Will black Obama supporters defeat marriage equality in states like Maryland in November?

President Barack Obama

The Maryland Senate voted 25-22 today to legalize same-sex marriage, and the bill now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley, who will sign it. However, the new law won’t take effect until January, which allows opponents to put a referendum on the ballot in November if they can gather 55,736 signatures.

Meanwhile, in Maine, the secretary of state has confirmed enough valid signatures from same-sex marriage supporters to get the issue on the November ballot. In 2009, Maine voters rejected marriage equality by 53 percent to 47 percent, but polls show a majority now support it.

In any case, it now appears almost certain that marriage equality will be on the ballot in at least a handful of states this year. And gay activist John Aravosis at Americablog says that’s why it’s critical for President Barack Obama to hurry up and complete his evolution on the issue:

The President obviously wants us all to get out the vote in November. But there are key constituencies with whom the President has great sway, and who are not terribly good on gay rights issues as compared to other Democrats. Why does that matter? Well, take Maryland. Maryland will likely see an effort on the November ballot to repeal the just-passed marriage equality legislation. Nearly a third of Marylanders are African-American. And black Democrats in Maryland are twice as opposed to same-sex marriage as white Democrats in the state.

5 Comments

Justin Nichols on February 24, 2012 at 10:41 am

This is a very interesting and important issue, and one which many GLBT groups and activists feel very uncomfortable addressing. I wrote a brief column for The Voice shortly after the 2008 presidential election entitled “What Did We Really Change.” It addressed the phenomenon in California where 90%+ of African American voters supported Barack Obama, and less than 1/2 (closer to 1/3) supported gay marriage. The result was Obama took California by a huge margin and Prop 8 passed in the same election (though with a smaller margin). Certainly it is an uncomfortable issue to discuss because it touches on many sensitive chords, but this issue has a real impact on the GLBT rights movement.

There is a significant disproportion between GLBT support for racial civil rights and racial minorities’ support for GLBT rights. Now, it’s easy for one person to stand up and say, “I’m X racial minority and I support GLBT rights,” but the numbers simply don’t lie. African Americans and Latinos, though liberal on economic issues, still hold very conservative views on social issues, including gay rights. Study after study, with those much smarter than me, have confirmed this time and again. As the Democratic Party grows, due in large part to increased minority populations, it does not automatically translate into progressive pro-LGBT policies.

Like California in 2008 and now Maryland (and possibly Maine) in 2012, the deciding factor may well be whether racial minorities, who have long enjoyed ardent support from the GLBT community, are willing to stand with us, as a group, for our own civil rights.

Roy on February 24, 2012 at 11:31 am

This is just another example of the black community and their “we got ours but you cant have yours” mentality. Its nothing new. This generation of blacks feel entitled to special treatment and are so fearful that someone will take one of their government handouts and give it to someone else. Unlike the black community, we are not asking for handouts, just equality.

Tisha McDaniel on February 24, 2012 at 12:13 pm

I find this premature scapegoating of black voters to be entirely insulting. It is true that most black voters are on the most part conservative when it comes to social issues but who is running the anti-LGBT machine? It is defintely not the majority of blacks. If you wanna point a finger, I think you need to point at your white,christian conservative brothers and sisters who have more financial and political influence when it comes to passing anti-LGBT legislation. And Roy, that shade of white privilege does not look good on you.

Scott on February 24, 2012 at 2:20 pm

How about we cut the blame game? As a white gay male I do not blame African American voters for our failure to advance our civil rights..if the blame belongs anywhere it is in our own community.. We need to be out there reaching out and educating other minority communities.. If we fail to reach out, we can’t blame them for not voting for us..

Alice on February 24, 2012 at 7:35 pm

I agree with Tisha… Roy “your white, christian conservative brothers and sisters who have more financial and polifical influence when it comes to passing anti-LGBT legislation.” Are you apart of the community? I wonder?

Justin Nichols on February 24, 2012 at 10:41 am

This is a very interesting and important issue, and one which many GLBT groups and activists feel very uncomfortable addressing. I wrote a brief column for The Voice shortly after the 2008 presidential election entitled “What Did We Really Change.” It addressed the phenomenon in California where 90%+ of African American voters supported Barack Obama, and less than 1/2 (closer to 1/3) supported gay marriage. The result was Obama took California by a huge margin and Prop 8 passed in the same election (though with a smaller margin). Certainly it is an uncomfortable issue to discuss because it touches on many sensitive chords, but this issue has a real impact on the GLBT rights movement.

There is a significant disproportion between GLBT support for racial civil rights and racial minorities’ support for GLBT rights. Now, it’s easy for one person to stand up and say, “I’m X racial minority and I support GLBT rights,” but the numbers simply don’t lie. African Americans and Latinos, though liberal on economic issues, still hold very conservative views on social issues, including gay rights. Study after study, with those much smarter than me, have confirmed this time and again. As the Democratic Party grows, due in large part to increased minority populations, it does not automatically translate into progressive pro-LGBT policies.

Like California in 2008 and now Maryland (and possibly Maine) in 2012, the deciding factor may well be whether racial minorities, who have long enjoyed ardent support from the GLBT community, are willing to stand with us, as a group, for our own civil rights.
Roy on February 24, 2012 at 11:31 am

This is just another example of the black community and their “we got ours but you cant have yours” mentality. Its nothing new. This generation of blacks feel entitled to special treatment and are so fearful that someone will take one of their government handouts and give it to someone else. Unlike the black community, we are not asking for handouts, just equality.
Tisha McDaniel on February 24, 2012 at 12:13 pm

I find this premature scapegoating of black voters to be entirely insulting. It is true that most black voters are on the most part conservative when it comes to social issues but who is running the anti-LGBT machine? It is defintely not the majority of blacks. If you wanna point a finger, I think you need to point at your white,christian conservative brothers and sisters who have more financial and political influence when it comes to passing anti-LGBT legislation. And Roy, that shade of white privilege does not look good on you.
Scott on February 24, 2012 at 2:20 pm

How about we cut the blame game? As a white gay male I do not blame African American voters for our failure to advance our civil rights..if the blame belongs anywhere it is in our own community.. We need to be out there reaching out and educating other minority communities.. If we fail to reach out, we can’t blame them for not voting for us..
Alice on February 24, 2012 at 7:35 pm

I agree with Tisha… Roy “your white, christian conservative brothers and sisters who have more financial and polifical influence when it comes to passing anti-LGBT legislation.” Are you apart of the community? I wonder?