God Save Queens

The New York landscape provides the perfect backdrop for advertisers to entice us with advertisements for their latest product offering. They are everywhere we turn – on billboards, buses even restroom urinals. Sometimes they use images to catch our eyes – the dynamic contrast between Dijmon Hounsou's opal black skin to the ultra white boxer briefs he wears in the newest Calvin Klein ads. Other times it's a catchy slogan – like the “Priceless” ads from MasterCard or the ever famous Nike “Just Do It” ad campaign. Whatever the case, these ads become ingrained in our psyche, and often times take on a whole separate set of meaning other than the intended purchase of a product or by-in to a lifestyle – the Dijmon Hounsou ad makes me want to get my ass into the gym, pronto. On a recent day out in the city I was struck by an ad for the John Varvatos line of apparel for Converse. The ad is of a woman wearing a denim jacket with “God Save Queens” on the back of the jacket. I found it a bit inspiring – the celebration of “queendom,” I thought. As I continued on with my day out in the city I thought about that ad more and more. Perhaps it was about more than the celebration of femininity? In a world ever consumed by the politics of religion and sexuality, I arrived at the thought that, God, does in fact, save “Queens.” What a beautiful affirmation I thought. Yet beyond that, I thought about the dynamic change that would occur if African American gays and lesbians would embrace this ethos.
Throughout history groups have used religion, and more specifically, the Bible, as a means to justify oppression. In Germany the Nazis used it as a means to justify Anti-Semitism. Here in America, it was used to establish the credibility of slavery by white Americans, and today it is being used by the Black Church to justify homophobia and anti-Gay thought. The Black Church has historically been the cornerstone of the African American community. As an institution it helped to set in motion the wheels of change as it related to civil liberties for black Americans. However, in recent years, the same institution so vigilant to establish change is now aiding in impeding the rights of African American gays and lesbians. In recent years there have been church led marches that called for a ban on gay marriage, and even a case in Texas where the church encouraged two girls to divorce their lesbian mother. We can assert blame to misguided pastors and so-called “reformed gays,” but I think that at the root of the issue are black members of the LGBT community who continue to fill these pews Sunday after Sunday and not speak out openly in disdain for the message that is being delivered from the pulpit.
During my college years I attended a church in which the pastor condemned homosexuality as an abomination – his thoughts were that gays and lesbians could “get out of the lifestyle” with faith and prayer. I sat there countless Sundays, made to feel ashamed of the person that I was, and on some level believing what was being said, and wanting to change. I guess if you are told something over and over, at some point you actually begin to believe it. Which I guess explains why so many members of the LBGT community remain in such congregations. The turning point came for me when I began to seek greater understanding about what the Bible really says about homosexuality, and as I began to read and understand for myself, I found that what I had been receiving from the pulpit did not fall in line with what I was reading. Needless to say, I stopped attending that congregation. By canceling my “church membership,” which included my tithes and offerings, I was indirectly sending a message I would not allow myself to be subjected to the hate that was being spewed. I learned a long time ago that silence equals agreement. By not saying anything we are shaking our heads and nodding yes. If more black gay men and women would simply stand up and walk out of these congregations, it sends the message we stand united and that hate will not be tolerated.
This can be a daunting task, as so many of us live in a constant state of denial, self-loathing and self-hate – affected by years and years of damning commentary about our orientation. Bell Hooks stated once that “A commitment to true telling is the first step in the process of self-discovery.” In saying this, I think that we have to learn how to be comfortable in our own skin – not allowing our sexually to be the most paramount thing in our lives, but being able to acknowledge that it is a part of who we are that should be nurtured accordingly. When we do this we operate under the auspices of self respect – and no self respecting individual would allow themselves to be put in situations that did not support their greatness. When we do enter into places of worship I think that we must walk in with our thinking caps on. Far too many times in our religious engagement we accept things at face value which leaves no room for thought, opinion or dialogue. This in turn leads to no room for spiritual growth. We often times become experts within our careers, super knowledgeable about the goings on within pop culture and connoisseurs of food and wine, but when it comes to our faith and what we believe, we tend to leave it entirely in the hands of another person. To ask someone why their spiritual beliefs are what they are is too often times get no answer.
Good advertising appeals to the emotional sensibilities of the consumer – our wants, desires, needs and even our insecurities and our fears. Yet, smart consumers research and make sure that the product lives up to its promises. Operating under the guise of redeeming people, a number of black churches appeal to the insecurities and fears of black gays and lesbians – guaranteeing hell if they do not change. Ultimately, however, the power lies in the hands of the individual, as they have a choice to blindly believe “smart advertising” from the pulpit or test and research for themselves. Does God save Queens? Hell emphatically yes! And he loves them too. Let us walk in the fullness of this love and in self respect knowing that we are divinely created.