It was a point I hadn't considered.
But just before the Nov. 4 election, a black friend told me his theory: The attitude toward homosexuality and gay marriage won't change dramatically in the African American community until someone comes out of the closet and makes it more socially acceptable.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Thursday, November 13, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 46 words Type of Material: Correction
Proposition 8: The Steve Lopez column in Wednesday's California section about Proposition 8 and black supporters said in part, "It's the black support that seems to have surprised and upset Proposition 8 supporters the most." The passage should have referred to Proposition 8 opponents, not supporters.
"There's no Elton John or David Geffen in the black community," said my friend, an AIDS-prevention activist.
I suspected this had to be wrong, so I began racking my brain to come up with such a person.
Well, there's . . .
Hmmmmmm.
Outside of RuPaul, I was stumped. Rumors and speculation throw a couple of names on the table, but no one of the stature of John, Geffen or Ellen DeGeneres is front and center.
Does that mean there are no prominent African Americans who happen to be gay?
"I think in the black community we have a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, where everybody knows there are gay folks, but if it's not said, it's easier," said state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, who along with dozens of other legislators, opposed Proposition 8 and is now supporting legal challenges to the measure.
Proposition 8 narrowly succeeded, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. The Yes on 8 campaign got huge support from white voters and religious institutions, including the Mormon and Catholic churches. But the overwhelming African American turnout for Barack Obama also helped Proposition 8, which was supported by a large majority of black voters, as well as Latinos.
It's the black support that seems to have surprised and upset Proposition 8 supporters the most. Blacks are such a reliable liberal vote, a lot of Californians just assumed they were simpatico. I've had gay white friends ask me how blacks, of all people, could help beat back what many people saw as a clear civil rights struggle.
Jasmyne A. Cannick, a black lesbian, had an answer Saturday in a provocative opinion piece in The Times. The black community has more important matters to tackle than gay marriage, she argued, saying the clumsy No on 8 strategists failed to understand the link between Christianity and civil rights and were clueless in taking support for granted.
I thought Cannick scored a few smart points but failed to call bigots and hypocritical ministers to account.
I don't care who does it -- white, black or brown -- but someone needs to tell ministers and all true believers that their literal interpretation of the Bible is dividing people, driving gays underground and killing them.
