Justin B. Terry-Smith has been involved in LGBTQ and HIV Activism since 1999. He is an Air Force 9/11 Disabled Vet. Raised in Silver Spring, MD, he now lives in Albuequerque, New Meixco with his husband Phil. He writes an HIV/STI Advice Column for A&U Magazine, is a Contributing writer for thebody.com, a Life Coach and an Adjunct Professor. He has earned his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease and his Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Justin's HIV Journal: Why is there a Black Gay Pride?
DC BLACK GAY PRIDE: Well it's been a long time. I've not been in about 5-6 years. Well it's about time I come back. I've missed a vital part of who I am and a community that needs me. I can't wait to enjoy the festivities, and if you have it leave the NEGATIVITY at the door. This weekend I want to make it fun and I want to enjoy the togetherness I feel with my Gay Black Brothers. Yes I belong to other communities (i.e. The Leather, HIV, Activism Communitys) but I feel I've neglected my responsibilities to this community. Let's be apart of the SOLUTION and not the PROBLEM. I'M PROUD TO BE A BLACK, GAY, MARRIED, FATHER, LEATHERMAN WHO HAPPENS TO KNOW HIS HIV STATUS!!!!
I was on Facebook and a friend I will call him MK said "so i only said what i said cause imagine the large uproar if people got together and decided to have a Gay White Pride..."
I added this video in my reply to him
This was my reply:
Do you realize that out of all the oppression, discrimination, and segregation that society has put on Black people that this is not surprising that there is Black Pride? Have you ever been to a Black Gay pride in DC before to see a difference at all in they way it's structured or even the difference in mindset at all? Also you can't really empathize with what Black Gay people have to go through being the minority of a minority or a minority? Stating the comment you just made one could ask why is there a Filipino pride? Why is there a Puerto Rican Pride Festival (NY) why is there a Jamaican pride festival (NY)? Simply put it's to celebrate culture. So why would Black culture assimilate into a culture that is different from there own when Pride is about celebrating your culture? If you had a White Pride do you also realize that that is the basis of organizations like Skinheads and/or Nazism, which was and is to oppress other people not like them at all? Black Pride does not exclude other races from to it's pride. And the reason why other cultures do come to Black Gay Pride is not because it's Black it's because it's a celebration of Black Gay Culture.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
