by Tara Sharelle Watson

Created on: February 23, 2011

As a passionate advocate for both gay and race-related civil rights, it is believed that the two issues are most definitely parallel. To begin with, it needs to be asserted that being gay is not a ‘lifestyle’ as many of this sides opponents will be employing as their argument. Homosexuality isn’t a choice, faze or alternative. It is how someone is born, just like being born African-American. The parallels between the two struggles for equality are endless. For the purpose of this debate the four deemed most clearly to demonstrate this hypothesis shall be highlighted as follows:

EMOTIONAL ABUSE

During the racial oppression of African-Americans, frequent derogatory terms used to fuel the oppression included n*gger or boy. Similiarly, gay slurs are commonly targeted against homosexuals such as f*ggot, queer or poofter. These labels are used not only to emotionally offend the victims, but also reinforced their presumed inferiority.

PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

Lynchings of African-Americans was commonplace in the south up until the 1960s, along with incessant beatings, rapings and general violence as a consequence of prejudice. Like that of their African-American counterparts, physical abuse of homosexuals is immense. Whilst not as public and bloody as the lynchings of the Civil Rights era, this abuse is the lesser known violence occurring in institutions such as high school and college.  When discussing the extreme violence of the African-American struggle, the horrendous story of Emmett Till is often relayed. This story of the 14 year old that was brutally murdered is heartbreaking. Incidentally, when thinking of oppression due to same-sex relations, a similiar tragic figure comes to mind. Brandon Teena.  Brandon was transgender and subsequently raped and murdered for it. Both acts of senseless destruction due to hate and intolerance.

 MARRIAGE RESTRICTIONS

As it is widely known, same-sex marriage is severely restrained in the US. Marriage between the same gender is not recognised as a legitimate marital union. To be wed you must be a man and women. African-Americans also suffered similar limitations, with interracial marriage prohibited in some areas of the south in the past. The aim of this was to prevent miscegenation, as it was becoming common thought that it was wrong and degrading to mix races. Hence, this demonstrates another parallel in the two issues: the struggle for the right to be structurally acknowledged as a marital union.

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