Tonight PBS showed Ellen DeGeneres receiving the Mark
Twain Prize, an award for humor. One of
the people honoring her was the multi-talented Steve Harvey, who made a comment
about not having homosexuality as a common denominator, as other guests like
Jane Lynch and Lily Tomlin. It was quite
funny as he put out there, “You’re gay. I’m black. I have my own issues to work
out.” He was not saying it meanly, but I don't think he fully understood the repercussions of such a statement. It reminded me of the difference
between White masculinity and Black masculinity, as Reeser states. I am also reminded of Gloria Steinem’s visit
in which she states that all issues are women’s issues. Her example was how people discuss economic
stimulus pros and cons and yet if women across the board truly received equal
pay as they are guaranteed by law doing so would provide a much needed healthy
economic stimulus. (see http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/DocServer/Ledbetter_Fair_Pay_Fact_Sheet_2009.pdf?docID=4661). My mind then races to the coming election and
how ideologically driven it has become with what seems like clear lines being
drawn by both sides. I see how dysfunctional
politics can be as well as how invisible most of these differences are, until
you choose to see them. I see parallels
to how masculinity, regardless of color, is still nevertheless affected by
color and I wonder if it will always be a wedge. Will the world always be so Black/White, Female/Male,
Homosexual/Heterosexual, Masculine/Feminine, split by binaries that exist as
barriers to peaceful cohabitation. Will
issues of masculinity receive the same light as issues of femininity, finally
understanding how the issues are cyclical and interrelated? I guess I would tell Steve Harvey that while
I am not black, I can still fight for his cause because I am a woman and I too
know about injustice and stereotyping.
That I too will take up his cause because it is my cause – equality.
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