Jussie Smollett’s overturned conviction, still challenges Black queer representation in media
a report from The Williams Institute at UCLA, 42% of LGBT adults in the United States are people of color, with 12% of those adults identifying as Black.
That same report detailed that 38% of Black LGBT adults identify as men, compared to 61% who identify as women.Despite representing less than 10% of the LGBT adults in the U.S., our nuanced stories and vibrant culture as Black queer men have been vital in shaping American history.
But Black queer men and our stories unfortunately remain greatly underrepresented in media of all forms—including news coverage, TV, and movies.A high-profile case like Smollett’s left me concerned our community may be generalized by a narrow depiction of us—fueled by often sensational media coverage that didn’t always seem to take into consideration the possible implications of Smollet’s case for the larger Black queer community.
Wedged between racism in LGBTQ spaces and homophobia in Black communities, our contributions as productive members of society don’t shield us from suffering from the assumed sins of one.A post shared by @jussiesmollettBefore leaving the court building the day the charges were dropped in 2019, Smollett gave a statement saying, “I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one.
