Comment: “A Gay Indian man is complaining that a lot of Gay White guys on dating sites are not open to dating men from his race. Wow Indian men really are seen as extremely undesirable in the American dating market. Not only are Heterosexual White women rejecting the sexual advances of Indian men, Gay White men are turning them down as well.”<\/p>\n
Denis Fernando writes for GayStarNews.com<\/a>: I go to Pride in 2015 and see black, Asian and Muslim LGBTIs applauded like never before. I go on Grindr and see profiles saying \u2018no blacks\u2019, \u2018no Asians\u2019. Comment: “A Gay Indian man is complaining that a lot of Gay White guys on dating sites are not open to dating men from his race. Wow Indian men really are seen as extremely undesirable in the American dating market. … Continue reading
\nEveryone knows being a gay Asian means facing homophobia and racism. Some people are surprised to hear this includes negative experiences as an Asian man within the LGBTI community, which is supposed to be a liberal, welcoming environment.
\nThe Islamophobic abuse of Muslim men on Grindr in the days after the Paris terror attacks again highlighted the prejudices within the gay community.
\nAnthony Magallanez was accused of being part of ISIS by another Grindr user. The irony of course being that ISIS is barbarically homophobic and Muslims are by far the most numerous of its victims.
\nI regularly go on Pride marches. The warm welcome that Black and Muslim groups get at these events show boundaries are being broken down all the time. All is not rosy \u2013 it\u2019s often a fight to get high profile visibility and these environments are not free of racism and prejudice either. But, from what I\u2019ve seen, that is improving and people are listening.
\nSo when I see phrases such as \u2018no blacks\u2019 \u2018no Asians\u2019 and \u2018no Muslims\u2019 on dating apps, it feels like something from the intolerant Britain of the 1960s when my parents faced \u2018No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs\u2019 signs in landlord\u2019s windows.
\nAs a black man, when I see these words, I do not feel like I\u2019m on a dating app in the 21st century and I\u2019m surprised there are forums in which people think such language is socially acceptable. It certainly wouldn\u2019t be in a bar, caf\u00e9 or workplace.
\nSome people argue they are entitled to date and sleep with who they want and that in some instances, that preference can be for black or Asian men over white men. This is true although I personally don\u2019t have any ethnic preference.
\nTo gay men who don\u2019t understand what the fuss is about, I would ask you to subject your profiles to the \u20181960s racist landlord\u2019 test. If what you are writing sounds like one of those signs my parents faced, then you need to change your wording.
\nBy the way, that racist landlord from the 1960s was also a homophobe, so you and your boyfriend were not getting a room there just like my parents.
\nThere is a way of stating your preferences positively. \u2018(Preferred ethnic preference) to the front of the queue,\u2019 for example. Although if there was a queue to speak of, I doubt you would be on Grindr.
\nThe truth is that dating apps are a tiny expression of a bigger issue.
\nThe idea of that the LGBTI community, liberated and liberal on sexuality, would also be liberal, enlightened and liberated on the issue of racism was shattered quite early on in my foray into this community and politics.
\nAnd I can tell you that coming out was hard enough without having to also accommodate these problems.
\nThis is not just my experience. I know Muslim women in hijab, some of whom are straight but huge advocates of our community, others who are lesbian Muslims looking for a night out at a gay venue, who get stopped in the queue and questioned.
\nThe assumption by security guards is they are straight and they don\u2019t belong. This could easily be the first experience of a young Muslim LGBTI person looking for a supportive environment to come out. They describe it as being the same as being stopped at immigration in an airport.
\nA study by FS Magazine in the UK shows African Caribbean and Asian men\u2019s experiences range from flagrant racism, to being excluded in clubs to being considered fetishized sexual objects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"