University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI The ommittC ee to Eliminate Heterosexism and Gender and Sexuality Center Homophobia
1991 The nI tersectionality of Homophobia
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Recommended Citation "The nI tersectionality of Homophobia" (1991). The Committee to Eliminate Heterosexism and Homophobia. Paper 181. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cmte-eliminate/181https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/cmte-eliminate/181
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Gender and Sexuality Center at DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in The ommittC ee to Eliminate Heterosexism and Homophobia by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Taking Action Steps poli_ticallycorrect answer prepared ahead of time Written by Althea Smith and Cooper Thompson. -~ a healthy cunosity will lead us to new insights Thanks to all thepeople-knownand unknown to The Connections 1. ~se intrarulturaiand intercuituraigroups about ourselves and others. us_- who have thought about, talked about, and to increase our knowiedge and experience. written about the connections between oppres We can meet with members ot our own cuiturai 5. Read s10ns. Between gro~pas well as ~embers of otherculturai groups This ts a begmning list ot the bookS about the to ~1scuss any of our oppressions. For example, connections between oppr~1ons; we encourage Homophobia wh1tegay.menc?uldbenefitfromtheopportunity you to use your own good thinking to make the Produced by the Campaign to End HomophObia, to ml'et with racially diverse groups on gay issues conncchons as you read other materiais. a network of peopie working to end homophobia and a group of diverse white peopie on racial and heterosexism through education. We believe and the other 1ssu~. Or a group of lesbian, gay, and bisexual Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism, Suzanne that education about homophobia and propietromdiverseciassbackgroundscould meet Pharr. Inverness, CA: Chardon Press, 1988. heterosexism 1smost effective when done m con "Isms" m same and mixed ciass groupings to discuss lconnections between homophobia and sexism) nect10n with other oppressions, and realize that 1Ssuestacmgpoorlesbian,gay,andbisexua1peop1e. other forms ot oppression are always present in The Dominated Man , Albert Memm1. Boston, our work. Therefore, m thecontextotourwork to '1t is virtually impossible to v1ew 2. Join organizations committed to ending MA: 1968. (connectionsbetweenraosm,ciassism, end homophobia and heterosex1sm, we are com one oppression in isolation be other oppressions. sexism, colonialism, and anti-semitism) mitted to recognizing and expionng alternatives cause all oppressions are con We.canseekandbuildcoalitionswithothergroups tooppress10n based on race/ ethnicity, phys1caior nected. They are linked by a which are culturally different from our own. For Sister Outsider, Audre Lourde. Freed.om, CA: mental ability, class, age, sex, and religious or common ongm -- economic e:-ramp1e,a chapter of Queer Nation rrught jom a The Crossmg Press, 1984 konnechons between spiritual beliefs. powerandcontro1-andbycom cha_Pter of the NAACP as a way to support anti homophobia, racism, sexism, and class1sm) mon methods of limiting, con raosm work and expiore ways to deveiop new Membership m the Campaign 1s open to any trol1ing, and destroymg lives. support for anti-homophobia work. 1naddftion to A Cgrtam Terror, Richard Cleaver, ed. 1987. mdividua1 o_rorganization which supports our There ts no hierarchy of oppres adding resources for both groups' work, they Available from the American Friends Service goals. Members receive reduced fees on educa sions. Eacn 1s terrible and de might find that political issues such as domestic CommJttee, 1414Hi11Strect,AnnArbor,MI 48104 tional materials, conferences, and other programs; stntctive. To elim.mate one op partnership legislation and documentahon of hate (connections between homopnobia and milita an opportunity to be listed with the Homophobia pression successtully, a move cnmes could be 1n both ot their interest. rism} Educators Referral Service; a subscnphon to menthas to mciudework toeJimt Empathy, a journal for persons working to end nate them all or success will be 3. De~eiop collaborative projects aaoss op This Bridge Called My Back: writings by radicai oppression based on sexuai orientation; and the aiways be limited and incom pressions. wompn of color, Cherne Moraga and Gloria satlsfact:ion of supporting this important work. plete." (Suzanne Pharr, Within achv1storganizations to which we t>eiong, Anzaldua,eds. New York: KitchenTable:Women FormformationabouttheCampaign,orforcop1es Homophobia: A WeaponofSex we can propose and deveiop proJects mcollabora of Coior Press, 1981 (connections oetween of_this pamphlet, wnte us at PO Box 819, Cam !fil!!) tion with other groups working on different op homophobia, racism, sexism, and ciass1sm) bndge, MA 02139, or call us at 617-868-8280. pressions .. For example, a white iesbian group For iesbian, gay,and bisexual peopie-Whoare aiso mterested m deve1opmg day care options m the The Coloruzer and theColon1zed Albert Memm1. lndividuais and Orgaruzations may repnnt and white, or middle ciass, or Chnsban, orable-bod- community might find allies among groups ot Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1965. (impacts of distribute this pamphlet only with written per 1ed, homophobia canoe all consurrung. At the poor and working ciass men and women. colon1alism on the co1oruzect and the colonizer) m1ss1ontrom the Campaign to End Homophobia same hme, the expenenceofbemga member of an and a contribution of $5 from individualsand $10 oppressor group can evoke guilt and feel paraiyz from organizahons. 4. Ask questions of and talk with others Killers of the Dream, Lillian Smith. New York: mg. It is tempting to m1mm1ze racism, Class1sm, or other toTil\Sof oppression and ignore privilege. about the possible connections between Norton, 1978. (impactotrac1sm on white people) oppressions. Talking Back, bell hooks. Boston,MA: South End The task tor all ot us -- regardless of our member In ~ial, work, spirituai, orpoliticai settings, we Press, 1989. (connechons between homophobia, ship m oppressed and oppressor groups - 1s to can share our expenences with oppression and racism, sexism, and c1ass1sm) © copyright 1991 the Campaign to End make the connections between the "isms." This ask others about theirs. We don't need to have a Homophobia pamphlet offers some guidance m- making_ the connections. 