Macklemore's "Same Love" : Ally or Exploitation?

[The_Lady_Snow]

I believe Queen Latifah came out in May of 2012 at Long Beach Pride. I remember it cause it was a big deal when it happened, I was like you didn't know?

"At the 2012 Long Beach Pride event in California last weekend, the 42-year-old award-winning singer, rapper and actress officially came out as gay.

“Y’all my peeps (people),” she said, referring to the LGBT community. “I love you!”

The Queen performed to a crowd of about 1,000 people for more than an hour, telling them to “keep your support system tight” and also warning about keeping safe from STDs.

“Thank you to all my favorite peep guests who came out to support me. I appreciate it. I love you so much. Hope you had a beautiful time,” she said. “Y’all be safe whatever y’all get into tonight. Boys –- strap it up. Ladies –- strap it up.”

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ETA

I would also like to add that she denied it later on, so until she decides to let us in we can just speculate, I am still thinking she is, though it may be cause she's HOT!

[Parker]

Originally Posted by The_Lady_Snow

I believe Queen Latifah came out in May of 2012 at Long Beach Pride. I remember it cause it was a big deal when it happened, I was like you didn't know?

"At the 2012 Long Beach Pride event in California last weekend, the 42-year-old award-winning singer, rapper and actress officially came out as gay.

“Y’all my peeps (people),” she said, referring to the LGBT community. “I love you!”

The Queen performed to a crowd of about 1,000 people for more than an hour, telling them to “keep your support system tight” and also warning about keeping safe from STDs.

“Thank you to all my favorite peep guests who came out to support me. I appreciate it. I love you so much. Hope you had a beautiful time,” she said. “Y’all be safe whatever y’all get into tonight. Boys –- strap it up. Ladies –- strap it up.”

-------------------------------------------



ETA

I would also like to add that she denied it later on, so until she decides to let us in we can just speculate, I am still thinking she is, though it may be cause she's HOT!

I thought she came out as well, but several (gay) people on my FB said she never *actually* came out, she just danced around it - and "Y'all my peeps!" could mean she is gay or it could mean she just loves "the gays" - celebs like, oh hell, what's her name ... Kathy Griffin! - she says shit like that all the time.

I dont know - we all know she's gay, so maybe she doesnt have to say the actual words...



eta: as to your eta - I think she's hot as well - especially when she is belting out some jazz.

[ProfPacker]

Thank you, Martina. This point about rewriting history is an important one. I teach on Staten Island and one of the assignments I give my social work students is to create the history of Staten Island that is not in the history books. The are always amazed the Native people occupied Staten Island before the Dutch and proud, mind you, that the first brewery in the colonies was Staten Island. Not sure which fact these kids were more enamored with, lol

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by femmepacker

Thank you, Martina. This point about rewriting history is an important one. I teach on Staten Island and one of the assignments I give my social work students is to create the history of Staten Island that is not in the history books. The are always amazed the Native people occupied Staten Island before the Dutch and proud, mind you, that the first brewery in the colonies was Staten Island. Not sure which fact these kids were more enamored with, lol

Not to mention that we are still raising kids in this country to believe that the generous Pilgrims sat down with the uncivilized "natives" and had a big, happy Thanksgiving dinner with a biggo punkin' pieeeeee.

No mention of the deaths, rapes, and homes destroyed.

And my eyes roll so hard in the back of my head when I read the fictitious accounts of Custer's Last Stand that I think I can see my brain stem.

