Masha Paul

Is the current LGBT movement for equality in civil law equivalent to the racial justice claims of the Civil rights movement, making Gay the New Black? Kenyon Farrow argues No. Farrow is the former Executive Director of Queers for Economic Justicean organization dedicated to organizing, research, and advocacy for and with low-income and working-class lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Farrow gave a speech entitled Is Gay the New Black to the McDaniel College community February 29, bringing awareness to a social problem that he states has been ongoing since 2008, the passage of Proposition 8 in California. On the McDaniel Campus Allies (Gay straight Alliance) is the most well known organization that focuses on examining and addressing the equality of ones sexuality with a mission statement Our purpose is to serve as a bridge between the LGBTQ communities at McDaniel College. Many of their members were present at the event which was hosted by the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (ODMA). Mahlia Joyce, Directer of ODMA introduced Farrow to the McDaniel community and he provided an outline about the LBGT community, Proposition 8 and provided his individual opinion on the underlying question of the event, Is Gay the New Black? The passing of Proposition 8 in California made only the marriage between a man and a woman recognizable and in his speech, Farrow talked about how the black community after reports stating almost 70% of blacks in the state of California voted for Proposition 8, the black community received resentment from white homosexuals. Even though, Farrow adds The margin or Californians who attended church and voted for proposition 8 were much greater than blacks, much of the focus was on Black voters...Encouraging resentment towards African Americans and their churches is whats going on. Farrow made it recognizable that some areas of the LGBT community are now claiming that they are at the bottom of the social/political/economic ladder, but insists that this is not the case. Race still plays a huge factor today when it comes to social stigmas and civil rights. Farrow brought up an example of how two homosexual males in one household make more money than a heterosexual couple. Trevor Hammond, freshman at McDaniel college is not familiar with LBGT politics but walked away with new ideas to think about. It was a little hard to follow, but I found that being black and gay, you think of them separately, not as one issue. It made you think, said Hammond. Farrow made clear that he separates the church and state and that everyone should have a right to a domestic partnership. At the end of the speech junior at McDaniel, Phoebe Bafu questioned his position of the right to marry being an act of segregation. By the end, Bafu walked away agreeing with Farrows opinions about same sex marriage. I didnt see eye to eye with Kenyon at first but making marriage more about integration rather than segregation actually made sense, Bafu said.

Masha Paul

Farrow is one of many activists who are invited to McDaniel College to talk about movements and issues going on today. Student and Residential Assistant, Brittany Flemming made this an event for her residents to attend. I enjoy hearing about issues that I was not aware of before, and Im glad that I was able to meet Farrow and discuss them, she said.