4. Focus on the impact which a particuiar ~at one opI:'re~ion has a ionger and deeper Some guidelines for exploring oppression has on you. history may tue1 our sense of futility about ever 4. "If we also work on that oppression, we will be We Otten think only abOut the negative impact of bemg able to change that oppression. stigmahzed by our contact with that other group; the connections oppress10n on members of the oppressed group. our constltuents will question our commitment But each "ism" aiso has a negative impact on An alternative is to ieam about the ways in and integnty to ending their oppression!',. Fre members of the oppressor group. If we tocus on quently, activists for one oppression fear that their Commg to terms with allot one's cuitural ident:i• which one oppression has been successfully all the ways m which oppression affects all of us, work will be compromised if they add another ties -particularly thosem the oppressor category challenged In the past and then use that -can be scary aswcllasexciting. As you begm the we are likeiy to t,nng more energy and commit oppression to their agenda: womcn'snghtsgroups Journey ot explonng the connections between ment to the challenge ot ending oppression. learning to challenge another oppression in have balked atembracmg homophobia, outo_ffear oppressions, you may want to keep the following the present Shldying the history of slave that they would lose support from women who mmmd: revolts may iead us to discover new ways of didn't want to be associated with iesbians; gay Some traps to be aware of as we building pride and unity among iesbian, nghts organizations have had their commitment i. Allow for the possibility that the "isms" gay, and bisexuai people; reading about to gay nghts qu<.,st1onedwhen they have spoken are related. make the connections between the white abolitionists may neip us discover out about the impact of racism, ageism, sexiSm,or If we allow for the possibility, then we stay in a "isms" ways to mvoive heterosexuais in ending anh-semitism. lcarmngmOdeabout the ways in which the "isms" homophobia. are connected. But if we try to argue whether or i. "My oppress10n 1s more severe than your An alternative Is to focus on the ways in not there 1s a connection, and only defend our old oppression; we've suffered more than you have!" 3. "My experience with this oppression is unique; which all of us are negativeiy affected by the position, then we may well shut off our 1eammg. Arguments over which 1s worse - oemg poor or there 1s no companson to your expenence with oppression directed at a particuiar group. If bemg gay- are generally hopeiess and likeiy to thatoppress1on." Believmgthatothersareunable there is a incident in the neighborhood in 2. Use the knowledge you have about one provoke feelingsot guilt and pity ("I guess I don't to understand our particuiar expenence, simply voivinganti-semitic graffitti, we might con form of oppression to increase your under~ really have it so bad") or hurt and anger over t>eeause their identity as members of oppressed sider how lesbian, gay, and bisexual people standing about other forms of oppression. havmg one's experience discounted ("What do and oppressor groups 1sdifferent from ours, will could benefit from protecting the commu• While it is true that a White person can not expe you mean I;m overreacting?"). Judging others make it difficult for us to find the allies we need. nity from such behavior. nence what it's like to bea Black person,a woman expenence as worse or better will keep us trom ieaming about ourseives and others. An alternative Is to consider similarities as can use her understanding of sexism to begin to 5. "If I work on thatoppress10n, it will takeaway understand the personal impact of racism. Sim1- well as differences as a way to begm build energy trom working on this oppression!" Some iarly, a white lesbian might use her knowiedge ot An alternative is to notice the similarities In ing bridges between groups. The similariw times it seems as if there is precious little energy racism to deepen her understanding of her own peopies' experiences with oppression and ties inciude the ways m whim people of and resources to devote to "our" cause, let alone homophobia. learn from one another across oppressions. color, women, poor and working ciass others' causes. But if we oniy focus on the elim1- How is the experience of growing up poor peopie,and lesbian,gay,and bisexual peo1pe nahon of one oppression, and are successful in 3, Forgive yourself for what you don't know similar to the experience of growmg up ies are stereotyped as "less than," denied access alleviating that oppression in the short term, an about other people and take personal re• bian, gay, or bisexual? And how is the to power and resources,and ignored in terms other oppression will probably takes its place. The sponsibility for acquiring new information. experience of growing up middle class or of their contributions to society. The differw cuiture will find a new scapegoat among op pressed groups and we'll be lettwondeling when Blaming ourselves and others generally leads to wealthy similar to the experience of groww ences include the existence and effective detens1veness, and when we get defenSJve, we our time to be scapegoated will come, or come ing up heterosexual? ness of anti-discnmination legislation, the stop team mg and avoid contact. All ot us, ·smce agam. opportunity to hide- one;s identity, and the birth, have been accumulating misintonnation 2. "This oppression 1solder and more entrenched about a vanety of groups; often, we have little or possibility of changmg one ..s membership An alternative is to consider the questions, than that oppression; raasm has tieen around m oppressed and oppressor groups over a no accurate mfonnation about other groups. We forever, and will take more energy to change than "Why are there so few of us? ·How might we lifetime. We might also consider the sim1w can;t change the past, t,ut we can decide to take heterosexism!" Debates over which is the older or make our movement more meaningful and responsibility for iearnmg about ourselves and more pers1stentoppress1oncan bemterestmg, but larities as well as differences in the experi fun so that others will join us? How can we others trom this point on. may keep us from seemg that all oppressmns are ences of bemgwhite, maJe,middle or owner collaborate with others? How can we chai perpetuated bydommat1onand competition. The class, Christian_. temporarily able-bodied, ienge the politics of domination which un history ot an oppression is 1rrelevantl n terms of its middle aged, and heterosexual. derlie both this and that oppression?" impact on individuals m thepresent,and deciding