Homophobia Black Church

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“Homophobia, Hypermasculinity, and the US Black Church” by Elijah Ward elaborates on the sources, impact, and construction of homophobia and masculinity. One of the main points of the article is the influence of black churches on homophobia. Another main point in the article is the construction and sources of homophobia and masculinity in the community and the black church. The last main point in the article is the impact of theological homophobia on black men and in black communities. The main purpose of the article is to dissect and analyze homophobia and its influence on masculinity and the black community. The US Black church plays a significant role on the influence of homophobia in America. “Ninety-seven percent of black people in the…show more content…
The black church is the most extensive source of homophobia in the United States. “The construction of homophobia has been explained in three ways: religious beliefs, historical sexual exploitation, and race survival consciousness (Ward 2005).” The first explanation of the construction of homophobia in the United States is a persons’ religious beliefs. Ones’ religious beliefs refers back to the black church and the moral values instilled in an individual. The second explanation is the historical sexual exploitation of African Americans in the America. This second explanation refers back to the days in slavery where homosexuality was almost nonexistent. The nonexistence of homosexuality creates a sense of homophobia when homosexuality becomes present in society. Like stated earlier homosexuality is viewed as deviant, consequently creating a sense of homophobia. The last explanation is the race survival consciousness, “that black homophobia in North America is rooted in the moralisms about homosexuality (Ward 2005).” The first explanation and the third explanation go “hand-in-hand”, because the moralisms are produced by ones’ religious beliefs. These moralisms and race survival consciousness helped construct black masculinity because, despite all of the degrading obstacles that have faced black men, as a whole black men have prevailed and…show more content…
The impact of theological homophobia and black men is mainly delivered through religious beliefs and church messages. These church messages influence homophobic behavior and views of black men. Through church related messages heterosexual men may become inspired to have a stronger view of homophobia. Hypermasculinity is displayed by heterosexual males who have a homophobic view, and hypermasculinity can make a homosexual male feel unwanted and unmanly. Messages delivered through the church can create an even larger sense of hypermasculinity, and helps determine what it means to be a man. The impact of theological homophobia on black men is based upon church and religious views and the messages relayed in church. Messages from the church also have an impact on theological homophobia on the black community. In black communities, religious beliefs and educational differences can affect the impact of homophobia. “Homophobia is not evenly distributed throughout black communities (Ward 2005).” Homophobia is not evenly distributed because of key factors such as: religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, and education. Ones’ religious belief has the greatest impact on homophobia, but education and their socioeconomic status have very vital roles as well. The socioeconomic status offers different perspectives of homophobia and religious views. While education also helps

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