Just as I pointed out in a recent post of how I'm single because of so many gay men following the rules of a certain culture. This can be seen as a continuation of that. It's sad to say, but my experiences not only with tricks, but even real relationships have always been more successful with men who are not American-born. There is a reason for this I'm sure, and I planned on using this series to explore how these behaviors have led to the typical American gay male's mindset to make him his own worst enemy. Today, hoping to conclude this series, I will deal with one of the biggest problems in the American gay community - racism.
As much as I am relieved by Barack Obama being elected President, I am well aware that racism in this country, and maybe even more so in the gay community hasn't gone anywhere. As brilliant as I believe Barack Obama to be, I'm sure the viewpoint of the overload of racist people in this country and the gay community contributed to Obama's win by knowing with the choices of Obama and McCain, they didn't have much of a choice. So with the country in dire straits, they overlooked race for once. Others took the stand of a cantankerous asshole I once heard at Will Clark's Porno Bingo folding his arms like Grumpy of "Snow White & The 7 Dwarfs" saying he wasn't voting because he "don't like any of 'em".
You would think that being that gays are oppressed just like other minorities that there would be enough of an understanding that racism within the gay community would not be one of the "-isms" I need to speak on. Yet here I am. It is constantly shown throughout gay media, be it magazine ads, movies, TV series, forms of erotica, etc, because as I said before, the gay media is a reflection of the ideals of the American gay community. And it shows by how this racism is disappointingly accepted by members of the American gay community.
It was only a matter of time before this became as widely talked about an issue as it has lately. With people annoyed by things like the untimely cancellation of shows featuring a more positive image of gay men of color because contrary to stereotypes are secure with their homosexuality like "Noah's Arc", instead of giving more hyped press to shows like "The DL Chronicles" displaying gay/bi men of color who are insecure, thereby acting more true to the stereotype. Or people's annoyance with websites and porn companies either featuring all White or light-complexioned men, and if they use men of color, it's for the sake of tokenism where while they use a variety of body types in Whites, all non-Whites are muscular. Or well-known American gay lifestyle magazines seldom using a non-White as a cover model or model in a fashion spread, and when they do (sadly once again) it's as a token model.
Let's be realistic. We live in the melting pot called, "America"! SHOW IT IN YOUR SO-CALLED ARTISTIC WORK!
Now before I proceed and this argument over my dislike of "The DL Chronicles" ensues again (as it did on my friend's Ka-os's blog) with the fact that I've never seen an episode, let me make one point clear. While "The DL Chronicles" may be a quality show (so I've been told) for showing a variety of ethnicities living "on the down low", the way it was marketed fed the bullshit racist belief of how men of color are so much the ones living life in that fashion. Because truth be told, who contributes more to escorts and male prostitutes? Men of color on the dl, or White men on the dl? Now close your mouth, since you can't give an intelligent reply to dispute that it's White men, and let me proceed.
The practices of racism from companies like the aforementioned companies and too many others in the gay media can't keep using the same type of White or light-complexions again and again without people becoming annoyed. Because with the variety of ethnicities we have in this country, people are going to become annoyed to a boiling point. And that boiling point is overflowing as we speak. And I couldn't be happier, because racism creates and ugly chain. It has lead to ethnic-Americans making companies that exclude Whites. This however leads to a "damned if you do, damned if you don't situation", because to some extent the exclusion of Whites by media companies featuring ethnics makes them part of the problem instead of being part of the solution, while on the other hand, if it wasn't for those ethnic-featuring companies, I and many other darker-complexioned men of color would not work in any form of gay media.
There is a price to pay for racism, and I'll use what it has done to the gay porn industry as an example of how it effects all gay media. Such as the fact that I have done a form of boycotting that a Porn Actor is thought to not be politically correct in not only just doing, but even worse to admitting to.
I have in the past said that I no longer buy American-made gay porn, because of the racism, and will continue to do so until the racism in the gay media is bettered to my satisfaction. So in retaliation, I download my porn from file hosting sites. YES, YOU READ CORRECT. I take what the pirates offer online. Because I feel that if my color, or ethnicity isn't good enough for your movies, then my money isn't good enough to go from my colored hands and into the pockets you wear to cover your bigoted White skin. And I feel every minority that feels shunned by the major studios should do the same. It is the one definite way that they'll wake up, and realize how great a contribution we make to their income. My stand is that if you make quality product, and sell it for a reasonable price, then I'll pay my hard earned money for it. Since the major studios showing me practically always the same type of ONLY White guys fucking in a country as rich in ethnic diversity as America is not putting out quality product, you guys are unfit to demand any money from my beautifully colored hands at all.
It was that lack of racism in Ben Marksman of Knight Stick Films that make me postpone leaving the adult industry, which I why after meeting, I agreed to become part of the cast of "ALL OUT ASSAULT".
It was a diverse cast that was a clear beginning in displaying the ethnic diversity that not only New York-based major studios have failed at showing, but Amercian-based major studios have failed at as well. So since I want you to get your money's worth and contribute to the growth of studios I find worthy of growth because of their lack of racism, I decided to take the stand that I will not be a part of a movie that you shouldn't pay for.
SO KNOW THIS - IF YOU SHOULD STEAL IT, I WON'T HAVE ANY PART OF IT.
