Addressing Homophobia in the Black Community

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The black community is all for uplifting each other. When there is a reason to celebrate, we will show out.

Someone’s gotten engaged? We’ll be there to celebrate. Someone’s having a baby?
We’ll be there to shower them with gifts. Someone’s graduating from preschool? We’re shutting the block down to celebrate. So why is it that community support seems to disappear when it comes to homosexuality in the black community?

Could it be rooted in Christianity? Perhaps. Is it the fear of the unknown?
Possibly. Let’s take a deep dive into two reasons given for homophobia in the black community.

Religion

For one reason or another, homosexuality is preached against in the black church far more than other sins. From a young age, it is ingrained in young black men’s mind that they WILL date/marry a female and vice versa. However, who is deciding which sins are “acceptable” or not? Sins such as procrastination, complacency and gluttony are not often preached against and, in some cases, are tremendously prevalent in the black church. Now, the question, remains; Why is homosexuality this grand, unforgivable sin? The answer to this is more complex, seeing as the mindset has been passed on decades. Rather than answering the question, I elect to ask another question.

If God hated gays, like the church assumes he does, why would he create them? Since we are on the topic of the church, I will conclude this section with a bible verse. “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destory. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” John 7:24.

Hip Hop

Imagine this. You grow up in Atlanta as a young black man. As a teen, you sell drugs to make a living. In the midst of selling drugs, you find yourself facing a murder charge for an accidental shooting. You beat the case and continue selling drugs. Using this drug money you pay for studio time. After a year of making music you blow up. Drake even chooses to hop on one of your songs! Following your musical success, you decide to come out of the closet as gay.

Suddenly you’re met with strange looks. People who previously were eager to work with you elect to go in a different direction. Your street cred is seemingly shot. Your music career never recovers. For some, this is a nightmare. For Atlanta rapper/singer, ILOVEMAKONNEN, this was reality. Homophobia has long been embedded in hip hop. Young listeners grow up hearing lines such as “I cannot vibe with queers” from Offset of The Migos. This could all stem from the hypermasculinity present and praised in the hip hop world.

Rappers in today’s climate refrain from publicizing their homophobic views, due to cancel culture. Nonetheless, seeing an artist who has openly used homophobic slurs in the past seems to be becoming a common thing. Are rappers suppressing their feelings in order to capitalize off of hype or are rappers changing their views alongside the changing landscape of the world? The answer is still unknown, but the changes that are taking place seem to be a welcome starting point.

Whether homophobia in the black community is dwindling or thriving remains to be seen. What we know, however, is that everyone deserves to live their truth, so long as it causes no harm to anyone else. With the world’s climate steadily accepting the LGBT+ community more each day, the identity crisis’ caused by the homophobia in the black community should see a corresponding decline. We cannot singlehandedly force a change to occur, but we can all play our role in making it happen.

-Sojourner Freeman