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The Disposability of Black LGBTQ Lives: Gemmel Moore
This is the second part, of a 3-part series, where I’m going over instances of fatal violence against Black Gay/Queer men, in order to highlight ways that the system often works against people who live in the intersection of being both Black and Gay/Queer. In the first part, I discussed the murder of Giovanni Melton, by his own father. In this piece, I’ll be discussing the Gemmel Moore and the systemic factors around his case.
[Trigger/Content Warning for anti-Black murder]
UPDATE: In the wake of issues coming up around an article on Gemmel Moore, published by The Root (which I’m not linking), I find it pertinent to include additional information, where facts around Gemmel’s case were clarified. Particularly since, even though I do not present myself as a journalist, and Angry Black Hoemo is nowhere near as visible as The Root, there may be folks who are learning of this case from here for the first time. Although issues around sex work very much intersect with this case, it’s important to clarify that sexual contact didn’t take place. Ed Buck’s fetish was specifically injecting Black men with meth. Please be sure to check out Jasmyne’s response to The Root’s article, and keep her website and social media bookmarked, as well as Justice 4 Gemmel, to be able to keep up with the most accurate and up-to-date info.
On July 27, 2017, a young Black Gay man, named Gemmel “Juelz” Moore, died due to a meth overdose. This would be a tragedy, in and of itself, but the kicker is that this overdose occurred in the home of affluent democratic party donor, and white Gay man, Ed Buck. It was initially deemed an “accidental” overdose, but is now being investigated as a possible homicide.
Gemmel was in the home of Buck, on an appointment as an escort/sex worker. Ed Buck has a very specific fetish, where he likes to inject copious amounts of methamphetamine into men. He specifically targets Black men to carry out this fetish. Jasmyne Cannick has been one of the few people (that I’ve seen) consistently working and reporting on this story, and she’s been able to find several other Black men who reported very similar experiences with Buck. Gemmel Moore’s encounter just happened to end more tragically than the several other Black Gay men who have been targeted by Buck. [Read more…]
Black LGBTQ People Don’t Owe Anyone Our Patience
It sometimes feels like many people are more compelled to speak up when it comes time to rationalize bigotry, rather than speaking against the bigotry, itself.
Let’s talk about how, as Black LGBTQ people, we’re expected to make room for, and be “patient” with, violent bigotry. Particularly, in a way that those trying to guilt us virtually never have to. 
Despite the fact that WhiteGayze™ have subjected Black folks within the LGBTQ community to dehumanization, theft and erasure for decades, we’re still expected to perform some sort of unity, which only serves to placate their fragility. WhiteGayze™ are never expected to be patient with violent, anti-Gay bigotry towards them (although, they often are…because they’re weak as shit). But somehow, we’re supposed to be OK with their racism. Or, we’re expected to exhibit patience and explain to them why they’re trash “nicely” (i.e. in a way that’s easy to ignore). Funny how that works.
If we’re not getting it from the WhiteGayze™, we’re getting it from Black cishets (and sometimes other Black LGBTQ people, who haven’t yet put down the cishet Kool-Aid). [Read more…]
Tokenism and the Price of Having Your Own Opinions
So…I should preface this by establishing that, while this piece is in response to the recent story of Lomi Taryn being ostracized by her base and employer, it is, in NO way, being written in support or defense of Toe-Me Laryngitis. Yes, she was wronged, but my sympathy is reserved for the people who don’t use a platform to sustain white supremacist politics. Not to mention, she’s a mediocre white woman and liberals have been itching to make space for her for months, now. Even if she’s ultimately let go, she’ll be handed another paid opportunity by the end of the week (likely from some liberal and/or white feminist platform).
With that out of that way…
I wanna start by telling a little story from my time living in Central Texas. See, in a past life, I had a dark period where I once dabbled in conservatism—now, keep in mind that it was a reaction to being a former democrat…and again, I was living in Central Texas. I had several white conservatives around me, and they often LIVED for hearing what I had to say. Some were practically ready to throw me a parade when I would go in on Obama.
But one of my “favorite” instances, in particular, was one of these conservative WhiteGayze™ I’d come across in Houston, who’d taken an immediate liking (read: fetish) to me.
The Bigots Are Right: The HIV Epidemic Among Black, Gay Men is from Immorality
…but not in the way they’d like to think.
So, at the time of this being published, we’re 2 weeks from National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. I think this is as good of a time as any to finally do a piece tackling the subject of HIV/AIDS among Black men who sleep with men (or MSM in scientific terms). I was motivated to write about this after coming across this documentary on the epidemic levels of HIV among Black, Gay men in Jackson, MS. This started as a thread on Twitter, but I felt this topic was more than due the attention of a full post.
Plus, I just recently passed my 3-year “Poz-aversary” (yes…I just made that up), so I’ll always be heavily invested.
Thanks to follower Taji for sending me this great documentary
When we talk about the HIV/AIDS epidemic among Gay men, in general, there’s often an air of (homophobia-driven) judgement and condescension, dripping with implications that any of us who contract the virus “deserve it” for our “immoral” behavior. And when you add in the racism of addressing Black, Gay men, that attitude only grows…even from other Gay men.
Now, for argument’s sake, let’s entertain that this idea of HIV being an issue of “immorality” among us, might actually have some merit, and isn’t complete and total bullshit. Even if we wanted to go along with that idea, that perhaps, Black Gay men see higher rates of HIV/AIDS due to “immorality,” well…maybe so…but it’s not immorality on our part. [Read more…]