Exclusive Interview
http://www.jasmynecannick.com/karamo.htm
THE EMERGING NEW FACE OF BLACK GAY AMERICA: MTV's Real World Philadelphia
by Jasmyne Cannick
This year Noah's Arc broke ground as the first black gay series. Showtime introduced three black gay men on the political reality show American Candidate . ABC's The Benefactor , features a black gay man as well. MTV is following suit with a black gay man on this season's Real World .
Last Tuesday night, over one million jaws dropped across America in unison as MTV's Real Word Philadelphia cast found out which of their new roommates were gay. No one probably ever suspected that the clean cut and handsome Black boy from Los Angeles by way of Houston would be dropping the bombshell that he wasn't one of the assumed "straight" members of the household. Ah, but the plot thickens! Not only is he gay, but he's not the finger-snapping overly effeminate gay man that America has grown comfortable with. No, Karamo , at first glance, appears to be your average urban, hip-hop loving, straight brotha, and for the most part that's accurate if you replace straight with gay.
The youngest of four, the 23 year old, Florida A&M Business Administration graduate is perfectly comfortable with his sexuality and hopes his "coming out" experience will put a new face on Black gay men.
In a recent interview he explained, "My sexuality doesn't define who I am. I am a Black man first and foremost."
That may be so, but how has Black America reacted to this new face on gay America?
"While I was in College Park, Atlanta, I had these real hardcore looking brothas come up to me on the street and give me props for coming out," explained to Karamo. "I've received support from people age 18 to 70 since coming out on the show. It's amazing because I thought people were going to attack me or something like that, but no, it's been all positive."
Since wrapping the show, Karamo is back in Los Angeles and has hit the ground running.
An avid activist, Karamo is now focusing his energies and time on issues that affect the Black gay community.
"I plan on volunteering with Black gay advocacy organizations like the National Black Justice Coalition ," said Karamo. "The fight against AIDS is also important to me and I want to assist with getting the message out that we [Black gay men] are still dying from this disease."
The son of Jamaican parents, Karamo is disgusted with homophobic reggae artists like Beenie Man.
"Artists like Beenie Man promote hatred and murder," explained Karamo. "Reggae is beautiful music but not when it's being used promote the murder of gays."
Karamo recently attended a special screening of Noah's Arc in Hollywood, the first all Black gay series.
"I hope that with all of these fresh new and positive images of Black gays emerging that America especially Black America will realize that we're [gays] an important part of the community," commented Karamo. "We have lives, jobs and families like everyone else. Anything that I can do to help get that message out there I will."
You can check out Karamo every Tuesday night on MTV at 10 p.m. For more information on the show, please visit
www.mtv.com .
©2004 Jasmyne Cannick
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