of the bus is, what it really meant (and means) to people. Every time I tried to get them to understand that their comparisons made things worse they just ignored me. Add to this the sexual exploitation of black bodies by gays and the fact that many (not all or even a majority) of the black gay men who play in white gay circles have very negative opinions of black people (including black gay people) and their warped views of blacks are never challenged. For this reason, I do not socialize with white gay men-- I can't stomach them (or many of the black gay men they hang around). I have no hang ups on interracial dating, but it's not for me.

As you can see, this is a difficult thing. It cones from both sides, and we have to talk about this. This is why I loved Doug's essay. I think that as a gay community we are drifting further apart, and we have to come back together.

[outsider]

@Kayman

Do I know what I am talking about? Yes, my own personal experience and what I have seen and heard in my life. That is all I am basing my comments on. I feel no need to try to prove you wrong as I do not wholly disagree with you. Yes,racism goes both ways. However,in my experience, the situation is much more complicated than whites rejecting SGL's. I have experienced just as much rejection from str8 blacks than I have from whites. And the rejection from my own has been more hateful. That is just how things turned out for me. I am not really sure if you can speak on my experience. Just your own.

[Chitown Kev]

@Kevin Perez

diogenes1967@live.com