Conclusion
This paper has explored how black LGBT individuals’ racial and sexual identities affect their perception of the legalization of same-sex marriage. Previously, black LGBT identity and its salience hierarchy have been understood to be organized in a linear fashion, with their racial identity as primary and all else tertiary to it. Scholars have argued that this unconditional prioritizing of the racial identity among black LGBTs occur due to their resentment towards the mainstream LGBT community as well as fear of or reluctance to challenge prevalent homophobic, anti-LGBT sentiments in the black community (Loicano 1989; Hunter 2013; Harris and Battle 2013). However, I have suggested that black LGBTs actively manage their identity salience hierarchy to make sense of the impact of same-sex marriage on their …show more content…
First, as mentioned above, the black LGBT identity and identity salience hierarchy is not fixed. Second, while black LGBT individuals may feel isolated from both their racial and LGBT communities (Nagel 2009; Hunter 2013 ), it does not necessarily mean that they are isolated, hopelessly longing for a sense of belongingness and acceptance from these communities. Rather, they seek to build solidarity with their primary identity group (black) through strategic managements of their identities that makes their sexual identity more visible. This allows them to promote a better understanding of LGBT identity and sexuality in the community while reaffirming their “insider” status around the racial identity (Moore 2010 ). Thus, the identity process apparent in the ways in which black LGBT persons perform in interpreting the impact of the legalization of same-sex marriage as shown in the study shows that the black LGBT population understands their intersectional identity positions and statuses and seeks ways to affirm their marginalized identities while not compromising either one of
This paper has explored how black LGBT individuals’ racial and sexual identities affect their perception of the legalization of same-sex marriage. Previously, black LGBT identity and its salience hierarchy have been understood to be organized in a linear fashion, with their racial identity as primary and all else tertiary to it. Scholars have argued that this unconditional prioritizing of the racial identity among black LGBTs occur due to their resentment towards the mainstream LGBT community as well as fear of or reluctance to challenge prevalent homophobic, anti-LGBT sentiments in the black community (Loicano 1989; Hunter 2013; Harris and Battle 2013). However, I have suggested that black LGBTs actively manage their identity salience hierarchy to make sense of the impact of same-sex marriage on their …show more content…
First, as mentioned above, the black LGBT identity and identity salience hierarchy is not fixed. Second, while black LGBT individuals may feel isolated from both their racial and LGBT communities (Nagel 2009; Hunter 2013 ), it does not necessarily mean that they are isolated, hopelessly longing for a sense of belongingness and acceptance from these communities. Rather, they seek to build solidarity with their primary identity group (black) through strategic managements of their identities that makes their sexual identity more visible. This allows them to promote a better understanding of LGBT identity and sexuality in the community while reaffirming their “insider” status around the racial identity (Moore 2010 ). Thus, the identity process apparent in the ways in which black LGBT persons perform in interpreting the impact of the legalization of same-sex marriage as shown in the study shows that the black LGBT population understands their intersectional identity positions and statuses and seeks ways to affirm their marginalized identities while not compromising either one of