Queering Black activism: Exploring the relationship between racial identity and Black activist orientation among Black LGBTQ youth

Abstract

Linked fate, or connection to the Black community, may be a pathway to engagement in social justice action for Black liberation. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of racial identity on Black queer youths’ orientation toward Black activism. We used hierarchical linear regression to examine relationships between dimensions of racial identity and Black activism orientation among 142 queer‐identified youth. We found that racial centrality and racial ideologies predicted high‐risk activism orientation. Additionally, assimilationist ideology moderated the relationship between racial centrality and high‐risk activism orientation. The degree to which Black queer youth feel race is central to their self‐concept relates with their intent to engage in Black activism. These findings demonstrate that racial ideologies matter distinctively to activism orientation and offer that perception of risk nuances linked fate as a pathway to activism for Black queer youth.

Two, four, six, eight…why we want to participate: Motivations and barriers to LGBTQ+ activism

“…There is a growing literature examining the motivations and barriers to activism in samples of predominantly white LGBTQ+ individuals (Breslow et al, 2015; Craney, Watson, Brownfield, & Flores, 2018; Dunn & Szymanski, 2018; Friedman & Leaper, 2010; Swank, 2018; Swank & Fahs, 2012, 2013, 2019; Swank, & Fahs, B., 2016), as well as a number of studies examining the impact of intersectional experiences of oppression on participation in activism for LGBTQ+ black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC; Battle & Harris, 2013a, 2013b; DeBlaere et al, 2014; Harris & Battle, 2013; Harris, Battle, Pastrana Jr, & Daniels, 2013; Harris, Battle, Pastrana, & Daniels, 2015; Pender, Hope, & Riddick, 2019; VanDaalen & Santos, 2017; Santos & VanDaalen, 2018). With regard to research with LGBTQ+ BIPOC samples, findings show a number of predictors for participation in activism.…”

“…For example, VanDaalen and Santos (2017) found that a higher perception of racism in the queer community was associated with great sociopolitical involvement in both queer and BIPOC communities for LGBTQ+ BIPOC participants. Additionally, Pender et al (2019) found that for queer black youth (ages 13–29), the centrality of race to their self‐concept correlated with their intent to participate in black activism. Other studies have found connection to LGBTQ+ community to be a motivation for activism for various BIPOC samples (Battle & Harris, 2013a, 2013b; Harris et al, 2015; Harris & Battle, 2013).…”

Youth of Color Social Movements for Racial Justice: The Politics of Interrogating the School-to-Prison Pipeline

“…Also, action involves marches, talking to the community, promoting other people to follow your beliefs, transmitting ideas to people who don't have the same vocabulary. (Welton et al, 2017, p. 89) Fundamentally, activism is often a grassroots effort directed toward changing political processes and procedures (Pender et al, 2019). More specifically, youth and/or student activism commonly involves young people collectively taking action to challenge and hopefully change racial injustices in policy (Mitra et al, 2013).…”

“…At the individual level, an activist is a person who "is known for taking stands and engaging in action aimed at producing social change" (Marshall & Anderson, 2008, p.18); and an individual's decision to participate in activism can be influenced by an activists' collective and/or a larger social movement (Horowitz, 2017). Moreover, an individual's decision to initiate or participate in activism can also be based on their identity, whether it be a shared political cause, grievance or injustice; or associations along race, class, (dis)ability, gender identity, sexuality, language, immigration status, and any intersections of these identities for which they are minoritized and seek structural retribution as a result (Horowitz, 2017;Pender et al, 2019).…”

“…Furthermore, "activism itself is multilayered both theoretically and practically" and activists both as individuals and collectively use a constellation of strategies to disrupt the status quo and eventually change institutional policies, processes, and outcomes that systemically reinforce racism to then be more racially just Matias & Liou, 2015;Pender et al, 2019, p. 530). There are various methods to activism in which youth can employ such as protests and demonstrations, contacting legislative representatives (Pender et al, 2019); using participatory methodologies like YPAR to research, write about, and then educate the general public about a policy issue (Bautista et al, 2013;Irizarry, 2011;Welton, 2011); and/or use social media applications to widen their activists networks, especially through the use of #hashtag activism (Jocson & Carpenter, 2019;Middaugh & Kirshner, 2015). Typically, youth will rely on a combination of these modes for activism to address a policy issue.…”