as a black gay male i must say i am really not satisfied wit the black gay community as whole but the celebs are just a piece of horseshit. u got neil patrick harris,ellen.ricky martin,lance bass,anderson cooper,clay aikens, melissa etheridge and countless who have come out and proud in the white communit,gotten married and living the life

yes we do have a few blacks wanda sykes, and lee daniels then u have the new age queen frank ocean who wanna be cyrtic about it cuz its just the way young gays get down now they wanna straddle the fence between straight and gay so they can whore around instead of be comforting with themselves and just be gay.so what frank did i dont view that shit as coming out he could of kept that he has yet 2 really even talk about it or be open like white celebs do, how can you be a voice for young african americans when u aint saying a damn thang worth hearing???

you need to work on your punctuation . the minute someone says prince i'ma dry-hump the shit out of them .

purplepolitician said:

you need to work on your punctuation . the minute someone says prince i'ma dry-hump the shit out of them .

that was so purposely done b/c i knew somebody like u would attack shit like punctautions instead of the subject thank u u got damn english teacher

cbarnes3121 said:

purplepolitician said:

you need to work on your punctuation . the minute someone says prince i'ma dry-hump the shit out of them .

that was so purposely done b/c i knew somebody like u would attack shit like punctautions instead of the subject thank u u got damn english teacher

i'm a nitpicker, not a "damn" english teacher. tried to make a joke about a subject i don't particularly care about cuz i'm bored and not ready to go to sleep. shoot me

purplepolitician said:

cbarnes3121 said:

that was so purposely done b/c i knew somebody like u would attack shit like punctautions instead of the subject thank u u got damn english teacher

i'm a nitpicker, not a "damn" english teacher. tried to make a joke about a subject i don't particularly care about cuz i'm bored and not ready to go to sleep. shoot me

u been shot bang !!!! im more interested in the sorry ass homos in the black community right about now lol

cbarnes3121 said:

purplepolitician said:

i'm a nitpicker, not a "damn" english teacher. tried to make a joke about a subject i don't particularly care about cuz i'm bored and not ready to go to sleep. shoot me

u been shot bang !!!! im more interested in the sorry ass homos in the black community right about now lol

did someone burn you? get a shot or something, you'll be okay. i am

cbarnes3121 said:

purplepolitician said:

you need to work on your punctuation . the minute someone says prince i'ma dry-hump the shit out of them .

that was so purposely done b/c i knew somebody like u would attack shit like punctautions instead of the subject thank u u got damn english teacher

Right. Because ignorance is SO attractive. . . . .

SUPRMAN said:

cbarnes3121 said:

that was so purposely done b/c i knew somebody like u would attack shit like punctautions instead of the subject thank u u got damn english teacher

Right. Because ignorance is SO attractive. . . . .

not even my favorite from him, but again, my affliction

Don't be inspired by celebrities. Be inspired by people who actually matter, people like James Baldwin(Author of Giovanni's Room, Langston Hughes, authors who contributed to the arts and helped to expand on human expression and creativiity. Add E. Lynn Harris as well.

Carolyn Mobley who according to newsone.com,

"Carolyn Mobley was the first woman to co-chair the African-American Lesbian/Gay Alliance, which was a smaller part of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays. She was raised a devout Christian in a petite, segregated Florida municipality. But her Baptist Church condoned her lesbian sexuality despite her work as a Christian educator. The organization served to bridge the gap between the civil rights movement and the LGBT movement."

Lorraine Hansberry

"

Inspired by her family’s court room mêlée against racially-segregated Chicago subdivision housing laws in her childhood, Lorraine Hansberry wrote a seminal piece of African-American history. Her magnum opus A Raisin in the Sun, bought the civil rights playwright and bestselling author a legion of fans and quickly turned her to a household name.

Alvin Ailey

"
The duke of dance Alvin Ailey solidified his fingerprints on the universal conscious when he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater located in New York City. The futurist choreographer transformed dance by popularizing and revolutionizing the concert experience via his masterworkRevelations, set to blues and spirituals showcasing the African-America expedition from slavery to autonomy despite trepidation."