[ProfPacker]

Or the boarding schools for Native children to "tae the savage out of them". We can go on and on. In a sense, that is why I think we have to be careful about our response to the Grammy's... do we want it said of the dominant class... of course they supported same-sex marriage ....look what they did at the Grammy's. So, lets see and, as always I ask myself what I need to do to go out of my comfort zone... to make change.
I wondered how the child of a heterosexual couple would have viewed it... because my kid did not feel it rang bells. So lets say being human is confusing

[Selenay]

Originally Posted by femmepacker

Or the boarding schools for Native children to "tae the savage out of them". We can go on and on. In a sense, that is why I think we have to be careful about our response to the Grammy's... do we want it said of the dominant class... of course they supported same-sex marriage ....look what they did at the Grammy's. So, lets see and, as always I ask myself what I need to do to go out of my comfort zone... to make change.
I wondered how the child of a heterosexual couple would have viewed it... because my kid did not feel it rang bells. So lets say being human is confusing

As a queer 20-something raised by two straight people, I saw a lot of white straight faces in that marriage ceremony and that didn't really super thrill me when the whole thing was supposed to be about acceptance and tolerance and GAYMCA pride.

[*Anya*]

5.8.2013

BY STACY LAMBE

How a straight white rapper from Seattle wrote hip-hop’s first gay anthem.

"...Asked what served as his inspiration for “Same Love,” he hangs his head and thinks for a moment. “I knew I wanted to write a song about gay rights, about marriage equality, and about homophobia in hip-hop, but I didn’t know how to do it,” he says. “I tried, at first, writing from the perspective of a gay, bullied kid. That’s what sparked the song in the first place: reading the story of a 13-year-old who committed suicide.”

It was at that point that Lewis intervened, pushing the rapper to write a personal narrative instead. The result was an account of Macklemore’s struggle with his own sexuality as a kid.

Both he and Lewis grew up surrounded by gay adults. Lewis’s uncle is gay and has been living with HIV for 30 years. “Growing up with a gay uncle and having him be a huge part of our family -- I don’t think my parents’ outlook would be the same if it weren’t for him,” Lewis says. “He’s had a strong influence on us throughout the years.” Macklemore was raised in Capitol Hill, a liberal, gay-friendly district of Seattle.

The men closest to him -- his uncle Johnny and his godfather -- are gay. “Where I grew up, there were huge gay pride parades less than a mile away from me,” Macklemore says. “My dad’s best friend was gay. My barber was gay. My uncles owned this restaurant that was a huge magnet for the gay community. My whole upbringing was around gay people.”

Macklemore grew up Catholic, but was questioning his sexuality by the third grade. His mother, a social worker, reassured him that he was straight, but not without encouraging him to take up ballet lessons as a display of solidarity for a classmate who was being bullied. That period of confusion, and his sympathy for his ostracized peer, has stayed with him.

..."

http://www.out.com/entertainment/mus...phop?page=full

[C0LLETTE]

I'm not at all sure that we were the target audience for that performance or that we are the best arbiters of whether it was successful in achieving any goals, assuming it had some. But if it made a lot of straight people feel more comfy and better than they once did about queers and gay marriage, I'm ok with that. And I don't care if it gets to them sub their limin, delivered by the organ grinder's monkey; it does appear that it is getting there.

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Medusa

Not to mention that we are still raising kids in this country to believe that the generous Pilgrims sat down with the uncivilized "natives" and had a big, happy Thanksgiving dinner with a biggo punkin' pieeeeee.

No mention of the deaths, rapes, and homes destroyed.

And my eyes roll so hard in the back of my head when I read the fictitious accounts of Custer's Last Stand that I think I can see my brain stem.

I realize this is slightly off-topic, but your post reminded me of a thread I saw today in Facebook where people were discussing Macklemore's claims that he wanted to say something in his acceptance speech about how Kendrick should have won, but he froze. Some people asked if they all were being hard on the guy and in response, another person posted this YouTube clip of Marlon Brando's refusal, via Sacheen Littlefeather, the President of the National Native American Affirmative Image Commity, to accept his Oscar in 1973.

[ProfPacker]

Originally Posted by Parker

I realize this is slightly off-topic, but your post reminded me of a thread I saw today in Facebook where people were discussing Macklemore's claims that he wanted to say something in his acceptance speech about how Kendrick should have won, but he froze. Some people asked if they all were being hard on the guy and in response, another person posted this YouTube clip of Marlon Brando's refusal, via Sacheen Littlefeather, the President of the National Native American Affirmative Image Commity, to accept his Oscar in 1973.

thank you and wow, little different than today where we think we make a statement but it riddled by so many rules and regulations. I wonder who would have made a statement like that after Broke Back Mountain?

