XPost: la.general, alt.politics.media, alt.business
XPost: dc.politics

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/01/09/17/8321528-6573905-image- a-6_1547055571738.jpg

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/01/09/17/8321230-6573905-image- m-12_1547055672514.jpg

How many more black queer lives must be lost before a stop is
put to this?
The saying goes “history often repeats itself” but for those who
are black and Queer, that history is often violent and
unprotected.

A déjà vu moment for the LGBTQ community happened last week when
reports surfaced of another black gay man dying in the home of
wealthy Democratic donor Ed Buck. New and disturbingly fresh to
some, the story isn’t only stranger than fiction but proves gay
black men are fetishized in plain sight.

Let’s back up a bit. On July 27, 2017, police were called to the
home of Buck in West Hollywood, Calif., where the body of 26-
year-old Gemmel Moore was found unresponsive. The Los Angeles
coroner's office would initially rule Gemmel’s death an overdose
of crystal methamphetamine—a growing problem within the LGBTQ
community. However, there was an immediate outcry from the black
queer community, as the narrative between Moore and Buck raised
more questions than answers.

Today would've been Gemmel's 28h birthday. Instead of
celebrations and Instagram posts from friends, Gemmel's legacy
in the public sphere is that of a sex worker—a stirring attempt
to discredit his worth while subtly blaming the victim for his
own death. We have seen this occur many times when discussing
the LGBTQ sex worker community. Transgender women are also
painted as such in stories to devalue their worth. Far too
often, sex workers endure victim blaming and shaming. A societal
standard that contributes to the notion that sex workers are
partly liable in their own deaths because of “risk” involved
with the industry, intersected with mainstream views about sex
work, not fitting standards or respectability.


Questions began to arise about why Buck, a 65-year-old white
man, and social-political butterfly to Democratic party members
like Hillary Clinton would have someone 39 years his junior in
his home doing drugs. As more reporting by activist and
journalist Jasmyne Cannick and others continued, a tale of
privilege, wealth, and sexual exploitation became the new
narrative of story many simply tried to bury.

Reports were coming out from other young black queer men who had
dealings with Buck, many of them detailing his drugging of them
with meth by needle—a technique called “pointing.” Entries from
Gemmel's journal were also published by Cannick, revealing just
how much pain and madness he was subjected to, including Buck,
reportedly getting the 26-year-old hooked on drugs for sexual
pleasure.

Jasmyne-Cannick-Gemmel-Moore-Journal-Entries-About-Ed-Bucks- Black-Fetish--1547492449
Jasmyne Cannick
Jasmyne Cannick, Gemmel Moore Journal Entries About Ed Buck's
Black Fetish
Jasmyne Cannick
Jasmyne Cannick, Gemmel Moore Journal Entries About Ed Buck's
Black Fetish
Jasmyne Cannick
It is not easy to live at the intersection of being Black and
Queer. It’s a double marginalization where we often find
ourselves devoid of allies. On one side we have our own
community which like all others, deals with homophobia. That
homophobia often times bleeds into social justice work around
black queer people. People who feel race should come first and
be the only concern.

Black queer people are often fighting for others who would never
fight for them. We have been conditioned by white supremacy to
fall prey to respectability politics that makes us see anything
other than cishet as an attack against our own community.

Despite the painful evidence, media began doing what it does
with most black victims—painting them as the deviant and the
abuser as the one being victimized. Gemmel was painted as a drug-
addicted sex worker, an attempt at dehumanizing his value.

The views of sex work in the United States intersected with
Gemmel being from a marginalized community was a tactic that saw
many blaming the victim, rather than the manipulative predatory
Buck, who was being protected by his wealth, whiteness, and
proximity to those in power.


Following the LA coroner’s report, social media outrage
eventually forced the LA Sheriff’s department to give the full
investigation into the matter that it deserved. Unfortunately,
after several months of getting statements and going over the
evidence, the LA prosecutor's office refused to indict Buck,
leaving the family and black LGBTQ community feeling hopeless
that Gemmel would ever get justice.

However, last week news broke that a second black gay man by the
name of Timothy Dean was found dead in the home of ...Ed Buck.
This time around, media coverage was immediate as multiple major
outlets covered the story about the 55-year-old victim, a
significant change from the first death. With circumstances
surrounding the incident much like the first time, the story was
hard to ignore with national coverage happening almost
immediately. Responders arrived at Buck's home to find Dean
unresponsive by an apparent overdose.

