The first intersection we will look at is the intersection of LGBTQ identity and race. The modern LGBTQ rights movement has mainly focused on things such as the right to marry and the right to serve in the military, two issues that are not deeply important to many non-white members of the LGBTQ community. Members of this community instead care about having to deal “with racism within LGBTQ groups and heterosexism within their own ethnic communities” (Knauf), among other things. One queer person of color, Darius, stated that “there’s a definite lack of representation, so it can kind of feels like you’re lost when there’s literally no one who looks like you or when you feel like you have to speak up on every issue because there’s no one else but you to talk about it” (Knauf). This has become indicative of the LGBTQ community where those given the microphone and the ability to speak out have been historically white men and women. Later in their interview, Darius called for more resources for queer people of color because most spaces are dominated by queer white people and due to this, people of color’s issues get overlooked.

The aforementioned issues, while mostly community-based, become bigger barriers when the number of systematic and policy issues are brought to light. For instance, LGBTQ people of color are shown to have higher rates of discrimination and violence brought against them. This applies inside and outside of the workplace, leading to “increased rates of unemployment, increased negative interaction with law enforcement, and racism from within the LGBT community” (Harris and Anderson). However, the LGBTQ community has not fought for non-discrimination orders or training for law enforcement or members of their own community, because it is not something that affects white LGBTQ individuals at increased rates. Recent numbers show that “15 percent of African American LGBT adults are unemployed, as are 14 percent of Latinx LGBT adults and 11 percent of API LGBT adults—compared to 8 percent unemployment for the general population” (Funders for LGBTQ Issues).

The last issue that I will focus on that affects LGBTQ individuals of color that is being almost widely ignored by the LGBTQ equality movement is HIV/AIDS. During the 1970-late 1990s, HIV/AIDS was a major crisis that the whole LGBTQ community rallied against, but then infections among white men started to die down and new drugs were given to those who could afford it. In recent years, PrEP has become available but is a costly drug that most insurances do not cover. However, the disease is still rampant in the LGBTQ community of color with a majority of new infections coming from gay men of color. As of 2014, 39% of black men and 24% of Latino men accounted for all HIV diagnoses. (Funders for LGBTQ Issues). Even with this increased number of infections and diseases, the LGBTQ community does little to nothing to combat the disease instead believing it is almost non-existent due to the lack of massive infections among white LGBTQ individuals. (Giwa and Greensmith).

These are just a few of the issues that face LGBTQ individuals of color and how they are being ignored by the mainstream LGBTQ equality movement.

 

Work Cited:

Giwa, Sulaimon, and Cameron Greensmith. “Race Relations and Racism in the LGBTQ Community of Toronto: Perceptions of Gay and Queer Social Service Providers of Color.” Journal of Homosexuality, vol. 59, no. 2, 2012, pp. 149–185., doi:10.1080/00918369.2012.648877.

Harris, Angelique and Katherine Anderson. 2016. Issues in LGBT Communities in the United States: Post Marriage. Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University’s Center for Gender and Sexualities Studies.

Knauf, Ana Sofia. “Eight People of Color Discuss the Challenges of Navigating Queer Spaces.” The Stranger, The Stranger, 10 Aug. 2016, www.thestranger.com/slog/2016/08/10/24444698/eight-people-of-color-discuss-the-challenges-of-navigating-queer-spaces.

“People of Color.” Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, 2017, www.lgbtfunders.org/resources/issues/people-of-color/.