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By Akon Angara
The LGBTQ+ community has and continues to fight against centuries of oppression that restricts their sexuality, gender, and their identity in general. LGBTQ+ issues have been seen all over the world, and Pride has risen to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Whether this is through Pride marches or events, expressing your true identity, the LGBTQ+ have always advocated to fight for their rights. However, who has become the face of LGBTQ+ activism? Does this truly represent the uniqueness of the LGBTQ+ community? The community continues to leave queer BIPOC out of their activism, as well as being disrespectful to cultures that differ from theirs.
There are many examples of this such as: AAVE and certain mannerisms. A lot of AAVE that derives from African American culture and black women has been taken and turned into “slang”. The problem with this is the fact that they hardly acknowledge where these words come from. To take words that have been used within a culture for decades and to claim it as your own is completely wrong and is unfortunately the reality. Also, by intentionally mocking mannerisms from people such as black women, you are contributing to racism.
The LGBTQ+ community also tends to have racial preferences. Having a racial preference is racist, and should not be seen as a “preference”. Calling people from other races and ethnicities “undesirable,” is extremely offensive. There is also the issue of sexualisation. Many people end up sexualising those from other races, labeling them as “exotic,” and only using them for their body, which is also dehumanising and racist.
Another problem within the community is also the lack of intersectionality. Often, white LGBTQ+ voices are only amplified, and although they are important, they cannot speak for the entire community. By only amplifying white voices, we are ignoring the unique experiences that queer POC go through. We cannot call ourselves activists if we tolerate the lack of intersectionality and refuse to give others a voice. It is important that we amplify queer POC voices because they cannot always relate to issues that white LGBTQ+ communnity members face, and deserve to be heard. Being both queer and a BIPOC can be extremely tiring. It is important to understand how racism can play a part in preferences, activism, and cultural appropriation.
Pride month is one of the most important events in the LGBTQ+ community, and is used to celebrate how far we have come in terms of equality, as well as a time to celebrate our unique identities and show pride in who we are. It is important to make this important for EVERYONE in the LGBTQ+ community, even if it means taking a step back and thinking about how you have contributed to racism, or evaluating if your activism is intersectional.