Ban on Gay Marriage Got the Black Vote

Amendement 2 oppresses another minority.

A A A Comments (5) By Bob Norman Thursday, Nov 13 2008

C. Stiles

S.F. Mahee wanted to flee the state after the vote.

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Last week, an anti-gay marriage measure passed statewide, garnering a majority of votes in every Florida county but Monroe. The ballot was one of the great paradoxes in American politics: The black community, the most oppressed group in U.S. history, comprised one of the unfriendliest demographics toward gays.

S.F. Mahee worked as the Broward organizer for Florida Red and Blue, which backed the measure. She is also a black lesbian who has urged the African-American community to take a stake in gay issues.

"Speculation is that the momentous turnout that Senator Obama provided may have actually hurt us in the end," she says. "If you can make the connection about discrimination, then African-Americans are overwhelmingly with us. But if someone else focuses on homosexuality, then we lose African-Americans."

When she got up the morning after the election, her first impulse was to flee the state. Then she learned Arizona and California, one of the nation's more progressive states, had passed virtually the same initiative the same day.

"I am in absolute and complete awe," she says. "I am in awe that we can elect the first African-American president and that on the same day, we can write discrimination into the state constitution. Our education is at the bottom of the heap. We have a state House that just had to apologize for its participation in slavery last session. We have a gay adoption ban. I am afraid Florida has become in this millennium what Mississippi was to the civil rights movement."

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Brad 11/16/2008 5:44:00 PM

Somebody please tell miss SF Mahee that marriage is a straight issue. And she can leave any time she likes.
Ed 11/16/2008 12:57:00 AM

When a man is able to give birth through his butt, then i will accept marriage between teo men, also when a woman grows a penis and pregnates another women naturally, then i will accept gay marriage, for now stop comparing gay marriage with real marriage, it is not the same thing
Vanessa Dominguez 11/15/2008 2:26:00 AM

I am mix and was raised in a black american household. I voted for the ban. Why because I think it is unfair and wrong to use the word marriage to describe two people from the same sexes commitment or two people from the opposite sex who feel that it is better to not get married but receive the same benefits as people who are. Are you kidding me? You can not compare Obama being elected as president. Obama was elected because he was no different then any man that has wanted to be president except he is black. That's not the same when you compare lifestyles of gay and straight marriages.Obama being black and now president isn't change it's equality. A gay couple will never be equal to a straight couple. Let's be honest no matter what law passes.Marriage has always been between a man and woman it started for the simple act of reproduction something gay couples can't do. They provide these benefits to marriage because they wanted to make marriage appealing,to be a strong foundation that focuses on reproduction. It's not about being afraid or closed minded it is trying to hold on to something dear, old, familiar, TRADITION. The world is going to shit and some of us just wish that we could go back to a simple time and be.Live the american dream and not have others want to alter it for their own amusement. BEING AFRICAN AMERICAN OR DARK SKIN IS SOMETHING YOU WAKE UP WITH EVERYDAY. BEING GAY IS A FEELING AND EXPRESSION. SOME GAYS WEAR THEIR FEELINGS OUT IN THE OPEN, OTHERS DON'T FEEL THE NEED. SO DON'T COMPARE A FLASHING NEON SIGN (that can't hide) TO SOMETHING THAT CHOOSES TO COME AND GO (in the closet, out of the closet whenever they feel like it).
Kjen @ www.fairlyprejudiced.bl 11/15/2008 2:07:00 AM

On, good grief. I've been reading about this issue all over the blogosphere all week. #1) Oppression doesn't make automatically anyone more compassionate, sensitive or enlightened. Example: the racism within the oppressed GLBTQ community. As soon as the amendments were passed in certain states and Blacks were blamed for passing it, the n-word was all to willingly passed around. Way to offer understanding and acceptance from both communities. #2) see #1. #3) The author, a woman of color I presume, was surprised that a majority of Blacks did not support the measure? Come on. Blacks tend to be liberal on certain issues. Sexuality is not one of them. #4) do math. do math. do math. Figure out the demographics within the state of Florida and how they voted. The math to figure out who voted for Prop 8 in California was initially fuzzy, but it's become clear that even without the Black vote, Prop 8 would have passed. This will help you mount your next campaign to abolish the ban.
David L. Wylie 11/13/2008 12:05:00 AM

Dear New Times Readers, While members of California�s LGBT Community have taken to the street en masse to protest Proposition 8, it seems Florida gays are resigned to having LGBT inequality enshrined into their state�s constitution. After 62 percent of Floridians voted for Amendment 2, little has been done to protest the discriminatory measure�until now! Join us this Saturday in towns & cities all over Florida to protest Amendment 2. The following link has more information and details: http://www.gaysofla.com/content/view/422/50/ We too shall one day overcome! David L. Wylie, Senior Editor http://www.gaysofla.com