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Loading ...DC gay marriage debate moves issue to black community
05.21.2009 11:25am EDT
(Washington) In the District of Columbia, where African-Americans are the majority and black congregations dominate, the recent vote to recognize same-sex marriages may signal the gay rights movement is making inroads among groups traditionally opposed to it.
With this month’s vote, Washington became the first place in the U.S. with a majority of black residents to take up the issue. Congress still has the final say over the district’s laws, but gay rights activists now have reason to believe that strong opposition is gradually giving way to more acceptance, despite a forceful outcry by some black churches.The issue is particularly complex in D.C., where nearly 60 percent of the residents are African-American. Of the five states that allow gay marriage – Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont – none has such a large makeup of blacks.
Activist Donna Payne knows just how complex the issue is for the black community.
A black preacher once told her she would be accepted into his church under one condition – that she didn’t tell anyone she was a lesbian. Payne said keeping quiet wasn’t possible.
“That’s the conundrum in the African-American community,” Payne said. “They don’t want to talk about it, but they know you’re there.”
The influence of black churches was evident as the D.C. Council debated whether to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. As more than 100 mostly black protesters gathered outside city hall, council member Marion Barry, a longtime supporter of gay rights, rejected the measure and sided with ministers who he said “stand on the moral compass of God.”
But Yvette Alexander, who also represents a majority-black ward, gave her support and accused some ministers of doubting her faith.
“They have questioned my Christianity. They have questioned my morality,” she said. Then, addressing the pastors, Alexander said: “Everyone is equal under God, and there are a lot in the gay community that are at your very churches, in your congregations.”
Although black churches tend to be socially progressive and have a history of fighting for equal rights, most are theologically conservative, believing that scripture condemns homosexuality, said Anthony B. Pinn, a professor of religious studies at Rice University.
They also view gay marriage as a threat to the traditional black family, which is struggling with high divorce and low marriage rates, he said.
“From their perspective, anything that runs contradictory to that understanding of the nuclear family poses a threat,” Pinn said.
It was amid this backdrop that Barry, who served four terms as mayor, declared “we may have a civil war” after the vote. He was the only council member out of 13 to oppose the measure.
Barry wasn’t the only one using such strong rhetoric.
“I am convinced that this is going to be the Armageddon of the marriage debate,” said Harry Jackson, a black bishop who has organized rallies opposing gay marriage and has been a national voice for conservative Christians on the issue.
Jackson, who lives in Washington and leads a church in Beltsville, Md., said he plans to lead a multiracial group of pastors from around the country to Capitol Hill this week to urge lawmakers to intervene in D.C.’s decision.
Congress has until July to review the measure. If it takes no action, the legislation becomes law automatically and could be a step toward allowing gay marriages to be performed in Washington – an effort the D.C. Council intends to take on later this year.
Despite Barry and Jackson’s claims, there’s evidence the city isn’t as split on gay marriage as some suggest. Of the 12 council members who voted in favor of the gay-marriage bill, six are black.
A group of Democrats in the primarily black ward that Barry represents voted 21 to 11 to support same-sex marriage legislation over the weekend. And Washington has a history of supporting gay rights; the city passed a law in 1992 recognizing domestic partnerships.
Local gay advocates have accused critics of framing the debate as one led by rich, white gay men forcing the issue on working class black residents.
“They’re trying to whip up hysteria and use race and class issues to divide the city,” said Michael Crawford, who is black and chairs the advocacy group D.C. for Marriage.
Meanwhile, a multiracial group of gay and straight D.C. pastors are drafting a letter in support of gay marriage and urging respectful dialogue. Other gay advocates are distributing pamphlets and holding discussions to educate people on why they think it’s important that gays have the same protections as straight, married couples.
It’s difficult to know how the issue would fare today in Washington if put to a popular vote – as opponents would like. A 2006 poll of likely D.C. voters found most would oppose an initiative defining marriage as between a man and woman. White residents were most strongly against such an initiative, but 49 percent of blacks were for it.
For Shaun Allende, 27, a D.C. resident who will be at the city’s annual Black Pride event this weekend, marriage has little do with the wedding ceremony.
“It’s about the rights and privileges that people who fall in love and make that commitment are garnered when they are married,” said Allende, who is black and Hispanic.
Thanks for posting. Especially with OBAMA still defending his black homophobia… it must be such because even as an intelligent, constitutional lawyer he cannot see Marriage Equality as a CIVIL Right.
Wait a minute, Barry initially voted yes and later in the day changed his mind. Why they let him change his vote I don’t know but I think he should have not been allowed to do so.
Maybe the “bitch” made him do it, oh, wait that only happens when he is smoking crack.
It also irks me to no end that the book that was used to try to maintain slavery (make slaves of people from other nations) is used against us in the same fassion.
