11/18/2005
Kanye West Revisits Homophobia
Lloyd Grove reports on a Kanye West interview with King magazine in which he discusses his ongoing relationship with homophobia, a topic he spoke out against earlier this year. He says speaking out against homophobia was scarier than calling George Bush a racist:
"I'm still trying to get over my own homophobia. I still wouldn't feel comfortable at a gay bar. I wouldn't go to a gay parade. I don't know if I'm in favor of gay marriage or not. People said to me, 'Were you scared of speaking out against George Bush?' No. The bravest thing I did this year was speaking out against homophobia. That's a scarier topic, because if you bring it up, people think you must be gay. But you don't have to be gay to not gay-bash. We're a very close-minded people."
West recalls that it was a homophobic incident he was involved in with another rapper that woke him up to his own bigotry: "We started rhyming about beating up gays right in front of him. .. People always say, 'Kanye's conscious, Kanye's conscious' - well, my conscience kicked in, and it said, 'Yo, that was kinda wack.' Things have been clicking ever since. I found out my cousin was gay years ago, and even just dealing with my interior decorator, having to travel with him, I've had to deal with issues. There was a point I wouldn't even get in the car with him 'cause I didn't want people to see me with a gay person. I didn't want it to hurt my career."
Will somebody please take Kanye to a gay bar?
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Thank You, Kanye West [tr]
Posted 9:37 AM EST by Andy Towle in Music | Permalink
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Brave? Why is he all of a sudden this humble bleeding heart because he has a simple conscious? Something the majority of us are born with.
I don't know about this guy. It kind of reeks of publicity stunting. Are we supposed to giggle with girlish delight at this guy and sashay our diesel covered asses out to buy his records now that he is attempting to understand us?
Sorry for the bitterness, I'm just a little skeptical at people glorifying themselves because they simply speak out against hatrted.
Posted by: Damien | Nov 18, 2005 10:13:41 AM
Curious what your reaction would be if Jake Gyllenhaal made similar comments...
Seems to me Kanye is just being honest, which is quite refreshing. I think if he were glorifying himself, then he would do something like perform on MTV with, oh say, Elton John or someone.
Kanye is hardly asking to be applauded for this, nor is he asking to become the latest gay icon. Gays are always demanding that everyone accept them, well here is someone who is genuinely trying.
Sorry for your bitterness.
Posted by: Jay | Nov 18, 2005 11:07:17 AM
I have to side with jay over damien....
Very well said JAY
Posted by: Jimmy | Nov 18, 2005 11:14:30 AM
I disagree with Jay and Jimmy. Kanye is still a homophobe and it doesn't make it okay simply because he's willing to talk about it. He won't attend a gay parade? He won't go to a gay bar? He won't get in a car with his interior designer because he doesn't want people to see him with a gay person?? He's an asshole, and you're giving him license just because he's calling himself an asshole to the media. An asshole is STILL an asshole, anyway you turn him over.
If he really wants to make a difference then he should go to a gay bar. He should spend more time with this gay cousin he keeps talking about, and he should make a concious effort to change HIS beliefs and attitudes instead of preaching to the media about what a homophobe he is.
So if I go to the media and tell them that I've realized I'm a racist, that I can't get into cars with black people or go to a Kanye West concert because he's black, that makes it alright? As long as I admit it then it's fine?? I think that's a load of shit.
Posted by: Wayne | Nov 18, 2005 11:48:28 AM
i don't know anything about this guy's music, but good for him for recognizing his own homophobia and trying to correct it. doesn't seem like a PR thing either.....since he certainly risks losing fans among his core base.
glorifying himself? hardly, he is admitting to personal flaws.
Posted by: jon | Nov 18, 2005 11:49:40 AM
I appreciate his comments, knowing that it is very hard to address homophobia when the environment you work in is directed more towards the urban and not the artsy. It is a shame that... I just... don't think Kayne West has any real talent, other than to pull off a really good visual impersonation of Lenny Kravitz. I listened to him perform on SNL a while back, and ended up muting the segment until he was done. Kind of struck me as a rap version of Lou Bega. Very misogynistic. Very dated. Very irritating.
