Huge barriers were broken when Moonlight, a film featuring with Black gay men, won the 2017 Academy Award for Best Picture. Not only was it a win for the African American community but it was also a huge win for the LGBT community. I invited three of Atlanta’s most affluent, successful and single Black gay men to rolling out studios to discuss their opinion on the film and also their outlooks on how the African American community has changed in the way it embraces homosexuality.
The diversity of my subjects is a testament to the apparent progression over the last decade. Laban King is a 2017 mayoral candidate for the city of Atlanta and Tyai Green is running for city council. Both men are openly gay and were happy to discuss how their ability to run for public office is relatively new. Bentley Didier is one of Atlanta’s premiere new entertainment publicists working with key talent and hosting red carpets throughout the city. While all three men agreed there have been huge strides made in establishing equality, their depiction of the African American community and its inability to include the LGBT community is less than impressive.
Most importantly, King, Green and Didier were candid about their experiences growing up and becoming comfortable in their own skin as gay Black men living in Atlanta, what some would consider the Black gay mecca of the United States. The three men discuss dating, making political strides and difficulty establishing themselves.
After the break, see part 1 of this series and be sure to leave comments.
