Last month my friend Sheraz Salahuddin posted an interesting article on his Facebook page from the Accidental Bear blog, Sexual Racism: When does your preference become racist? The full article written by Scott Roberts (@scottjsroberts), former news presenter on Gaydar Radio and editor of Pink News can be read on the UK blog, GMFA, here.
Roberts opens with “No Blacks and no Asians please”. A line if uttered anywhere – let’s say at a department store, on public transit or in a school – would (rightly so) result in a public uproar. However, in the world of gay online dating, phrases like this are almost commonplace and dismissed because it is perceived as sexual preference rather than a form of racism.
Roberts writes, “By writing “no Blacks, no Asians” on a profile, a person is basically announcing that they believe these two racial groups of people should be avoided sexually. It is their personal opinion, but when displayed in a public setting it constitutes prejudice, regardless of the context.” And I wholeheartedly agree.
I understand that physical attraction is a complicated thing and there may be many people who simply aren’t attracted to specific characteristics or physical attributes, but there are exceptions to every rule. Perhaps those who write such blanket statements are unaware of how such narrow-minded statements reflect upon them? I have similar issue with men who tell me they aren’t into femmes and nellies but that is a post for another time.
I recognize that the world of online ‘dating’ is often all about finding Mr. Right Now rather than Mr. Right – but what does it say about a community that struggles to end both legal and social discrimination if we can’t treat each other as equals – let alone common decency?
Posted in Gay
Tagged BosGuy, Boston Guy, Gay