Ster·e·o·type Pronunciation (str--tp, stîr-) n.,
1.  A conventional, formulaic, and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image.
2. One that is regarded as embodying or conforming to a set image or type. 

I remember the days when a lesbian or gay man was defined by a particular stereotype.  Effeminate, swishy, butchie, no hair, no lipstick, frumpy, dumpy and well manley as my grandmother would say.  Although we with more discerning and open minds knew all along that we could not be defined by such limited perspectives.  I am amazed at diversity that defines us.  You never know whose packin what and who's who.  We are entrepreneurs, actors, professionals, politicians, artist, musicians, activists and on and on.  I recently ran across a  myspace page for  accidental diva.  Accidental Diva  is the CEO of www.skittlesproject.org. They're focus is promoting a queer agenda through fashion and visibiilty.  Other pages of interests include Tim'm West, Sistahforsistah.   We always are interested in promoting the work of same sex loving men, and women  of the African Diaspora.    Our primary reason is our belief is that the work,  the images challenge a prevailing societal belief that  we can be defined. Clearly we cannot. This is an infinitely powerful realization for those who are searching for self and searching for identity.  The only things that defines you is you. 

It's sometime after midnight. I am visiting my grandmother who is turning 87 tomorrow, today. That's her in the photo.  She is the person I most admire, respect, adore, and love.  She's the real deal.  No phonies allowed.  I am proud to be her voice in the future. I am me because of her.  So,anyway off to the Golden Corral, her favorite, fine dining spot.  Don't get me started. All that aside I was searching through infinity and beyond so to speak looking for Hanifah Walidah's Sucka for life video to include here on Blackinthelife.  It'll make ya wanna holla. If I had to draw a reference vibe Meshell Nedegeocello.  Hanifah is deep.  So, definitely go to her my space sight and check it out. She is one powerful sistah who is living out loud, and making her presence known.  If you check out her my space you'll  Tim'm West.  Another amazingly gifted black man, living his life out loud.  I first heard of him sometime ago when he was living and performing in the Bay area.  He is writer, poet, artist, rapper.  He's a founding member of deepdickollective.  There are so many of us living our lives  out loud. I am hoping that Blackin thelife can be one of the venues to showcase the beauty of our diversity, to showcase our talent, to showcase our humanity.   When I listen to either of these artists I am reminded of what it takes to live underground what is lost in the translation when one hides behind the safety of being other than what we are.  What is lost is the self and that is the most precious and most valuable thing any of us have, ourselves.    Happy Birthday Momma.  I gotta go.  One world, one love, one peace, one God. 

Welcome to the Blackinthelife Blog. We're serving up the hot dish on everything from queer hip hop to transgender identities. Our mission is to bring you cutting edge programming and information written for you, about you, and by you.   Blackinthelife  is a virtual community.   We acknowledge and celebrate the diversity that exists within our community. Within the context of such differences we also acknowledge a shared experience of exclusion rooted in historical and institutional racism and homophobia. We are committed to raising awareness of the issues facing same sex loving women and men and LGBT people of color globally.  Scientific explorations of queerness in the LGBT community point out the all to noble but all to often deceptive fact of multiculturalism.  It is not that these communities are lacking in diversity. It is that the same forces and structures which would thwart equality in the larger society are in operation with the LGBT communities. Same sex loving men and women of the African Diaspora often find themselves confronted with an invisibility that the larger LGBT community would at best avoid, and at worst deny.  Blackinthelife seeks to provide a forum for connection, for collective and individual expression, for resource and information sharing, for knowledge building and for social change.  We seek as Jewelle Gomez "notes to lift the veil of invisibility off of our lives."  In keeping silent and standing in the shadows, our lives, our contributions, our struggles, our identities as a collective recede every so slowly to the point that we no longer have a voice and we no longer exist.  Blackinthelife seeks to create a global village where everyone is of value.  We seek to foster an awareness about the complexities that shape our lives and our identities as same sex loving men and women of the African Diaspora.  It is our hope, whatever your color, or creed, that you will join us in our efforts to create global community. We hope that you'll support us by joining us in our efforts to promote social equality, social justice, social change and visibility. So please join us. Let your voice be heard.  One love, one peace, one world, one God.