Posted by: Rad | Nov 18, 2005 11:50:25 AM
I don't think Kanye should have to immerse himself in gay culture to facilitate understanding and acceptance.
Personally, I'd prefer that rappers, whether they are of the Kanye West variety or the 50 Cent variety not speak on homosexuality, period. I don't feel like I need his support anymore than I need another rapper's bashing.
Posted by: nOva | Nov 18, 2005 11:57:59 AM
is gay the new bling?
Posted by: PopMuse.com | Nov 18, 2005 12:00:02 PM
...perhaps the only good that may come of this is recognizing (finally) how rampant homophobia is in the hip hop community...Regardless of what people feel of West, the dialogue has begun.
I can only imagine how difficult it is to be gay in the black community when there is such bravado and machismo between men, with the implication of being "less than" if you're black and gay.
Posted by: midnight lounge | Nov 18, 2005 12:02:40 PM
Hell, I don't like most gay bars. Bravo to Kanye for letting the public hear about his changing ideas and relationships to gay folks.
Posted by: busytimmy | Nov 18, 2005 12:16:02 PM
What a tolerant bunch we are...Are only certain types of people now allowed to speak on homosexuality?
Kanye's talent notwithstanding, he is talking about a topic that is still taboo among much of his core fan base. As much as it may irritate some Towleroad readers, he is quite influential with many young people.
I hope he continues to speak on the subject, and I certainly do hope he visits a gay bar, spends more time with his gay cousin and further breaks down the walls of homophobia, particularly in the black community. We'll see.
Posted by: Jay | Nov 18, 2005 12:22:57 PM
Kanye should take a page from Diddy's book, and invest in a homosexual-sized glove compartment.
Portable fags! Yay!
Posted by: spazmo | Nov 18, 2005 12:26:55 PM
i couldnt be bothered to care about some talentless "musician"'s personal issues who will be forgotten in a couple years
Posted by: mac | Nov 18, 2005 12:55:49 PM
Does anybody know who Kanye's interior designer is?
Posted by: Austin | Nov 18, 2005 2:01:06 PM
It's not the sex; it's our lack of status. Most heteros are afraid to be associated with us poor oppressed gays because the consensus is that we just don't count.
Most US rap stars have spent the last decade boring us all to tears with their I want to be rich/successful/rich/powerful/rich/respected schtick. Consciously and unconsciously, gays represent a powerful threat to that myth, because apparently we represent weakness, failure and social opprobrium.
It's ironic, isn't it? Too bad Kanye can't see that. He doesn't want a faggot in his car because a faggot means he's weak. The sad part it that he doesn't seem to be aware that being afraid of what other people think of him is his real weakness.
Kanye’s conscience tells him that its all bullshit, wow great; now he should pay a little more attention to his heart's telling him, too.
Posted by: fastlad | Nov 18, 2005 2:14:50 PM
his comments would be more meaningful if he wasnt so damn proud of himself for saying them. his ego casts suspicion on not only their sincerity but the substance of them. he acts as if gays are lepers. i bet some of his buds are gay and he doesnt even know it. what if someone said the same thing about african-americans-- can you imagine? none of us should be applauding him.
Posted by: jakejustice | Nov 18, 2005 2:19:40 PM
How nice for Kanye. Maybe I can get together with him and discuss how I'm afraid to get in a car with black people because I don't want to be seen with them. Or go into a bar full of black people. Or walk down the street at night with black people out of fear they will rob me.
There, I feel so much better getting that off my chest, now love me for it!
Posted by: marvin | Nov 18, 2005 2:21:26 PM
I totally hear you Jay, I think the anti-West responses would be flipped if it was Gyllenhaal.
Sorry Wayne if he doesn't like pride parades. I hardly like going to them either. Most of the floats have nothing but overworked, twink muscled boys dancing in bikinis. :) And I feel the acceptance as I have my ass gripped 10 times in one night.
Sorry if he doesn't like to go to gay bars. Quite frankly, as a black gay teen, I hate going their too. Most of the guys there are white looking to hangout, talk, date and have sex with other white guys. The only times I'll ever get any attention or conversation is when I go to an exclusive club or bar dedicated towards gay black men who are into gay black men. I honestly doubt its because of homophobia in the black community.