While predominately White companies are the most known culprits, that doesn't mean that non-Whites are safe from my wrath against racism. Because they can be perpetrators as well. I know, because I worked for one, and I have often admitted that I was once myself racist against other Black men. So I am proof that YES a Black man, a Latino, an Indian, or any other minority can be just as much a racist as a White one. And if you believe otherwise, trying to give me that bullshit of how minorities don't have the power to be racist, then YOU NEED TO GET IT THE FUCK FIXED. Because you deserve the same punishment for your ignorance.
What is that punishment? I will just breifly remind you that KARMA'S A BITCH. For now, I'll justdo my part by whipping you with words of truth here.
These words of truth may very well get me blacklisted by the companies I used as examples, their supporters, and other media companies that practice the like. Because 1st and foremost, it clearly displays their guilt. But I could care less, because as they say, "the proof is in the pudding". I've never backed off from telling you a truth I've carefully observed in the past, so why should I start now. With this new year upon us, if anything, I should be more inlcined to be honest. Besides if I did, I'd be stroking their egos. Egos that because of their racist mentality should be obliterated rather than stroked. Along with those of the people who think this behavior coming from them is OK.
So be you Black, White, Latino, Indian, Asian, or whatever, know this - your racism makes you (as it did me at one time) a worthless existence to not just the gay community, but to humanity overall. And as long as that racism flows through your veins, and you use your money, power, or so-called art to express it, every breath you take is a waste. Knowing that in your heart of hearts, this is the point where you buy more drugs to run from that truth.
I have many hopes in starting this blog series. Hoping that the guilty parties companies will be shamed into doing better. Hoping that their supporters who lower their human-worth by purchasing their products will also be shamed into doing better. And by saying "do better", I mean that they'll see the beauty of all color and nationalities, and put aside preconceived notions when they meet someone of a different color or nationality. I myself am not a walking stereotype of a Black, a gay, or a bisexual man. So why wouldn't there be a plethora of others who live their lives with the same individuality?
So American gay males, earn the rights straight people have, but gays are fighting for by respecting each other and revelling in the beauty of our differences. Because right now, you don't deserve them. Minority groups have always had to do more work in proving themselves fit for the rights and privelges that the majority takes for granted. And the LGBT community as a minority group is no exception.
With that in mind, I hope this conclusion, will truly be the conclusion of this blog series. It is now 2009. Can we finally get it together?
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I completely agree that racism is a problem in the gay community, and that it exists on both sides, and yes, the gay media is white-dominated and skewed towards caucasians.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I don't see anything wrong with all-white movies, or all-black movies. Bel Ami, for example, is there primarily to celebrate a particular ethnic type - eastern European boys. Occasionally they've featured a non-white model, but people buy Bel Ami because they want Czech boys etc. The same is true of Flava or LatinoFanClub - black guys and Latino guys respectively. The consumers of those products aren't interested in seeing some racial quota. I watch CocoDorm to get off to sexy black guys. If I want to get off to cornfed all-American beef, I can watch Falcon.
Studios like Collin O'Neal and Kristen Bjorn are extremely ethnic diverse, so if I want a mixture of flavours I can check in with them.
My point is, I've no doubt the gay porn industry is rife with racism, but that racism manifests itself in other ways. There's nothing wrong with being exclusively white or exclusively black - it's what the consumer wants.
When you live in a country as ethnically diverse as America, there is something wrong with being exclusive. It's a clear sign of close-mindedness to what you are lucky enough to partake of. I have always saw living in America as fate granting one an incredible opportunity to associate with a variety. You can't get that anywhere else. And if we ALL don't embrace it, then what is our worth COLLECTIVELY?
ReplyDeleteNot a damn thing. Which is why I am disgusted by people who are into one race exculsively. They are boring existences who contribute to the problem of racism.
Artists who work for public viewing have the responsibility to convey that message of embracing all in their work. The problem is few do, and ethnic companies are more or less forced to follow in that vein, because of the bigotry of their White predecessors.
But Tre, isn't it a question of personal choice and taste? You and I chose to "associate with a variety" as you say because we're drawn to that, but not everyone is. You can't force people to be attracted to black, or white or anything else, anymore than you can force someone to like strawberry icecream or heavy metal music. People like what they like because they do, and porn largely caters to every different taste, to varying degrees.
ReplyDeleteYou speak about America being a melting pot that you can't get anywhere else. Hmm. That's not true for a start. I thought America was supposed to be about freedom of choice etc - it seems you're advocating taking away that choice and enforcing your own ideals.
If I seem to be forcing my own ideals, it's because I seem to be the only one who expresses the ideals that is propagated by American media, but is in diastrous contrast when it comes to reality.
ReplyDeleteI have always been someone who takes a stand and corrects the powers-that-be when they are misusing their power.And in this case, the porn industry rarely shows that variety that you and I (and any RESPECTABLE American) appreciate. Most studios show EXTREMELY White, or EXTREMELY ethnic. There's rarely that middle ground by showing variety, and that is what annoys me, because while America is founded on freedom of choice, it should not praise the freedom to make SO MANY choices that lead to ostracizing. Now you can have extemely White or Extremely ethnic, but in a country like America, VARIETY SHOULD BE SEEN AT A MUCH HIGHER PERECENTAGE THAN IT PRESENTLY IS.
Where is the representation of all of the ethnicities that make this country so great, being shown as the beautiful sexual beings that all ethnicities are?
ReplyDelete