And Finally Marsha P. Johnson, who according to Wikipedia

"One of the city's best known drag queens of the times, Johnson was a leader in clashes with the police amid the Stonewall Riots.^[2][3] She was a co-founder, along with Sylvia Rivera, of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.) in the early 1970s. She also was the "mother" of S.T.A.R. House along with Sylvia, getting together food and clothing to help support the young drag queens and trans women living in the house on the Lower East Side of New York.^[4]"

the key is to be inspired by those who fought for change, to create, to inbetter people.

Rococo said:

Don't be inspired by celebrities. Be inspired by people who actually matter, people like James Baldwin(Author of Giovanni's Room, Langston Hughes, authors who contributed to the arts and helped to expand on human expression and creativiity. Add E. Lynn Harris as well.

Carolyn Mobley who according to newsone.com,

"Carolyn Mobley was the first woman to co-chair the African-American Lesbian/Gay Alliance, which was a smaller part of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays. She was raised a devout Christian in a petite, segregated Florida municipality. But her Baptist Church condoned her lesbian sexuality despite her work as a Christian educator. The organization served to bridge the gap between the civil rights movement and the LGBT movement."

Lorraine Hansberry

"

Inspired by her family’s court room mêlée against racially-segregated Chicago subdivision housing laws in her childhood, Lorraine Hansberry wrote a seminal piece of African-American history. Her magnum opus A Raisin in the Sun, bought the civil rights playwright and bestselling author a legion of fans and quickly turned her to a household name.

Alvin Ailey

"
The duke of dance Alvin Ailey solidified his fingerprints on the universal conscious when he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater located in New York City. The futurist choreographer transformed dance by popularizing and revolutionizing the concert experience via his masterworkRevelations, set to blues and spirituals showcasing the African-America expedition from slavery to autonomy despite trepidation."

And Finally Marsha P. Johnson, who according to Wikipedia

"One of the city's best known drag queens of the times, Johnson was a leader in clashes with the police amid the Stonewall Riots.^[2][3] She was a co-founder, along with Sylvia Rivera, of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.) in the early 1970s. She also was the "mother" of S.T.A.R. House along with Sylvia, getting together food and clothing to help support the young drag queens and trans women living in the house on the Lower East Side of New York.^[4]"

the key is to be inspired by those who fought for change, to create, to inbetter people.

yall are a damn trip i see why prince does what he do yall take shit and run all different kids of hella ways with it that comes out soo stupid who said a damn thing about being inspired by any of em imma grown ass man that lives daily comfortable in my own skin .yall talking u need 2 take some comprehenion courses u fail miserablely. this org gets no respect from prince cuz everybody on here seem 2 be on the bottle or the pipe lol

cbarnes3121 said:

as a black gay male i must say i am really not satisfied wit the black gay community as whole but the celebs are just a piece of horseshit. u got neil patrick harris,ellen.ricky martin,lance bass,anderson cooper,clay aikens, melissa etheridge and countless who have come out and proud in the white communit,gotten married and living the life

yes we do have a few blacks wanda sykes, and lee daniels then u have the new age queen frank ocean who wanna be cyrtic about it cuz its just the way young gays get down now they wanna straddle the fence between straight and gay so they can whore around instead of be comforting with themselves and just be gay.so what frank did i dont view that shit as coming out he could of kept that he has yet 2 really even talk about it or be open like white celebs do, how can you be a voice for young african americans when u aint saying a damn thang worth hearing???

wouldn't Ricky Martin represent the latino community?

and I don't even think Frank Ocean is known to be a celeb representative

[Edited 2/1/13 5:33am]

maybe Gay should be the focus for inspiraction before race

Luther Vandross

RuPaul

Maxwell (possibly Bi)

Marlon Brando Bi

Robert Downey Jr. (Bi)

the guy who played George Jefferson on the Jeffersons:Sherman Hemsley

the guy who played the father on Family Matters

[Edited 2/1/13 10:49am]

cbarnes3121 said:

Rococo said:

Don't be inspired by celebrities. Be inspired by people who actually matter, people like James Baldwin(Author of Giovanni's Room, Langston Hughes, authors who contributed to the arts and helped to expand on human expression and creativiity. Add E. Lynn Harris as well.

Carolyn Mobley who according to newsone.com,

"Carolyn Mobley was the first woman to co-chair the African-American Lesbian/Gay Alliance, which was a smaller part of the National Coalition of Black Lesbians and Gays. She was raised a devout Christian in a petite, segregated Florida municipality. But her Baptist Church condoned her lesbian sexuality despite her work as a Christian educator. The organization served to bridge the gap between the civil rights movement and the LGBT movement."