What is the deal? w/ the black thing I mean? OK everytime this issue comes up I am stuck in the middle b/c I just happen to be black and a lesbian. Why is it that my people get stones thrown at them everytime something happens? Black people get called all kinds of derogatory names by the LGBT community and vice versa so I am stuck in the middle w/o a place to call home. Now we do the same thing to further the discrimination that happened w/ the passing of Prop 8. Hello does anyone not know that a lot of minorities in this country are religious. The majority of the people who vote on these measures are religious. In which 51% of all votes were from the religious right not the African community. 70% of all African Americans who did vote were for the bill to be passed. So that means that 30% of African Americans against the bill but yet we get ostracized and discriminated against still. We can preach the bible all we want and cast stones at people but everyone knows the outcome of the vote before it will even pass. Yes D.C. is very liberal but 98% of the population is African American and if the majority of African Americans as you say are homophobic then it does not take a rocket scientist to figure it out. We have D.C. pride and refuge for LGBT people. But outside of our rainbow world lies reality people. In my opinion asking for this bill to be passed in D.C. will be like asking Georgia to pass this same-sex marriage bill because Atlanta is where LGBT people call home. I know it is sad but it simply the truth. We don’t have to deal w/ it but at least take in consideration the position you put people in. It will be a huge step if this bill passes and I will be extremely happy knowing that times have change. If the bill does not pass then my thoughts will remain the same and I will just have to look forward and hope for the best. Now to the Barack Obama thing okay I am so tired of people thinking he defends ignorance. If that was the case why in the world would the majority of the nation vote for him. He said several times and you can look up his speeches and twist it as many times as you please. But the fact remains the same he is not for homophobia or any discrimination because it is simply inhumane. Yes Barack Obama is for civil unions and so are the majority of politicians that you vote for and love so much. But the reason why he was against Prop. 8 because it is wrong to deny rights that has been giving to people. Please do not justify or blame this on our president. Barack Obama said it is time for change and change will indeed come. Just because one may think a certain way does not mean everyone feels the same. That what makes America so beautiful and wonderful. We are all different and should embrace it but yet we cast stones at one another.
I used to be all out for supporting Obama. I’m starting to see the true president of our country as a homophobic bigot. I really have trouble giving up my support of Obama, but it’s time to make good on the promises he made before becoming president. I’m done with Obama now.
“They also view gay marriage as a threat to the traditional black family, which is struggling with high divorce and low marriage rates…” I am a gay black woman and as far as i know and have seen, this has always been the case even before same sex relationships had any legal recognition. I dont see how us wanting rights and recognition will effect their relationships in any way.
Least we forget that once upon a time it was illegal for black people to even get married.
Does anyone care about the facts anymore and hold people accountable for their actions but yet we are still throwing stones at people? My first post put it plain and simple but no one wants to hear the truth just the sound of their own voice and that is truly sad. Disappointed.
Uh, people, what does this news story have to do with Obama ? Please leave the Obama-bashing (and related defending) to news stories about his actions for or against the LGBT community.
Thanks in advance.
If they want a crack head felon speaking for them , its ok with me . marion Barry is a pig and most black churches are 30 years behind the times , that is why the HIV rate among bkack men is so high, and it created the DL mindset , Very Dangerous to the family .
Dont we all remember the stroy of marion barry – let me refresh your memory – the crack whore was caught with a prostitute buying drugs in a hotel room!! And that was when he was the mayor!! Are african americans so desperate that they would let a felon lead them? Oh i forgot that one in every three black men is a felon – they should feel right at home!
I would like to hear from some gay black men. I would also like the issue of being ‘on the down low’ and what that means about homophobia in the black community.
Well, Well, Well, looks like us evil straight people aren’t the only ones capable of being “Ignorant, racist jackasses”. We can hand the title over to you people!
Brian,
I don’t know any straight guys who even know that this site exists. What are you doing cruising here? Yes, I do know hundreds of straight guys, I’ve even known some of them in a biblical sense.
Brian, you’re the only one here who has called heterosexuals “evil straight people.” I’ve always believed people should be treated equally and should have equal rights whether they are gay, straight, or bisexual. In my experience, nearly every gay person thinks so too. Wherever you got the idea of “evil straight people,” it wasn’t from any gay person I know.
I found this article to be misleading on many fronts. Among other things, it quotes a professor describing black churches in a general way but provides no empirical information on the black churches that are relevant here: those in DC. This is a famously progressive, majority black district.
It seems the AP author didn’t know about or chose not to mention a recent DC survey, which found that a large majority of African Americans in DC supported either civil unions or same-sex marriage. If I recall correctly, the largest group favored marriage.
As an aside, it seems odd that they quoted a professor at Rice University, a conservative, largely white, expensive private university in Texas. He may not have been the best person to comment on African American churches in DC. He tended to lump all of these churches together, when actually they represent two large, divergent traditions. These might be called the social justice tradition and the prosperity tradition. Dr. Pinn talked as if the two groups were one and the same.
hmmmm…. difficult why do african americans oppose gay marriage when they had to fight to get the right to marry doesnt make sense to me i think they need to look back upon their history plus to April actually about 16 percent or less of African Americans voted no on prop 8 the rest were undecided and the majority as you stated voted yes so i think i proved my point :]