“Chapter 1” in “A Resource for Instructors”
Chapter 1
MORE THAN GAY – INTERSECTING IDENTITIES AND NUANCED LIVES
Identity development is a central part of young adult formation. The young Black people who shared their stories in From Jesus to J-Setting are no exception. During this period, young people in general are learning about themselves, questioning societal values, norms, and older adults, as well as attempting to understand their place in the world. Yet most studies on this development process do not consider the experiences of Black youth, in general, and Black young persons with diverse sexual identities, in particular. This potentially challenging developmental period can be more difficult for young people who are navigating social dynamics such as homophobia, heterosexism, stigma and discrimination in families, schools, and the broader society. Chapter 1 focuses on dimensions of identity development, including how young Black members of the LGBTQIA community understand their various identities, some of their trials and triumphs, as well as the possible impact of religion and/or spirituality. Narratives by Jamie, Mannie, Maddie, Dameon, Marlon, and Bertram illumine how the intersections of stigma, discrimination, and other systemic dynamics can affect whether and how persons embrace social identities. The young persons who shared their stories “queer” or question social identities as informed by the backdrop of their religious/spiritual experiences. The chapter also considers whether research instruments like the Gay Identity Questionnaire (GIQ) can be helpful to better understand the experiences of Black sexual minorities.
About Diverse Sexual Identities
Depending on the class composition, it may be helpful to discuss social group designations at the outset. For example, designations such as MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) are common in epidemiological circles. However, some scholars critique binaries and reductionist categorizations. Participants in the book did not seem averse to the concept BMSM (i.e., Black Men who have Sex with Men) as described in the prevention program grant because they had opportunities to self-identify. The majority of individuals did so using concepts such as Black, African American, Hispanic, multi-racial, multi-ethnic, Latinx, transgender, female, male, queer, gay, bisexual, straight, and, in several cases, human. Their self-definitions inform the book. Students will also note the varied terms used to describe the research partners (i.e., Black members of the LGBTQIA community, Black sexual minorities, sexually diverse, individuals, and persons). Just as some scholars find the use of concepts like sexual minorities problematic, others reject categories and labels in general. The goal in the class is not to mis-identity, erase, mis-gender, or essentialize individuals, but rather to document the constellation of concepts used as they describe themselves.
Exercise: Poem, “The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love,” by Sonya Renee Taylor
This is a classroom activity designed to encourage students to consider examples of identity development and self-expression found in the Black LGBTQIA community as well as possible links to the lives and experiences of the young Black people chronicled in From Jesus to J-Setting. Students are expected to have read Chapter 1 in preparation for this class. The exercise can be completed in groups or as an overall class discussion. A link is provided below to the video of the poem recitation. After watching the video as a class, ask students to discuss the poem in light of the discussion prompts below. The poem is considered a rallying cry to empower Black members of the LGBTQIA community, in particular, and individuals and groups that may feel disempowered and marginalized, in general. It is considered a mantra that uplifts positive body images and descries body shaming. Taylor presents a counter-narrative to help listeners understand the innate power in one’s body as well as ways in which certain bodies can/have been devalued and mistreated. The poem encourages unconditional love and appreciation of self and difference.
(“The Body is Not An Apology,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-llcmNI5ZY)
Discussion Prompts
- Sonya Renee Taylor is a writer, poet, spoken word artist, inspirational speaker, social justice activist, educator, and founder of “The Body is Not An Apology” movement. What is her message about valuing oneself and one’s body unapologetically (i.e., “just because”) as well as self-care? What words and phrases from the poem support your observations?
- How would you define self-love (i.e., unconditional love of oneself)? Does the poem suggest that people have to intentionally work at cultivating self-love? How does the poem “queer” or question people who try to prevent others from loving themselves unconditionally? What connections can be made between self-love and the narratives in Chapter 1? Example?
- How might other connections be made between the poem and the narratives from Jamie, Mannie, Maddie, Dameon, Marlon, and Bertram in Chapter 1? Provide a few examples.
- How do Jamie, Mannie, and Maddie “queer” or question social identities? What affirming examples of identity development are offered by Dameon, Marlon, and Bertram?
- Can the Gay Identity Questionnaire (GIQ) be used to potentially understand aspects of the formation process for young Black people in Chapter 1? Why or why not? How might you critique the GIQ?
- What did individuals in Chapter 1 mean by “no more boxes and chains”? How can this statement be associated with identity development for young Black members of the LGBTQIA community? For people in general?
Additional Reading Resources for Chapter 1:
Arnett, Jeffery. 2000. “Emerging Adulthood: A Theory of Development from the Late Teens
Through the Twenties.” American Psychologist 55(5): 469-80.
Coleman R, Wallace J, Means D. 2020. “Questioning a Single Narrative: Multiple Identities
Shaping Black Queer and Transgender Student Retention.” Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory, and Practice I 21(4): 455–75.
Nelson, L. 2020. “The Theory of Emerging Adulthood 20 Years Later: A Look at Where it Has
Taken Us, What We Know Now, and Where We Need to Go.” Sage Publications 1-21.
Wimberly, Anne Streaty. 2005. Keep It Real: Working with Today’s Black Youth. Nashville:
Abingdon.
Wimberly, Anne Streaty, Sandra Barnes, and Karma Johnson. 2013. Claiming Hope: Youth
Ministry in the Black Church. New York: Judson Press.
Young R, Meyer I. 2005. “The Trouble with ‘MSM’ and ‘WSW’: Erasure of the Sexual-
Minority Person in Public Health Discourse.” American Journal of Public Health 95(7): 1144-49.
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