FEATURE
The Stonewall Warriors march in the Boston Pride Parade to call much-needed attention to the issue of poverty, particularly as it affects queer people of color. Credit: Marilyn Humphries.
WAGING BATTLES To eliminate poverty in the LGBTQ community a comprehensive strategy is needed. By
Jose Abrigo
Since coming out as transgender, Caitlyn Jenner has come under fire numerous times by LGBTQ activists for her political views. Jenner’s stance on social welfare and her continuing support of Ted Cruz stand in stark contrast to the crushing poverty and discrimination faced by the majority of the trans community. While Jenner has contributed immensely to transgender visibility, her position of privilege and the views she espouses present a dangerous image that masks the reality for a large segment of the LGBTQ community, particularly queer and gender-nonconforming people of color. Many LGBTQ people live in poverty. It is time that they become more visible, and that their issues receive the same national attention as marriage equality.
98 | Boston Pride 2016
A pervasive stereotype of the gay community is that it is an affluent group. A recent study by The Williams Institute reveals that most people perceive the LGBTQ community as gay, young, childless, white men. This false stereotype is perpetuated and bolstered by and through media images. Jenner is the latest in a long line of highly visible queer celebrities who shape the national conversation and focus of LGBTQ issues. Tim Cook of Apple, Chris Hughes of Facebook, Dustin Lance Black, Ellen DeGeneres, and Neil Patrick Harris are some of the most visible gay and lesbian figures in the media. Unfortunately, current conversations ignore a crucial issue affecting our community: because of discrimination, a large percentage of our community lives in or near poverty. In order to address the issues surrounding LGBTQ poverty our focus needs to shift.
