BrokeBlack Mountain? Don't Count On It
By Keith Boykin, in sexuality
Tuesday, January 24 2006, 12:00PM
I met a British reporter last week in Atlanta who interviewed me for a story about Brokeback Mountain for The Guardian newspaper in London. When I finally read his story yesterday, I was so blown away that I wanted to share it on this site. In his article, reporter Gary Younge compares the racial dynamics of coming out by starting with a compairson of experiences between former New Jersey governor James McGreevey and Jonathan Plummer, the former husband of novelist Terry McMillan.
In his article, Why there will never be a black Brokeback Mountain, Younge writes: "McGreevey is white; Plummer is black. Although McGreevey was a public official, his transgression was generally regarded as a personal flaw. Although Plummer was a private citizen, his infidelity was regarded as part of a public health crisis. McGreevey's infidelity drew a mixture of contempt and pity; Plummer's betrayal fed a moral panic. McGreevey was being unfaithful; Plummer was on the 'down-low'."
Later in his article, Young dissects the down low. "But, for all the fanfare, the 'down-low debate' was never that 'great'. The term, as it was coined, never stood up to even the most basic scrutiny. Infidelity is nothing new. Nor is the idea that married men might have affairs with other men. McGreevey was not alone in proving that race had nothing to do with it. Mark Oaten's predicament suggests this issue will be with us for some time. Rock Hudson, Michael Barrymore, Ron Davies, Elton John - the list of married men who turned out to be gay goes on and on."
After reviewing the CDC data, Younge arrives at the subject of the film Brokeback Mountain. "It is the only movie I have ever heard of where women cry, in sympathy rather than anger, at the sight of two men routinely betraying their wives, set in a place that embraces rather than stigmatises human frailty - where people cheat because the rules are stacked against them. On the down-low up high in the hills."
Comments conceal
alicia
January 24 2006, 12:23PM
thanks!!...so true!!!
again i say
there is no homo hatred like homo hatred in blackface
see more on rabid black gaybashers
at:
www.geocities.com/ambwww/index.html
peace
ab
Donald
January 24 2006, 12:25PM
Very interesting column. I do wonder if the mess around the Plummer/McMillan affair was more a publicity stunt to sell the book. And it was much ado about nothing. Very interesting column though and eye opening.
Texas76132
January 24 2006, 1:13PM
Give it up, Keith.
The moral panic of the Plummer story wasn't any worse than the McGreevey story. Both men were wrong. The only difference is the McGreevey acted as if he cared about his wife. Whether he meant it or not, we will never know. Plummer, on the other hand, acted if he could have cared less about if wife's feelings . He appeared to be clueless about why she was mad at him. It was truly shameful.
cmoney
January 24 2006, 9:26PM
Interesting article. But quoting a professor of women's studies at an all woman's college to prove that students are in a "panic" over the scarcity of men seems kind of, shall we say--dumb. Why the hell would you go to an all woman's college and expect to find a lot of men?!Seems to me that there is a whole lot of humpin' around going on by heterosexual Black women who can't seem to accept any responsibility for their own behavior. So let's just blame the men. By the way, women infect men with STD's everyday--just ask any sailor. Anyway, regardless of how we characterize Black and White cheaters, if you haven't seen Brokeback Mountain, go see it. It is one of the best movies I've seen in years.
Liquid Fonts
January 25 2006, 2:22AM
As I have said before, after years of interacting with his wife's vagina, Plummer was most likley relieved. Why do some people fallaciously interpret such an honest expression of relief as insensitivity or lack of concern for women's issues? Mcgreevey on the other hand is a politician so it stands to reason that he would have a larger, more prepared resovoir of emotional responses specifically for public consumption. They both might just be full of shit but that's neither here nor there and does NOT! negate the validity of the article.
You may return to your seat.
Thanks again Keith ! :)
markus (aka darkmanjah)
January 25 2006, 5:20AM
Excellent critical insight by both Keith and Gary. Article and interview put stuff into perspective as it regards to the perception of caucasians coming out and brothers coming out, too.
