Dangerous Liaisons: Blacks, Gays, and the Struggle for Equality

Many gays and lesbians have suffered from oppression in the United States; so have many African Americans. But their mutual suffering has not necessarily led to sympathy and collaboration: witness the sharp protests among some black leaders when queer activists compare their struggle to the civil rights movement, or the subtle exclusion of gays and lesbians of color from some activist organizations. The essays in Dangerous Liaisons all stem from the premise that this division is counterproductive in combating both racism and homophobia. Contributors include Henry Louis Gates Jr., Audre Lorde, Cornel West, and Samuel Delany. Jewelle Gomez describes the ways in which her acceptance in the black community has often been predicated upon suppressing her lesbianism, while Martin Duberman describes his experiences researching and writing his biography of Paul Robeson. In all these essays runs an undercurrent that Barbara Smith makes explicit: "All of the aspects of who I am are crucial, indivisible, and pose no inherent conflict."