*shakes head* ... when seeing past race isn't really productive.

this is MAD old, but it reflects shit that bothers me on the daily.

Julie Goldman of The Big Gay Sketch Show, which airs on Logo, MTVs gay channel. May 17, 2007 episode of She Said What?



one the of the COMMON problems that most gay white people have is not being able to express themselves in SOME venues of MAINSTREAM society. this makes them feel like they have minority status. assuming the status of a minority, they feel they have license - often not even thinkin about it, because that's what being white is all about- to say dumb shit, like "i believe in personal expression," no matter the cost. because "Im not offend and I'm gay, so why would someone (insert race) be offended? were all in this together."

i think creating hierarchies of oppression tends to confuse the problem and minimize the relevance of personal experience. but equating race with sexuality -although both race and sexuality's respective inceptions are linked to the same thinkers- is pointless. one cant just look at race or class or gender or sexuality, but who each interact.

however, my experience has lead me understand that my following stats operate in such a way. first and foremost, race followed by class, gender and lastly sexuality.

maybe the problem with the Goldmans of the world is they don't recognize race as a primary vehicle for the privilege they experience, and sexuality and gender are primary to their identity. being gay has never been a big part of who i am, other than being called faggot and bitch and all the other shit- which was mainly attributed to my gender bending characteristics since birth- i don't feel like i am particularly OPPRESSED. i feel like i have to deal with a lot more bullshit than men who don't have sex with men, but all in all, i think the privilege/lack of privilege i experience from my race/class/gender has much more influence in my life.

some people say i am way too racialized. but being a gay man who is aware of my race and the privilege/lack of privilege i experience, it's really hard not to. we are a society divided by race, but in the gay community i think that tension is exacerbated by so many factors. I don't identify with the majority of white gay men, and hardly if at all, relate.

we are who we are because of experience, and i think my experience is valid.

i have a few gay friends that are white, and they are pretty amazing. they grew up in the bay (specifically the east bay), new york, and philly. their politics are spot on, and they recognize how their whiteness trumps their gayness. i don't feel like i am on the defense with them -a feeling unfamiliar here, where the realms of dominant white gay culture are thrust upon me like speeding bus.

regardless of race, i tend to gravitate toward people who understand multiple aspects of themselves, and acknowledge all the communities that they identify with. and i will be the first to say, a lot of people, regardless of race, have shitty politics, its not just white people.

however, i assume when i meet a white gay man, republican or democrat, their politics are going to suck. economically, socially, culturally....garbage. people have told me that its a bad way to look at things, and i should see past race, however, 9 out of 10 times when meeting a white gay man, i am left feeling disgusted, so I'm gonna save myself the trouble.

half the people who read this are might think I'm racist, and the other half will agree. i dunno, what do you think?