The UK National Union of Students has passed a policy which means that white gay men must stop appropriating black female culture.
It is being reported that delegates at the Women’s Conference today passed a motion makes it against policy to snap, click or sashay away, or generally act in any way that can be attributed to black women.
Submitted by the NUS LGBT Committee the motion reads:
503: ‘Dear White Gay Men: Stop Approprirating [sic] Black Women’.
The appropriation of Black women by white gay men is prevalent within the LGBT scene and community.
- This may be manifested in the emulation of the mannerisms, language (particularly AAVE- African American Vernacular English) and phrases that can be attributed to Black women. White gay men may often assert that they are “strong black women” or have an “inner black woman”.
- White gay men are the dominant demographic within the LGBT community, and they benefit from both white privilege and male privilege.
- The appropriation of Black women by white gay men has been written about extensively. This quote is taken from Sierra Mannie’s TIME piece entitled: “Dear white gays, stop stealing Black Female culture”:
“You are not a black woman, and you do not get to claim either blackness or womanhood. There is a clear line between appreciation and appropriation. I need some of you to cut it the hell out. Maybe, for some of you, it’s a presumed mutual appreciation for Beyoncé and weaves that has you thinking that I’m going to be amused by you approaching me in your best “Shanequa from around the way” voice. I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t care how well you can quote Madea, who told you that your booty was getting bigger than hers, how cute you think it is to call yourself a strong black woman, who taught you to twerk, how funny you think it is to call yourself Quita or Keisha or for which black male you’ve been bottoming — you are not a black woman, and you do not get to claim either blackness or womanhood. It is not yours. It is not for you.”
The conference, believes, that “This type of appropriation is unacceptable and must be addressed.
“Low numbers of Black LGBT women delegates attend NUS LGBT conference. This can be attributed to many factors, one of which may be the prevalent appropriation by white gay men, which may mean that delegates do not feel comfortable or safe attending conference.”
In a second motion they passed the banning of cross-dressing or drag due the offence it could cause trans women.
Speaking to GayStarNews about the policies a spokeswoman said, “We’re a democratic society, and if members voted for it, these are our policies”.
