Panel: How is the LGBT community impacted by classism?

Pieter Tolsma and George K. Gramer, Jr. weigh in on this week’s question.

Pieter Tolsma

As Americans (and maybe humans in general) I don’t believe we can ever be an equal and class-free society. It’s a beautiful idea, and one I believe we must work towards, but we have not achieved the kind of economic equality that is necessary to make that happen. It is not that there exists any sort of inherent superiority or inferiority, but rather that differences in experience make it easier to band together along certain lines and these groups becomes value-distorted so that one is prized over another.

How does the LGBT community fit into this? LGBT folks are just as capable of class struggle as our hetero counterparts. There may have been a time when the struggle for acceptance and companionship leveled the field of experience and socio-economic disparity to the point that it was not perceived to matter; however as the LGBT identity comes to a place of acceptance, this changes. As the threat of isolation ebbs and the LGBT lifestyle becomes more mainstream, the pressures of classism group LGBT people along the same lines as our normalized counterparts. Prejudice once again focuses on the haves and have-nots.

Ironically, by proving and establishing the nonissue acceptability of the LGBT sex and gender presentations, we become subject to the most basic social undercurrent, class.

Pieter Tolsma is program coordinator of Denver PIQUE, a sexual health and social support program for gay/bi men in Denver.

George K. Gramer, Jr.

Certainly the LGBT community has people of all socioeconomic levels, but studies conclude that there is considerable poverty among LGBT individuals and couples. We also know that many in the community face homelessness, harassment, and discrimination.

While doing research for this submission, the phrase “myth of gay affluence” appeared frequently. Some would look at the advertisements in The Advocate or OUT or watch Ellen, Modern Family, or Will (or Jack) and incorrectly conclude that all LGBT are well-to-do white folks in ideal relationships wearing Armani and Gucci and driving BMWs or Mercedes. We have millionaires and we have people on food stamps. For every LGBT college graduate, there is a high-school dropout. For every LGBT homeowner there is another living day-to-day. Our community has many people with Palm Springs tastes and a pauper’s budget.

Classism is prejudice against or in favor of people belonging to a particular social class. While there may be envy in LGBT of any economic level, I do not sense of lot of internal prejudice. Where classism does exist, I believe it is from outside the community. The media, some on the religious right, and the Madison Avenue marketing folks are the ones practicing classism toward the LGBT community. The sooner our community is able to overcome the “myth of gay affluence” with others, the better.

Iowa native George Gramer, Jr. is the president of the Colorado Log Cabin Republicans.