What's the Civil-Rights Struggle of Generation Y?
By Daryl C. Hannah
March 17, 2009
Keywords: civil rights, LGBT, gay marriage, equality, same-sex marriage, generation
I've always felt connected to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. As a child, my family shared with me their stories of growing up in rural South Carolina during a time when being spat at or being called the N-word was more than just a common occurrence--it was applauded. And I, as a 23-year-old Black man, have had my own run-ins with racists and bigots, albeit not as severely as it was for my parents.
But despite history, things have gotten progressively better for Blacks in America. We now claim an $845-billion buying power. We have someone who looks like us in the White House, finally. Unfortunately, not as much progress can be said for LGBT people, as evidenced by the overwhelming passage of anti-gay-marriage and adoption propositions this past November.
History books will mark Nov. 4, 2008, as the historic day Americans elected Barack Obama as the country's first self-identifying Black president. Sadly, the books will also show that on that day--and for what is believed to be the first time in the country's history--LGBT Americans in three states (Arizona, California and Florida) will be successfully stripped of their basic human right to marry whomever they love. A classic example of taking one step forward, two steps back.
And if Nov. 4 showed us nothing else, it certainly showed my generation what our cause must be whether we're gay or straight: LGBT rights.
The disturbing debate on gay marriage has been estranged from the civil-rights struggle of the 1960s, mostly by older people who prescribe to the archaic perception of civil rights, defining it only in terms of color. The struggles certainly have their differences; for starters, one is about race and arguably economics, and the other is about orientation and whether it's a choice. To pigeonhole either struggle to race or orientation is to miss the significance of the struggle holistically. Furthermore, to assume either struggle is over is flawed--just ask the millions of Black LGBT people.
It's easy to get wrapped up in the semantics of the debate when it comes to the ideas of "gay marriage" and "civil unions." It's also easy to assume that because Generation Y has proven to be more accepting of racial differences that it will embrace LGBT rights with the same ease. This is wrong.
Consider this: In Arizona, California and Florida, three states with gay-marriage ballot initiatives in 2008, voters between 18 and 29 were split virtually in half. Forty-eight percent of Arizona voters in this age group and 53 percent of voters in Florida voted to ban gay marriage. In California, 61 percent of voters between 18 and 29 voted against the statewide ban on gay marriage.
Generation Y has been described as the most progressive generation to date. We are among the ranks of underrepresented groups that challenged corporate America to embrace diversity. We made technology the name of the game. And our latest accomplishment: We are undeniably a big reason that America elected its first Black president in U.S. history.
We, as the generations before us, view ourselves as extremely progressive. But while we have made strides in terms of race relations, we still have a ways to go when it comes to LGBT rights.
So when you ask members of Generation Y what the term "civil rights" means to us, we will undoubtedly include LGBT rights--but where it falls on our list remains to be seen.
But rest assured, it's there.
Readers' Comments
Posted: Monday, Jan 26, 2009
What's the Civil-Rights Struggle of Generation Y?
This article offers a perspective that is useful for an annual symposium on Civil & Human Rights that we hold each year.
mikel johnson
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Posted: Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009
What's the Civil-Rights Struggle of Generation Y?
I believe the biggest challenge is going to be redefining what diversity means in this century. Inclusion on all fronts is going to be a major challenge. It is not going to be easy to bring about needed or desired changes in the area of Civil Rights. It would be nice if we could find ways to bridge the gender and race gaps. I am a Black Boomer. I grew up during the eras of movements. One thing I know for sure. It is going to take people who are willing to stand up and take responsibility for making inroads. A mind is the most difficult thing to change. In a society that loves fast results-the pace may seem like a snail's pace. I know and so do you-changing the minds of our folks on the subject of GLBT people is not going to be easy. But our society at large cannot be pitted against each other over the issues of rights. Finding comfortable ground for everybody is not realistic. There is always going to be a portion of the society that is not pro-the other members receiving equality under the law. But we are a nation of people that are going to have to make mindset adjustments-no matter what generational group we are members of.
Deborah White
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Posted: Friday, Jan 16, 2009
What's the Civil-Rights Struggle of Generation Y?
I'd like to chime in about disability prejudice which is where racial prejudice was in the 1950s..that is, an accepted part of our American landscape. Unemployment and underemployment among people with disabilities has remained in the high 70 percent range even since passage of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Employment discrimination goes underground when employers avoid hiring a person for fear of becoming entangled with disability legislation...and employers up until have not been held accountable for this underground discrimination. Due to medical advances and technological breakthroughs, Gen Y folks could be entering the workforce with their disabilities not interfering with performance if they didn't face pervasive and subtle yet rampant discrimination. Of course this applies to all other generational sectors as well. On a bright note recent Federal legislation, the ADA Amendments ACT, is the most sweeping civil rights legislation that we've seen for this huge minority and I and many of us are hopeful and energized that the civil rights abuses of the past will begin to be corrected!
Linda Fitzpatrick
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Posted: Friday, Jan 16, 2009
What's the Civil-Rights Struggle of Generation Y?
Another tired "we have a ways to go or a long way to go" comment regarding rights. Racial differences are a state of being and constant actuality but deeply held religious beliefs are a state of mind. Generation Y is no different than Baby Boomers, Xrs et al because generations represent all races and religious beliefs. It was African Americans who were the deciding factor in Proposition 8 in California. Are the majority of African Americans wrong on this issue but right on President Elect Obama? Marriage to most people is a sacrosanct and deeply held religious belief to the majority of Americans of all races. They do not have a long way to go nor should they if that is their belief. Most Americans do support equal protection under the law and also civil unions that guarantee everything that marriage would guarantee such as health care, banking, et al. It is not "semantics" as you say to those who support marriage between a man and a woman but inviolable to their inner being. There is a distinct difference between appreciation and respect of people and total agreement.
John Fuller
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Posted: Friday, Jan 16, 2009
What's the Civil-Rights Struggle of Generation Y?
I agree with your article for the most part...However, while the United States has made strides in our culture to overcome barriers along the line of civil rights (particularly race), there is still much work to be done. Generation Y is a more progressive generation but is a generation that hopefully will understand that there is nothing new under the sun, just better tanning lotion. As a Generation X'er, I see this up and coming Generation as in serious need of acknowledging that while blacks and whites can drink out of the same fountain, go to the same schools, work in the same offices, etc., there is still significant inequity and injustice to be addressed and overcome. The LGBT community is suffering injustice and some discrimination but further examination will show...They are divided along the lines of race and stereotype from within. There are still a disproportionate number of African-Americans/Blacks that are not acknowledged or included in their efforts for civil liberties. While they are seeking rights to be married, they still are discriminating within and divided along racial lines. An equal comparison cannot be made nor a definitive parallel drawn between the civil rights struggle and the equality struggle for LGBT rights. What can be said is that we can be grateful for the advances that have been made along the civil rights front, especially along the lines of race but there is still a lot of strides to be made and challenges overcome. The white sheets, burning crosses and blatant racial epithets have been replaced by suits and ties, greed, political agendas and systemic, institutional blockades. So rise up Generation Y but awaken to a destiny filled with a "different" set of challenges that you need to prepare yourselves to face and be keenly atuned to in order to overcome! Looking forward to seeing you rise to the occasion!
Kevin Hinson
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