Society sometimes shies away from issues that are difficult to deal with. One of these taboo topics is homosexuality among African Americans, a subject that is rarely discussed in public, despite its importance.
The black community has historically held homophobic prejudices, which have some roots in the Bible and are propagated in part through black popular culture.
Tonight, two Penn groups are uniting to bring the issue to students’ attention. The Consciousness in Black Film and Theater Program and the House Council of DuBois College House have united to host an event titled “Breaking the Taboo Silence: A Discussion on Black Homophobia.”
The event will include a screening of “Cover,” a film examining the problems caused by homophobia in the black community that takes place right here in Philadelphia, followed by a discussion of the issues it raises. It will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room of DuBois at 6 p.m.
We support the efforts of the students who organized the event and their campaign to raise awareness of the issue. We encourage members of the Penn community to attend this movie screening and to participate in the discussion afterward.
Events such as this one are important in shedding light on deserving issues and in starting constructive dialogues. We hope there will be many more of them in the future.
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