All Men Are ‘Real’

by Ernie McCray

“Gay Black men
are not ‘real’ men”
I heard a brother say
and all I know about him
is he’s ensnared in naivete
because some of the “realist” people I know
happened to be gay,
as there’s nothing
more “real”
than Langston Hughes’ poetry
in opposition
to the injustice and oppression
of Africans trapped in America,
and the same can be said
for James Baldwin’s prose
that exposed
a people’s heartbreak and pain,
challenging them to keep the faith
with love
and you can’t mention love
without recollections
of Alvin Ailey’s
soulfully brilliant dance piece,
“Revelations,”
inspired by his memories
of growing up
listening to gospel music
and work songs
and blues,
the “real” truths
behind the faith and persistence
African Americans have maintained
to bask in the loving arms
of Mother Liberty…
Bayard Rustin,
Martin’s right-hand man,
a mastermind
behind the scenes,
advocating for the embracing of
Gandhi’s non-violence philosophy…
RuPaul,
real Drag Queen,
real author and singer
and model and actor,
such a rich combination of things,
real Emmy winner
for shows that helped
bring pride to LGBTQ folks,
real enough to earn a place
in Time Magazine
as one of its 100 most influential people
in 2017…
Billy Porter,
such a masterful humanizer and
setter of trends,
directing the world’s attention
to possibilities
when it comes to living free,
being “real,”
who you’re meant to be.

All men are “real,”
as we’re a richly
diverse humanity.