Racial Discrimination Within the Gay Community
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION WITHIN THE GAY COMMUNITY
Student Name
Western International University
ETH 123 Cultural Diversity
Professor
October 16, 2006
My community is the most diverse of all. I am speaking of the gay community. Our community consists of people from every race, every religion, every gender, and every economic sector. We claim to be all-inclusive, embracing everyone despite our differences and celebrate our diversity with pride very openly. The issue of gay civil rights came to national attention on June 27, 1969. On that evening, police raided a small gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village called The Stonewall Inn, which sparked three days of rioting. The event is considered the single most important event that led to the modern movement for gay civil rights. The gay community’s perseverance has led to gay pride celebrations being held across the country. San Francisco is the considered the birthplace of pride celebrations, as a “gay-in” was held on June 27, 1970, to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Current pride celebrations often include themes such as inclusion and diversity, demonstrating the gay community’s beliefs that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of any differences. However, as Buchanan (2005) stated, “We claim to be the most maligned group in society, but when it comes to discrimination, some say that gays can give as good as we get” (Gays at receiving end of bias claim). The issue of racial discrimination in the gay community came to light when the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC) issued their report on April 26, 2005 after an investigation of alleged discrimination at a popular bar in the Castro. The investigation was initiated by a group of citizens that claim the bar, SFBadlands, was practicing discriminatory acts in employment and patronage. I frequent the bar in question regularly and am personally acquainted with an African American who works there as a bartender.
Student Name
Western International University
ETH 123 Cultural Diversity
Professor
October 16, 2006
My community is the most diverse of all. I am speaking of the gay community. Our community consists of people from every race, every religion, every gender, and every economic sector. We claim to be all-inclusive, embracing everyone despite our differences and celebrate our diversity with pride very openly. The issue of gay civil rights came to national attention on June 27, 1969. On that evening, police raided a small gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village called The Stonewall Inn, which sparked three days of rioting. The event is considered the single most important event that led to the modern movement for gay civil rights. The gay community’s perseverance has led to gay pride celebrations being held across the country. San Francisco is the considered the birthplace of pride celebrations, as a “gay-in” was held on June 27, 1970, to commemorate the one year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Current pride celebrations often include themes such as inclusion and diversity, demonstrating the gay community’s beliefs that everyone should be treated equally, regardless of any differences. However, as Buchanan (2005) stated, “We claim to be the most maligned group in society, but when it comes to discrimination, some say that gays can give as good as we get” (Gays at receiving end of bias claim). The issue of racial discrimination in the gay community came to light when the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC) issued their report on April 26, 2005 after an investigation of alleged discrimination at a popular bar in the Castro. The investigation was initiated by a group of citizens that claim the bar, SFBadlands, was practicing discriminatory acts in employment and patronage. I frequent the bar in question regularly and am personally acquainted with an African American who works there as a bartender.
References: Bajko, M. (January 19, 2006). Badlands mediation reached. Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2006 from http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=524 Buchanan, W. (June 26, 2005). Gays at receiving end of bias claim. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 3, 2006 from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi/bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/06/26/MNG27DF8I21.DTL&hw=badlands&sn=001&sc=1000 Dignan, J. (March 10, 2005). Racism Charges Among Castro Merchants. San Francisco Bay Times. Retrieved October 7, 2006 from http://sf.indymedia.org/1712183 Directors Findings, San Francisco Human Rights Commission (April 26, 2005). Derek Turner, Michael Wyllis et al. v. SF Badlands Retrieved October 1, 2006 from www.sflnc.com/binary.php/528/Badlands%20Finding%20.pdf Gomez, J. (1997). Race: the growing chasm – discrimination among homosexuals. The Advocate. Retrieved October 7, 2006 from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_n744/ai_20078754 Hernandez, D. (2004) Gaily every after: is gay marriage the new civil rights struggle or has it co-opted a legacy? Colorlines Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2006 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KAY/is_3_7/ai_n6174200 VanDeCarr, P. (June 7, 2005) Rejecting our own: reported racial profiling by a San Francisco bar illustrates the persistence of an old problem. The Advocate. Retrieved October 1, 2006 from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2005_June_7/ai_n14839536