10 STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING HOW RACIAL INEQUITIES AFFECT LGBTQ COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

7. Contemplate how harsh stereotypes and unfair media representations can have lasting effects on grantees serving LGBTQ people of color

From the media to the arts to our own minds, a cacophony of images, stereotypes and cultural representations about people of color have been embedded in the mainstream and in our collective psyche. These stereotypes generally portray people of color as lazy, violent and one-dimensional—in shades and to differing effects across racial/ethnic groups. Further, LGBTQ people too often deal with cartoonish stereotypes that erase the vibrancy of their lives. Further, most people of color are represented as heterosexual and LGBTQ people are portrayed as white, which has the effect of rendering invisible LGBTQ people of color. A grantmaker might reflect on how the specific stereotypes associated with a grantee's populations influences its focus (challenging these unfair stereotypes), its leadership and populations (negative representations create a sense of failure and hopelessness) and its decision-making and organizational effectiveness (community leaders may unfortunately rely on these stereotypes when dealing with organizations led by LGBTQ people of color, which reifies the discrimination).

PrYSM notes that Southeast Asian LGBTQ youth deal with as the stereotypes of violent gang members, making it difficult for the youth-led group to access affordable, local venues for meetings or events. Further, these portrayals can incite legislation, such as a local 2009 policy proposal that would have further criminalized participation in gang culture by providing more funding for law enforcement to police Southeast Asian youth.