It’s not surprising to hear that Newt Gingrich and Glenn Beck got a hit hyperbolic while denouncing discussing the criticism faced by former Mozilla chief executive Brendan Eich after it was revealed that he donated money in favor of Proposition Eight—criticism that seemingly compelled to resign from his position. They are the Milli Vanilli of sensibility, or for a more contemporary reference, they are to common sense what Pharrell’s G I R L album cover is to Black beauty (yeah, Negroes, I said it).
Suffice to say, it was expected to see Gingrich speak of the backlash as a “new fascism,” one in which, “you have the wrong views, meaning conservative, you have no career.” I have four words to say to this: conservative media industrial complex. We’re done here.
As for Glenn Beck, the poster child for political performance arts panic attacks had this to say about the gay groups who came for Eich’s neck: “Why not just tie a rock around them and then throw them in a lake, and if they float, they’re a witch, and if they don’t float, they’re not a witch?”And when dissecting Mozilla’s initial apology, Beck shrieked, “That’s not good enough! Der Führer is here!”
Y'all. He compared the ousting of Eich to the rise of Adolf Hitler. Y'all.
I don't speak German, but I think the words of Trick Daddy are more appropriate here: “Ah hah, okay, whassup? Shut up!”
Then came Bill Maher, who somewhat jokingly said that he thinks there is a gay mafia and when you do cross them, you get “whacked.”
Here’s an inconvenient truth (at least for me): I'm not sure whether or not I'm comfortable with a CEO being able to lose his or her job over a political donation so easily. Millions of Americans have changed their minds about marriage equality and there are people in my own life who still try to reconcile my sexuality and their own beliefs. Hell, I will likely have my own Mama Joyce scenario should I plan a marry to a male “bae.” While I resent the point of view that I don’t deserve the chance to be a divorcee like the straights do, unless one is blatantly known to be partaking in prejudice on the job, I’m a little uneasy with how swiftly Eich was kicked out. Who is to say that couldn’t happen to a person whose political views I share? Who is to say that couldn’t happen to me in some capacity?
To that end, while the three not-so-wise men reached a bit while addressing the matter, there is reason for pause at this core point: In this age of total access people can’t do anything without being called out and “bullied” anymore.
Even so, this is not limited to gay people simply because most Americans finally decided to stop blocking gays and lesbians from getting married in select states.
It’s a cute little theory not only espoused by old conservatives and their sometimes liberal counterparts on HBO. It’s something I’ve heard from people who look exactly like me, or in some cases, even love the way I do.
News flash: There is no gay mafia, and if there is, they are doing a fantastic job of hiding membership from me.
No, big CEOs probably can’t get away with being on the wrong side of history (for better or for worse), but as far as gay life goes, not everyone on the rainbow is dancing on the sidewalk out to “Happy” out of pure bliss of how easy it is to be 'alternative' now.
It’s still easy to fire a person because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Or be a poor gay woman, as twenty-four percent of lesbians and bisexual women are poor, compared with only 19% of heterosexual women. Or be on your James and Florida, as Black same-sex couples are significantly more likely to be poor than Black married heterosexual counterparts—not to mention nearly three times more likely to live in poverty than white same-sex couples. LGBT youth are notoriously afflicted; of the estimated 1.6 million homeless youth, anywhere between 20% and 40% of them identify as LGBT. Due to that figure, LGBT youth are described as “particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking.”
If I sound like an after school special reciting all of these facts and figures, it’s only because so many like me are tired of having to explain things to the people who should’ve been paying more attention earlier.
I get and have always gotten the 'gay mafia' joke, but the joke is dead or “late” as the kids say. This ultimately reminds me of how much people buy into the concept of marriage as the end all, be all in the fight for equality. The same can be said for LGBT representation being lopsided. So yes, a few powerful gay men and women can knock someone down a peg or three due to winning a battle in the culture war and a new day in which it’s easy to pile on someone if you have broadband and the attention of a news cycle always in need of content.
Still, that does not a mafia make.
Michael Arceneaux is the author of the “The Weekly Read,” where tough love is served with just a touch of shade. Tweet him at @youngsinick.