Black queer people are often fighting for others who would never
fight for them.
GEORGE JOHNSON
Immediately, Buck’s lawyers issued a statement removing him of
all culpability and once again blaming the victim for his own
death. “From what I know, it was an old friend who died of an
accidental overdose, and unfortunately, we believe that the
substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment,”
said Seymour Amster, Buck’s attorney. “The person came over
intoxicated.”

With this being the second occurrence of death at his home,
investigators were more eager to look into the situation—as was
the media who showed up to the home of Buck that evening looking
for comment. What most were greeted by was outraged citizens,
many of whom were from the black queer community that has
remained steadfast since last year.

Dozens of activists and community members protested in front of
the home of Buck following the second death. During the rally,
several citizens spoke out including Cannick. She challenged
several city council members who showed up to the rally about
how disengaged and harmful they had been the first time this
happened, and how their support now was questionable at best.
This is an important sentiment in the story because much of
Buck’s protection came in the form of those he donated too, on
both a micro and macro level.

This is a challenge to all communities witnessing the atrocities
that black queer people are facing in this country. Your silence
has become complicity in our death.
GEORGE JOHNSON
When the first death occurred in his home in 2017, politicians
refused to release statements about the situation. There were
some rumblings from GOP members, but only because he was a donor
to the Democratic Party, not because of who the victim
was—partly why the buzz died down as media coverage went away.

For his political allies, there was too much at stake. With
President Donald Trump creating more turmoil between the major
political parties and the #MeToo movement surrounding the
behaviors targeting those in Hollywood, there seemed to be
limited space to care for black life–an aspect we’re used to
these days.

On a micro level, these same city council members who accepted
funds from Buck in the past were silent in the first death. Not
wanting to ruffle feathers with the wealthy donor, choosing
allegiance to secure funding over the life of Gemmel Moore. But
now, the political climate has changed. In November of 2018, the
Democratic Party took back the House of Representatives, all
about removing any shielding Buck may have from the party. Once
word broke of a second death, those who were silent are now
issuing statements and sending money back that was donated by
Buck.

Ed Buck, And The Queer Black Lives That Don't Matter
(Left to Right: Gemmel Moore, Ed Buck and Timothy Dean)
YouTube/Facebook
Black lives, in general, are not protected in media nor
community. White people are more concerned about preserving
power and privilege then every affording us equity and justice.
This sentiment bleeds into the white queer community, which has
also helped to oppress black queer people.

Most recently, comedian Ellen DeGeneres spoke up on behalf of a
community she did not belong to offer forgiveness to Kevin Hart
for his comments about the gay community. However, when it is
someone from her own community causing harm to black queer
people, (ie: Buck) she like many other white queer people are
nowhere to be found. It only adds to people who love to partake
in our culture while turning a blind eye or aiding in our
oppression.


This is a challenge to all communities witnessing the atrocities
that black queer people are facing in this country. Your silence
has become complicity in our death. It should not have taken for
a second dead body to be found at the home of Ed Buck for people
to join in solidarity with us. We have experienced this type of
violence against our community for far too long with no justice
in our plight.

Ed Buck is using his wealth, class, and power to manipulate
black queer men who are vulnerable. Men who are sex workers or
struggling to make a livable wage to sustain their own
existence. Men who are already caught up in the meth epidemic
and fall prey to sexual exploitation in return from drugs. How
many more lives must be lost before a stop is put to this?

In the coming days, it will be more important than ever that
media coverage does not let up and continues to press the LA
Sheriff’s Office to not commit the same mistake twice. If black
lives truly matter, then we must be more vocal and fervent in
our fight when they fall among the most marginalized. This is a
continuing story, one that we will not only cover but see
through till the end—an end that looks like justice for Gemmel
Moore, Timothy Dean, and the black queer lives that continue to
go unprotected.

George M Johnson is a journalist and activist living in Brooklyn
NY with features in over 40 publications including Vibe,
Essence, VICE, and Buzzfeed. His debut YA memoir “All Boys
Aren’t Blue” is scheduled to be released January 2020 through
FSG.

https://www.vibe.com/2019/01/ed-buck-and-the-queer-black-lives- that-dont-matter

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