THE RAINBOW AIN'T NEVER BEEN ENUF

Seeing mavericks “for who they really are.”

Story, a University of Louisville scholar, examines how racism, misogyny, and transphobia have worked together to co-opt queer culture and suppress true LGBTQ+ solidarity. After the Stonewall riots of 1969, the rainbow flag has come to symbolize the diversity of the queer community—and that the communities within the whole “exist as unified fronts in the face of gender and sexual tyranny.” Drawing on popular culture, research, and her own experiences as a queer Black feminist/theorist, Story argues that LGBTQ+ communities “struggle with the same repugnant beliefs” that have led mainstream society to oppress LGBTQ+ people of color. She begins by recalling that her shock on coming out in her teens as a lesbian was not the lack of acceptance but that fellow sexual minorities could also be racist and/or misogynistic. Story traces these tensions to two roots. The first preceded Stonewall and came from the white gay and lesbian activist movements that lacked “insight when it came to understanding systems of [racial, gendered, and economic] domination in intersectional ways.” The second came from later indoctrination in neoliberal thought, especially as it emerged in the 1980s. The end result was the creation of a “politically neutered and socially compliant” queer person who valorized homonormativity and consumption over diversity and community. Yet resistance—especially among queer people of color—has also existed. Reality TV shows like Legendary, for example, have depicted Black and Latinx gay/transgender ball scene “families,” established to offer safe havens from (white supremacist) gay and straight worlds. While education is important to raising awareness about the intersectionality of oppression, Story argues that refusing “pinkwashed” racist, misogynist, and transphobic corporate support for Pride festivals is also key. Queer and/or gender studies scholars and LGBTQ+ activists will find this a compelling and well-articulated book of special interest.

An engaging study that highlights the need for intersectional awareness in the LGBTQ+ community.