[julieisafemme]

Macklemore is an ally in my book. I like the song and him as an ally because it obviously comes from a personal place because his uncle is gay.

My kid loves that song because it makes her feel proud that someone is talking about these things who is very popular and on the radio. I guess it is some kind of validation for her about our family.

The Grammy performance was awful. Mary Lambert was pushed to the side. At one point Macklemore stood directly in front of her like she was some kind of backup singer. Not cool! She was the only out queer on the stage! Madonna was sooooo bad I could hardly stand it. Queen Laitifah is welcome to not discuss her sexuality publicly but I would have rather seen an out queer in her place. The whole marriage thing was really over the top for me and it was annoying that straight people were included.

[GeeGina]

While I echo the author's point about "not needing straight boys to validate her existence" Macklemore's getting a few more of them on board won't hurt, either. The rights we're all fighting for aren't going to magically appear and the more sincere allies we have on our side the better, no matter how naive , sheltered, or privileged their viewpoint.

The MORE straight people who see OUR love as decent, genuine, and comparable to theirs means more people seeing our lives in the same light. That means more people refusing to accept offenses against us, less harassment when we express affection in public, more sympathy while we fight for our right to equal protection under the law, and more people who simply believe that no one is free unless everyone is free.

How can that be bad? We need a big tent people. One bitchy, self righteous queer columnist ain't taking us to the mountaintop. Macklemore's in a position of power and influence and on our side. Why not cut the guy a break?

Also, she's dead wrong about hip-hop culture not being homophobic and anyone calling it out as racism. Anyone remember Busta Rhymes? Or Eminem? I do. More to the point, despite their leading role in the Civil Rights Movement, black churches from coast-to-coast STILL struggle with endorsing rights for LGBT people of any color. Many do not see our struggle in the same lights as theirs - and it was the single biggest reason why President Obama supported civil unions, and NOT same-sex marriage during his presidential campaign. He needed their votes.

Lastly, I'm reminded of a passage in "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" when, while speaking at Harvard, a white female student asked sincerely if there was any thing she could do to help the civil rights cause...and Malcolm X said "Nothing" and walked away. He later wrote that he regretted that - denying a sincere person a chance to do the right thing and help the larger cause (BTW...him telling the student there was nothing she could do made the movie...but his regret later didn't).

I did think the mass marriage was a stunt, and it made me uncomfortable.

[fatallyblonde]

I'm not gonna spend a lot of time speechifying... just that I am friggin sick to death of straight white men being celebrated... wrong on so many levels not just cos he's a straight dude but he appropriates rap music and has ripped off black rap artists... he gets celebrated disproportionately in his favour for saying the same things actual gay people and black people have said a bazillion times already... and as a man is definitely celebrated above women. Yet somehow he's revolutionary for saying it? Gimme a break. The problem is severely institutionalised but he's not helping by taking the glory. BLERG.

[fatallyblonde]

and yes I agree with that excellent article posted. beyonce rules, macklemore drools.

so fascinating a white straight bro can be salivated over for one condescending 'ho ho I guess you gays are okay' whilst black queer rape artists go completely ignored and have been so for yeaaaaaaars...
wait, no, not fascinating... that other thing... offensive.

