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Stepping Off Stage: Towards a More Reflexive Blackness

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Abstract

In order to sincerely pursue an inclusive African American humanity, we must recognize and respond to the complex intersections of subordination and privilege within the broad social, cultural, and physiological domain that is Blackness—the physical marker of African American existence within the United States. This paper represents an attempt to reflexively consider my own Blackness and the privileges contained therein. Sexuality, class and gender are among the subject positions that I consider in this effort.

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Notes

  1. A complete inclusion of the totality of this work would unreasonably lengthen this paper.

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Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the reviewers for their comments. Additionally the author wishes to thank Max Spencer, Teidra Williams, Cameron Herman, Kaniqua Robinson, Demarcus McCarthy and Tony Graddick for their editorial assistance.

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  1. African American Studies, Georgia State University, P.O. Box 4109, Atlanta, GA, 30303-4109, USA

    Jonathan Gayles

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  1. Jonathan Gayles
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Correspondence to Jonathan Gayles.

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Gayles, J. Stepping Off Stage: Towards a More Reflexive Blackness. J Afr Am St 12, 180–192 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-008-9037-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-008-9037-6

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