Tag: Homophobia

Whiteface causes a stir

Azealia Banks is at the center of another racially charged controversy after posting a picture of herself being transformed into an ice princess for a new music video and tagging it “#WhiteFace.” Later explaining herself on Twitter, the outspoken rapper created a firestorm.

In recent months, Banks has frequently made headlines with her Twitter rants about everything from the Bill Cosby rape allegations to slave reparations. She’s repeatedly slammed Iggy Azalea, called out Kendrick Lamar, and generally been a lightning rod for debates about race and society. On Monday, she decided to post her “whiteface” photo. People got upset. Banks took to Twitter:

Lol u crackers wish I cared enough to be doing whiteface. I’m becoming the ICE PRINCESS YAAAAAAS. I use the word crAcker just as much as I use the word n*gger… Don’t get mad now… You lot are all so easily moved… DAMN… Yall really r hype. This is not white face this is my Ice Princess makeup. Calm tf down LOL… And sidebar.. When snoop did whiteface YALL all thought that sh*t was hilarious and funny right? #MISOGYNOIR at its finest!!

Banks then turned her attention to what she claims are the media’s constant, wrong accusations of homophobia. Here’s what she had to say about that:

Gay media has to stop using homophobia as a means to try and victimize itself and scar the names of its opponents… Phobia would imply that I am scared of gay men or dislike them because of what they choose to do sexually… I promise, no one gives a f*ck what u decide to do in your private lives. But I also promise, that no matter how bitchy and clever you think you are.. That I will out-bitch you… But I’m just going to ignore yall from here on out cause YALL are really just reaching and looking for any reason to insert ur selves In the Azealia Banks story.

Banks concluded by declaring, “The gay white media is so evil, ugly and delusional.”

Chad outlaws homosexuality

Chad looks set to become the 37th country in Africa to outlaw homosexuality after government ministers voted to make same-sex relations a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The decision, yet to be ratified by the country’s president, was condemned by human rights groups as another setback in the struggle for gay rights on the continent. Chad’s penal code is more than half a century old and does not explicitly mention homosexuality.

But section 361 of a draft new code states the punishment for anyone who has sexual intercourse with someone of the same sex is 15 to 20 years in jail and a fine of 50,000-500,000 Central African francs (£60-£600), according to a document seen by Agence France-Presse.

The cabinet claims that the measure is intended to “protect the family and to comply with Chadian society”. It will go before MPs and President Idriss Déby to be rubber-stamped.

The new penal code also abolishes the death penalty, more than a decade after the last execution of prisoners, a move welcomed by activists.

The reform of the penal code had been in preparation for 10 years but the question of homosexuality, while considered immoral, had never been a public issue in Chad.

The development is a reaction against colonial mores in Africa. Some observers believe it has been a response to the increased visibility and assertiveness of gay lifestyles and politics in Africa.

Although US evangelical Christians have been blamed for instigating anti-gay legislation in Uganda, same-sex relations are illegal in 36 of the continent’s 54 countries, according to Amnesty International, and punishable by death in many.

Last month the Gambia passed a bill imposing life imprisonment for “aggravated homosexuality” relating to repeat offenders and people living with HIV/Aids. The Gambia’s president, Yahya Jammeh, has previously told gay men and lesbians to leave the country or risk beheading.

Uganda recently imposed penalties for the “promotion of homosexuality”, including life sentences for various same sex acts. The law was struck down by judges on a technicality but is expected to be reintroduced by MPs.

In January, the Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, signed into law a bill criminalising same-sex “amorous relationships” and membership of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights groups.

Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean president, regularly attacks gay people in speeches and recently said he resented western aid because it depended on conditions such as accepting homosexuality.

FIFA 2014: Monkey chants,bananas and homophobia

During a training session with the Spanish national team in 2004, the Spanish national coach Luis Aragonés was recorded by a Spanish TV crew referring to French soccerplayer Thierry Henry as a “black piece of s***” to José Antonio Reyes, Henry’s Arsenal teammate.

That experience, however, is not his alone. In fact, West Ham United players Clyde Best and Ade Coker were subjected to monkey chants when they were playing soccer during the 1960s, 40 years earlier. The chants have continued, and players, such as Jozy Altidore and Danny Alves, have inherited this treatment.

Many believe that thirst for justice will go unquenched and racism will persist.

Racism has given way to a spout of homophobia: Mexico’s fans harmonized a chant, singing “puto” during two recent matches when Mexico was pitted against Cameroon and Brazil.

HBO’s “Real Sports,” hosted by Bryant Gumbel, aired an episode in April, entitled “Soccer Racism.” The episode reported on the frequent displays of racism in European football, which have gone to show the “ugly side of a beautiful game.” Several black soccer players spoke about it.

Sometimes slang for “fag” or “man whore” or “coward,” the word being used during Mexican soccer matches only dates back to 2003, which discredits the usage as a tradition. FIFA, which isn’t a fan of inflammatory remarks, has launched an investigation to examine Mexican fans’ use of “puto.”

Giovanni Marti from FIFA’s Media Department encourages individuals and groups to submit any evidence in their possession with regard to discriminatory behavior for the analysis and consideration of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.

While it’s too early to know how FIFA plans to handle Mexico’s fans, if history is any indicator, little may be done. Though, if they were looking to make an example of a team, it’d more likely be Mexico than a European team. But, why punish Mexico now and not 10 years ago when the word first came into rotation?

And with 2018’s World Cup taking place in Russia, a country that known for its anti-black sentiment, many wonder if banana tossing and monkey cries will persist.

Source: latinpost.com