In light of all of the election talk sweeping the nation and when considering that we have recently entered Women’s History Month, I have been pondering on so many people’s discussions of what they would do should Donald Trump become President. It’s odd to me that so many people – especially those Women of Color identifying as LGBTQI – are speaking so frankly about moving to another country or continent if Trump is elected. I feel like these assertions that we should leave our country because of who the political officials are is somewhat ludicrous. At what point do we recognize the level of power we are giving someone like Trump if our answer to his potential leadership is to flee? What is to be said about the LGBTQI Women of Color from American History who fought and died in this country against political figures who did not even recognize them as human? Are their legacies lost? Was their work done in vain?
I will speak on my most obvious issue with so many of the women emphasizing this return to Africa. For many, “Africa” is the extent of their knowledge about the continent. There has yet to be a specific country on the continent of Africa named where we, as LGBTQI Women of Color, should go. Let alone a country where we would be safe. Lets be real here, y’all. Many of us have read the articles about the mistreatment of LGBTQI men and women throughout the world, especially in Africa. For every story there is about the first Pride parades or gay marriages in a region, there are at least three stories of corrective rape, murder, and forced marriages. Do we recognize what we are signing up for by leaving America with the assumption that Africa will be “better” for us in some way? Trump may not be the President there, but that might be one of the few “advantages.”
For the Black History aficionados among us who are referencing Marcus Garvey’s Back to Africa Movement, let us also be clear about the day and age when Garvey offered that suggestion. Garvey was speaking to Black Americans who were not that far removed from slavery and, therefore, not that far removed from Africa. Conversely, many of us do not share connections to Africa, let alone do we know which country we are descended from. Many of the women pontificating about moving back to Africa and citing Garvey as their reference point have also failed to realize that Garvey’s ideas were about reclaiming what had been taken from Black people and exploring alternatives that provided Black people with better conditions and treatment than what America offered. Nothing about Garvey’s proposed movement was about running out of fear of what could happen or seeking out a continent where we face the same (or worse) treatment. Lets be clear, plenty is being stolen from LGBTQI Women of Color on this very continent. How can we reclaim Africa if we have never been able to fully claim America?
There has also been a choice few emphasizing how so many members of the Black Panther Party left the United States to establish residences in Africa. While I am impressed by your knowledge of the Party and the individuals within it, let us not glorify their departures. Again, we have to be clear about the time frame and the reasons for their exile. Many of the well-known Civil Rights leaders and activists who have left the United States did not do so because they disagreed with who was elected for various positions, they did so because they had been charged with and/or accused of crimes that could have potentially led to their execution or imprisonment for the rest of their lives. Having recently read a bit about Pete O’Neal and his life in Tanzania after leaving the United States, I can say that Africa – while it became a residence for many of our history-makers – was not their home and some of them spoke very candidly about that. They established lives in various African countries, but only because it was not in their best interest to be in America. We can discuss all of the various issues that we might face at the hands of a Trump presidency, but we can also look at the actual experiences of those who have fled America and learn that we are not guaranteed a better or fulfilling life overseas.
O’Neal also openly expressed his concern about never being able to see his mother again, which brings me to my next point. While openly discussing moving to Africa, has it been considered that many of our partners, family members, and friends will likely not (or not be able to) make that trip with us? So what does that mean for the circle of people that support, love, and motivate you? Will Skype sessions and phone calls suffice if – for one reason or another – you are unable to return to America after leaving?
In my opinion, moving to Africa is not the solution to this “problem.” The actual solutions are things like being registered to vote and participating in the election process and/or working to establish our own processes, parties, companies, and movements that specifically target or work for the collective good of Women of Color who identify as LGBTQI. While I am all for visiting Africa before I die, I am not comfortable with the thought of dying there. No, life in America for People of Color is not perfect, nor is it always safe – but we must not forget the role that our sexual identity could play in the lives we may be forced to live or sacrifice in Africa.
Lastly, for those preaching about moving to Africa as if, for some odd reason, that is a bold or fearless decision – they are fooling themselves. Everything about returning to Africa if Trump is elected President is about fear. The democratic process could care less if you are on American soil. Leaving does not change anything for our generation, let alone improve anything for the coming generations. While you may boastfully (and sometimes humorously) go on and on about your return to Africa, recognize what your sole (and soul) reason for returning is. If you are fearful of what is happening in America, then perhaps doing something about it is more important than fleeing the country covered in your ancestors’ blood for your idealized version of the African shores where your people may have been Queens and Kings, but were definitely bought and sold.
In honor of Women’s History Month and in light of this upcoming election, I want to encourage the LGBTQI Women of Color to get involved. Ensure that you are registered to vote, watch the process and do research about it, vote and handle your civic duties and personal commitments to make this country a better place. And if, for one reason or another, you choose to move to Africa, I encourage you to conduct a Google search and at least be able to name more than one country there before packing your suitcase.