Kanye said that he simply didn't feel comfortable because it would hurt his career. Wayne, please, most people are afraid of getting in the same bus with gay people and their careers have nothing to do with publicity. The damn man is acknowledging his own prejudices and saying it needs to change.
Posted by: Damon | Nov 18, 2005 2:24:12 PM
In total agreement, Damon. I totally think that if Kanye West were white, the posters on here would be falling all over themselves to praise him for being so open-minded. Whenever I hear gay guys bitching and asking "Why are black people so homophobic?" I wonder whether they ever stop to listen to and look at themselves and wonder why are white gay men so racist-seriously, ya'll. It only seems that black people exist for gay men to use as an example to get their own way and then to bash when they talk too much. It's pathetic and a bunch of these posts are just reinforcing that view.
Posted by: Charles | Nov 18, 2005 2:39:34 PM
>>I didn't want it to hurt my career."
This malevolent bastard was more worried about his career than the rights and feelings of other human beings. I strongly suspect his issues with homophobia are strictly business related.
He needs to get his ass kicked by a group of Drag Queens.
Posted by: Jay Croce | Nov 18, 2005 2:52:39 PM
"This malevolent bastard was more worried about his career than the rights and feelings of other human beings."
Well, hate to break it to you, but *most* people are more concerned with themselves and their careers than with the other people's rights and feelings. Sucks, but there it is.
Posted by: cl | Nov 18, 2005 3:04:45 PM
Thanks Charles.
Exactly. Its situations like these where I honestly question my "loyality" towards the gay community. I've been to about 5 gay sites dedicated towards dating(andor)hooking up and in the majority of profiles I mostly see, this comes up...
"No fats, fems, or blacks."
"No Asians, blacks, old guys, fems, or fatties."
"No black or asians, sorry, just my preference."
"Only into whites/hisp"
"No black guys. Sorry, just not what I'm into sexually."
"GWM is what I'm mostly into but if your hot and hispanic, thats cool too."
When I came out, it was like a dream come true, but when I honestly started exploring what was on the other side of the fence...
Posted by: Damon | Nov 18, 2005 3:27:20 PM
I applaud Kanye for speaking out but he does seem a little egotistical about it. How many other rappers have stepped up? None that I know of who are mainstream. Let a positive be a positive.
In regards to Damon's statements about dating profiles, I also see the same thing on many black profiles. "Black or Hispanic only." "No Whites." I understand that sometimes it can make you mad. It does to me too when I see a hot black, hispanic etc. profile that reads exclusion. But on the other hand, we all are allowed preferences. If not, we would be forced to date chicks. :)
Posted by: John | Nov 18, 2005 6:55:40 PM
I wonder what is so difficult to accept a gay person. Perhaps is because like me the experience was not a pleasant one.
After 7 years with a black guy and a terrible break up, I can't stand black people.
I don't like to deal with them or see myself with them.
Nevertheless I leave them alone and hope they leave me alone.
Live and let live.
Posted by: Oscar Gomez-Montes | Nov 18, 2005 7:36:33 PM
Charles,
I am hardly a racist. My post had nothing to do with whether Kanye was white or black or any other color of the rainbow. I questioned his motives for speaking out. I don't think they are genuine. Period. Regardless of his race. I would have reasoned the same way if Jake G. said the same thing. It's people like you that play right into the hands of the racism machine. Just because Kanye is black I cannot question his motives? Questioning Kanye's purpose can hardly be compared to hatred towards african americans.
and to address Damon's comments, who cares if someone prefers asians over blacks. tops over bottoms. a personal preference in men is hardly a reason to sound the racial alarm. I mean, we all prefer men over women, does that make us misogynists? Hardly. On the same token, the majority of us turn our noses up towards older aging men. That doesn't make us ageists either. Sexual preference is completely different than hate. I refused to be sterotyped as a racist simply because I don't think a person's motives are genuine.
Posted by: damien | Nov 18, 2005 7:56:10 PM