[ProfPacker]

This morning while showering, I was thinking about this discussion and, again, wondering about my flat response. I remembered another comment that my daughter said that gave me some insight into her experience as a daughter of a lesbian headed household. She said
"So, what happens when these couples go back to places where their marriage sis not legal". So, Justice Kennedy you did correctly speak to the effects of children regarding dicriminatory practices. What was her experience when as a7 year old at the time on NY she came home and said "you live like you care married but so and socsaid girls can't marry each other" for a while (now this is hindsight) I realize there was a drop in inviting friends over. Or recently, because we are in NJ and separated prior to marriage being legal here, we separated. She never talks about it as a divorce because it was not legal, although to me I perceive it as a divorce, etc. So her narrative concerning the show was colored by life experiences which were colored by living I. A family that was discriminated against. When She was 13 and we put in the paperworkcfor a sibling from China, what was it like for her to recognize that her country of origin would not recognize our family and by collusion, our country wouldn't and I had to "disappear" for the homestudy, etc.
Wow, one event on TV gave me a greater window into her experiences than would have scone from "a big talk"
Btw, in a strange way, ABC family is opening up the dialogue for families much more than one event. I amazed at how (and more than Modern Family, which is satirical) the dialogue with my 15 year old is opening up because her experience is being mirrored in this show. She talks of how and how not she identifies. It was also gratmfor me to see that when one of the characters was presented she said "he's trans" and talked about constructs of identity so easily and with empathy regarding a process. Why aren't the fb boards lighting up about this? Because it is a Disney show and I get that adults only watch Disney under duress...I do and sometimes I am surprised as to what is on.

[silkepus]

I agree 100% with fattalyblonde, I absolutely cant stand this song. I've been avoiding it for so long but there just is no escape is there.

This is our anthem? Really? Did we have a vote because I was not in on this decision.

This is just the new trendy social cause that’s all it is. It’s for straight people to pat themselves on the back because now they can’t be homophobic because they listen to same love- go them yay! (I do actually know someone who insists they are not homophobic because they liked this song while at the same time says things like "I don’t mind gay people, as long as they don’t do it in public").

I think what irks me most about this is no one else could have made a song like that and actually gotten noticed. It’s because he is a straight white male that makes it all ok. Gay rights and hip hop is fine and all- just don’t make it too gay or too black. I feel like it just shows how far we have to go. When a queer person can be openly gay and sing about homophobia and still get this kind of attention, I'll cheer a bit more than I am now.

And that doesn’t mean I have something against him in particular, he didn’t choose for his song to hit of. It’s the culture we live in that jumps on any chance to celebrate a SWM for doing things people who have actually suffered from said oppression has been doing for years.

For me this just adds on the list of what I don’t like about popular mainstream culture.

[Julie]

Personally - ME speaking.
I am happy the song is out there. I wish it was a queer person who wrote and performed it. I wish it was a queer person who received the publicity. But it was not.

I believe the song hit home to a lot of people. Opening the eyes of many. It played on radio stations around the world. Why would this be bad?

I am not going to get into whether he should have won or not. If he is straight or gay. For me, and this is ME. I am glad and grateful the song is out there. We need straight allies and regardless if he made money on our backs or not. He had the voice to spread a message. I would have preferred Mary Lambert "She keeps me warm."

As far as the people who were married. I was a little annoyed at seeing the straight people being wed. The song played was "Same Love." That bothered me more than anything.

[~baby~doll~]

Though i find it hard to take seriously anyone who is not of a specific community creating a so called anthem it needs to be done. Their voice will rise above those who belong to the underprivileged community.
As LGBT our voice is generally weak. In all media we fall short. In publishing few book stores carry many of the titles we would find of interest. i'm sure many of us here don't know all the LGBT authors we could be supporting and reading. We read James Patterson instead of trying Katherine V Forrest because we see the TV ads for Patterson books.
The song I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry (2008) is an example of the weakness of our voice.
In 1995 Jill Sobule Released I Kissed a Girl it's popularity was minimal by comparison to the Katy Perry release.
Different songs one made a huge splash one didn't. Straight vs Gay.
We all know our society is based on straight privilege. It is what it is.

We need the straight community to support our cause. We do not have the numbers, which would force change. This is a sad truth. Macklemore is a voice crying out and adds to the number's who will support our cause. This is a good thing for us.

As an anthem i can find so many better tunes.

Just off the top of my head i can think of two by an out lesbian Catie Curtis.





It makes me sad her songs do not reach deeply into the straight community who's support we need to change the world.