Lorraine Hansberry

"

Inspired by her family’s court room mêlée against racially-segregated Chicago subdivision housing laws in her childhood, Lorraine Hansberry wrote a seminal piece of African-American history. Her magnum opus A Raisin in the Sun, bought the civil rights playwright and bestselling author a legion of fans and quickly turned her to a household name.

Alvin Ailey

"
The duke of dance Alvin Ailey solidified his fingerprints on the universal conscious when he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater located in New York City. The futurist choreographer transformed dance by popularizing and revolutionizing the concert experience via his masterworkRevelations, set to blues and spirituals showcasing the African-America expedition from slavery to autonomy despite trepidation."

And Finally Marsha P. Johnson, who according to Wikipedia

"One of the city's best known drag queens of the times, Johnson was a leader in clashes with the police amid the Stonewall Riots.^[2][3] She was a co-founder, along with Sylvia Rivera, of Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (S.T.A.R.) in the early 1970s. She also was the "mother" of S.T.A.R. House along with Sylvia, getting together food and clothing to help support the young drag queens and trans women living in the house on the Lower East Side of New York.^[4]"

the key is to be inspired by those who fought for change, to create, to inbetter people.

yall are a damn trip i see why prince does what he do yall take shit and run all different kids of hella ways with it that comes out soo stupid who said a damn thing about being inspired by any of em imma grown ass man that lives daily comfortable in my own skin .yall talking u need 2 take some comprehenion courses u fail miserablely. this org gets no respect from prince cuz everybody on here seem 2 be on the bottle or the pipe lol

you're welcome....rude...

[Edited 2/1/13 5:48am]

I've always said, the whole 'Community' thing can be a blessing and a curse

I believe it was V10LETBLUES who started a thread on the good and bad of culture tradition etc things that are connected to Community

In this instance, Black community & openly gay doesn't always work

lets leave Prince out of this, if he is homo/bisexual, he isn't OUT which doesn't make him a celeb example

OldFriends4Sale said:

maybe Gay should be the focus for inspiraction before race

Luther Vandross

RuPaul

Maxwell (possibly Bi)

Marlon Brando (Italian) Bi

Robert Downey Jr. (Bi)

the guy who played George Jefferson on the Jeffersons

the guy who played the father on Family Matters

Correction: Marlon Brando was NOT Italian. He was white (Dutch, Irish, and German).

Just clarifying...

.

[Edited 2/1/13 6:21am]

Giovanni777 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

maybe Gay should be the focus for inspiraction before race

Luther Vandross

RuPaul

Maxwell (possibly Bi)

Marlon Brando (Italian) Bi

Robert Downey Jr. (Bi)

the guy who played George Jefferson on the Jeffersons

the guy who played the father on Family Matters

Correction: Marlon Brando was NOT Italian. He was white (Dutch, Irish, and German).

Just clarifying...

.

[Edited 2/1/13 6:21am]

lol thanks

Gianni Versace

Dolce & Gabanna

imago said:

Here's one that recently came out. Shaun T who invented the Insanity workout. The media wasn't all over it tho. I'm proud that he did because he doesn't represent the typical gay sterotype.

When I look at the accomplishments we've made since I was growing up in the 1980s with so many people, both celebrities and average people, feeling comfortable enough to come out, I think it's great. As for so few black celebrities coming out, I think shit hop is to blame for a lot of that. I have never seen a more homophobic and anti gay form of music on such a widespread level in my life from the lyrics, from the look, and from the downright hostile attitude. It's influence isn't just limited to the music world, it's dress attire, slang, and attitude is all in TV, movies, commercials, and overall "culture" all the way down to average people on the street.

I remember very little black homophobia when I was growing up. There was some but the majority of homophobia I saw back then was coming from white people. If a lot of black people were homophobic back then, they must have been keeping their mouth shut because I didn't see hardly any of it. Not after shit hop came along though. They even put the rednecks to shame when it came to homophobia.

.

.

.

