US comedian says homophobia, sexism and transphobia aren’t as important as racism
By Will Stroude
US comedian and actor Dave Chappelle has made some controversial comments regarding equality, in which he suggested that race issues are more important than other issues in the fight for equality.
Chapelle, whose film role include appearances in The Nutty Professor and Blue Streak, made the comments during a stand up performance in New York last Friday (November), during a set which was largely devoted to criticising Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
According to Observer, the 43-year-old began by slamming North Carolina’s transphobic bathroom laws, saying ““If you need to show your birth certificate to take a dump at a Wal-Mart in North Carolina, that’s insane,” but added that he wouldn’t want to stand next to “a woman with a dick” at the urinal.
Chapelle, who is straight, continued to criticise LGBT and gender activists, saying: “They should not be having that conversation in front of black people.
“You go ahead and feel something about your rights. But
Many LGBT, gender and trans-specific activists encourage all aspects of identity to be considered when supporting equal rights, arguing that movement forward in one aspect is futile without freedoms being won in other areas.
However in his comments, Chappelle seems to suggest that race issues trump other areas of equality.
Mathew Rodriguez, a journalist from Mic, commented, “I’d like to see Chappelle tell a trans woman of colour that racism and transphobia are separate phenomenon and should be addressed as such”
I’d like to see Chappelle tell a trans woman of color that racism and transphobia are separate phenomenon and should be addressed as such.
— 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚌 𝚙𝚒𝚡𝚒𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚖 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 🍉 (@mathewrodriguez) November 5, 2016
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