The intersections between queerness and race can significantly impact an individual's experience regarding identity formation, visibility, justice, and belonging. This is because identities are socially constructed and cannot be isolated from broader contextual factors such as historical and cultural systems that shape them.
Individuals who identify as both queer and people of color may face discrimination based on their gender expression, racialized body types, or perceived sexual orientation, resulting in limited access to resources and social support.
These intersections can also affect how they navigate institutional and systemic barriers, including employment discrimination, healthcare inequality, and criminalization, which can result in mental health issues, economic instability, and lack of community connection. In addition, this intertwining can complicate one's sense of belonging and safety within LGBTQ+ spaces due to racism, sexism, and internalized prejudice, leading to isolation and feelings of rejection.
Activists and advocates are working towards creating more inclusive environments where marginalized communities can find solidarity and representation through affinity groups, intersectional organizing, and political action, among others.
References
1. **Carter, C., & McLaughlin, K. (2015).** Queering the intersection of race, class, and gender.(https://doi.org/10.4324/97802037446090) **In Queer Identities and Politics: A Critical Introduction**. Oxford University Press.
2. **Dunbar-Ortiz, R. (2014).** An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States.(http://www.readersupportednews.org/pm-features/feature-story-sections/57-263-66/34286-an-indigenous-peoples-history-of-the-united-states) **Beacon Press.**
3. **Fanon, F. (1963).** The Wretched of the Earth.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wretched_of_the_Earth) **Grove Press.**
4. **Hong, S., & Kim, J. (2016).** Intersectionality as an analytic framework for understanding diversity within lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.(https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s111199-015-0408-y) **Journal of Homosexuality, 63(6), 715-732.**
5. **Johnson, C. T., & Reece, E. M. (Eds.). (2016).** Race, gender, and sexuality: A reader.(http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/bitstream/handle/112223/52441/978145222535446%20%28Revised%20Edition%2C%20Spring%202016%29.pdf?sequence 1&isAllowed y) **Wiley Blackwell.**
How does the intersection of queerness and race complicate access to visibility, justice, and belonging?
Queer people face several challenges regarding their identity and how society perceives them. The intersections between being queer and non-white may create additional difficulties for access to visibility, justice, and belonging. Queerness is often associated with white privilege, while non-whiteness can lead to marginalization due to racism. This intersectional experience creates complexities that make it harder for queers to feel accepted by both communities.