[Edited 2/1/13 10:29am]

imago said:

cbarnes3121 said:

as a black gay male i must say i am really not satisfied wit the black gay community as whole but the celebs are just a piece of horseshit. u got neil patrick harris,ellen.ricky martin,lance bass,anderson cooper,clay aikens, melissa etheridge and countless who have come out and proud in the white communit,gotten married and living the life

yes we do have a few blacks wanda sykes, and lee daniels then u have the new age queen frank ocean who wanna be cyrtic about it cuz its just the way young gays get down now they wanna straddle the fence between straight and gay so they can whore around instead of be comforting with themselves and just be gay.so what frank did i dont view that shit as coming out he could of kept that he has yet 2 really even talk about it or be open like white celebs do, how can you be a voice for young african americans when u aint saying a damn thang worth hearing???

Don't hold your breath for Queen Latifah to come out publicly like Jodie Foster did.

Rev. Peter J. Gomes, known as "Harvard's Pastor," was regarded as one of America's most distinguished preachers. Although a staunch Republican, Gomes, an openly gay man, was an outspoken critic of anti-gay discrimination.

In November 1991, Gomes spoke to a crowd of students gathered to protest a student publication that had condemned homosexuality. The New York Times reported:

"I do not know when the quality of life has been more violated," he told a crowd of about 100 as he stood on the steps of Memorial Church, setting off sustained applause when he added, "I am a Christian who happens as well to be gay. ... Those realities, which are irreconcilable to some, are reconciled in me by a loving God."

Gomes was Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard's Divinity School

OldFriends4Sale said:

lets leave Prince out of this, if he is homo/bisexual, he isn't OUT which doesn't make him a celeb example

I think Imago & Vainandy are THE only two current orgers that are convince that Prince was never 100% hetero.

Before his career as a solo recording artist, Billy Porter's (born September 21, 1969) dynamic vocals on the Broadway stage in the popular productions "Grease" and "Smokey Joe's Cafe" drew an ever-growing fan base. Porter first captured national attention when his 'Love Is On The Way' made the soundtrack to the film First Wives' Club in 1996. In 2008, Porter directed the Caribbean-infused revival of "Once On This Island in Los Angeles." Porter's also been part of the prestigious Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. Billy a Pittsburgh native, earned his B.F.A in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts.

Angels in America
Billy Porter joined the cast, alongside Zachary Quinto, for the September revival of Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning "Angels in America."

Tracey Chapman

CNN anchor Don Lemon has made a name for himself covering stories for the venerable news channel, but, now, Lemon is making headlines himself after revealing in his new autobiography, Transparent, that he is gay, a decision which he claims is frightening but hopefully inspiring for other closeted LGBT individuals.

In a recent telephone interview with The New York Times, Lemon explained that he understands that his sexuality will bring about criticism.

“People are going to say, ‘Oh, he was molested as a kid and, now, he is coming out.’ I get it,” he said. “I’m scared. I’m talking about something that people might shun me for, ostracize me for.”

Lemon, who has been out to most of his CNN co-workers for years, also explains that, besides the impact that the revelation will have on his public persona, he recognizes the added difficulty in coming out as a gay man in the black community.

“It’s quite different for an African American male,” said Lemon. “It’s about the worst thing you can be in black culture. You’re taught you have to be a man. You have to be masculine. In the black community, they think you can pray the gay away.”

Lemon adds that he believes the black community’s negative attitude toward homosexuality stems from the long history of discrimination that blacks have endured, which has affected their perception of race and other minorities as well as the mindset of black women toward gay and bisexual men.

“You’re afraid that black women will say the same things they do about how black men should be dating black women,” said Lemon. “I guess this makes me a double minority now.”

For Lemon, the decision to come out came about after being approached by a publisher to write a short inspirational book. As he explains, as he began to write, details of his personal life began to spill on the page and, with the support of his publisher, he decided to share his story with the world.

Lemon hopes that his revelation can help others come out of the closet and prevent suicides like the death of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi.

“I think it would be great if everybody could be out,” explained Lemon. “But it’s such a personal choice. People have to do it at their own speed. I respect that. I do have to say that the more people who come out, the better it is for everyone, certainly for the Tyler Clementis of the world,” said Lemon, adding “I think if I had seen more people like me who are out and proud, it wouldn’t have taken me 45 years to say it, to walk in the truth.”

[img:$uid]http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hughes/images/10man.jpg[/img:$uid] It's his birthday today too

^ Langston.

Also, this guy:

[img:$uid]http://www.ibew-ewmc.org/br.jpg[/img:$uid]