NancyP
January 26 2006, 4:45AM
Am I clueless? I just thought of Plummer as just another guy angling for a green card, not to mention the luxurious lifestyle. Usually most people looking to marry for a green card are heterosexual - this is just another twist.
denise
January 26 2006, 9:52PM
This again is on Us. We feed into negativity, feign dumb ass rhetoric like we are taught to do about ourselves and each other... and then we wonder why?
A gay white guy is a gay white guy....
A gay black guy is an abomination....
White killers are crazy
Black killers are representative
White victims are victims
Black victims are the causes
Brokeback Mountain is a love story
Gay Brothas in the Hood is a horror story
White women are poor, frail and helpless, and should not be held accountable for anything that they do... like the pity party that we are having for all these White women who are raping children in schools
Black women are a curse....
Need I say more? Oh yeah, and we facilitate this kind of mindthink.
Fawn girl!
donth8me
January 27 2006, 5:17AM
I actually wrote some commentary on brokeback mountain, the DL and the whole stigma surrounding this topic. Please go read my article and leave comments on my blog. Thank you!!!! Http://360.yahoo.com/sherman_wash
naturalblkluv
January 27 2006, 11:53AM
I don't know why people are going crazy over this movie, but to each its own. There will never be a black “Broke Back Mountain”, because the gay white movie critics won’t go out to see it. They barely review black movies in general. If Roger Ebert didn't have jungle fever, the blk movies that do get reviewed would never see the light of day. Out of the SGL movies of color how many have the major critics given their positive reviews? None that I have read or heard of. We are forgetting that white woman and gay white men made this movie popular and chic. Heterosexual men aren't lining up to see broke Back Mountain, nor are they saying great things about it. I have seen on TV, read and heard there comments views and thought on Broke Back Mountain, and they are not rave reviews.
Reginald
January 31 2006, 8:00PM
Why do we have to compare ourselves to other cultures. For once let's forget about what would never happen and make it happen. What I think we lack are individuals who will take a chance and just do something original for our community of black gay, lesbian, trans and bi citizens.
Let's not try to make a point out of why there aren't any black men or women in cinema or on stage and ask instead, why aren't we out there making it happen on our own. I see many ads for the same type of "typical" african american movies with Morris Chestnut, Bobby Brown, Vivica Fox, Tamala Jones, Mo'Nique, Taye Diggs and the rest of the crew. I enjoy these actors but think about it, it's usually the same theme, somewhat predictable and the sister that been wronged by the brother and she has to get even.
Anthony Mackie who has done two movies dealing with homosexuality, even though he has yet to play a gay character and also a role in Million Dollar Baby, has gone out there.
Patrik-Ian Polk and Maurice Jamal have gone there to bring gay characters to society as it really is, good and bad, you love 'em or you hate 'em individuals.
So, let's not continue to compare ourselves to others and why haven't they done this for african americans and stop trying to convience others "it's a white thing, and it's not for us." Being gay isn't a black or white thing. Support Dirty Laundry and let's make our own film history.
Remember, Ang Lee is Asian.
junie
February 2 2006, 1:38AM
I saw Brokeback Mountain today and really enjoyed it. It was a tear jerker. It is true that whites who are in the closet or on the "down low" aren't referred to as such. But I did hear Judge Mathis tell two white guys on his show that they were on the "down low" and they agreed. I was just glad to see a movie about gay love. Gay love has been depicted so many times in real life and on the big screen as evil, perverted, etc. It was good to see that two men can be just as in love as a man and a woman can be, and that they can show that in tears, etc. Aside from it not being "black," I do recommend that it be viewed. It may not be a movie for "blacks" but we all have feelings of being in love with other guys and not be being able at times to express it openly or feel it so badly it aches to the core of our being. I do plan to purchase it when it becomes available in DVD. I may even see it one more time in the movies.