A Guide to Being Antiracist on Fire Island
Actionable Steps Towards Inclusivity in Cherry Grove and the Pines
Fire Island, more specifically the neighborhoods of Cherry Grove and the Pines are often touted as two of the most welcoming destinations in the country for people in the LGBT+ community. But recent events have validated what I have known for a long time. These places don’t always feel welcoming to everyone, particularly not to black and brown people. A post on social media has recently pulled the curtains back on that, and to say that people let their true colors show is an understatement. But despite the overtly racist rhetoric that was spewed, people with opposing views showed up to make the discussion a teachable moment. Before a week goes by and people forget that anything has happened, we must discuss how to bridge the divide that so many people didn’t even know existed. Racism on Fire Island is real, but so is allyship, and both need to be put under the microscope.
Yesterday morning, in the Cherry Grove Untucked Facebook group, someone posted photos of the Cherry Grove Community Center. Three outdoor areas of the building had the letters “BLM” spray painted on them in white, and the caption to the post read, “I’m heartbroken. Why is vandalism necessary?” This led to a barrage of responses, ranging from those expressing disapproval of the action to those who wanted to explore why someone would be moved to do such a thing in the first place. Some people were quick to blame supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, while others expressed that this action was juxtaposed to their message and how it must have been someone who wanted to discredit what these recent protests have been all about. Seeing as how a BLM demonstration was scheduled that afternoon in the Grove, this could have very well been the case. What really stood out was the amount of people who came into the comments to say that this particular act of vandalism is precisely why “All Lives Matter”. Numerous people expressed sentiments of shock at seeing the conservative views of people in their beloved Cherry Grove. But for every person who called attention to the vandalism, there were 5 more people who would jump in to pull the focus back to the injustices that black people have experienced in this country for centuries. They reminded them of the lost lives of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, police brutality and murder, and how all of these things have yet again reached a boiling point that has caused the world to erupt in protest against racism. For those who were focused on property, I offered up a little quip that I have seen floating around social media that I thought could help people shift their perspective;
Instead of saying, “It’s horrible that an innocent black man was killed, but the vandalism needs to stop,” try saying, “It’s horrible that property was destroyed, but killing innocent black men needs to stop.”
Racism permeates every fabric of our society, whether we want to admit it or not. Every single system in this country was built on racism, and over time, every one of them has been shaped or restructured in a way that is still meant to oppress people of color. And it’s interesting that when we think of Fire Island, we often think of it as a place to escape the burdens of the real world. Yet here we are, finally facing the fact that the real world follows us wherever we go. Something that I was happy to see was the amount of white people calling out their fellow white people on their problematic views and inherent privileges. It’s something that I’ve noticed about this particular moment in time. White silence is, even if only marginally, less loud. This is one type of allyship that is so important. In addition, people called for members of the group to donate money to have the graffiti cleaned off while also asking for a donation to a BLM supportive group. Donations are such an integral part of progression. This a fight for equality. Equality in the housing market, job market, education, healthcare, and justice. There are organizations on the ground doing the real hard work, but they need money.
On #blackouttuesday, millions worldwide posted a black square on their Instagram to show solidarity with the BLM movement. Naturally, people had mixed feelings about it. Some said that it made them feel good to see how many people actually gave a damn, while others said that it didn’t serve to really get anything done. Many people and companies also posted who they gave donations to, found entities who could match donations, and called for their followers to do the same. One post that stood out to me was from PJ McAteer. PJ, who, with a business partner, purchased a large strip of the Pines harbor (which includes businesses such as The Blue Whale, Sip & Twirl, The Pavilion, Canteen, and more) for $10mil in 2015, has been giving updates on the status of the Pines amidst the pandemic since late March. A week ago he posted a message that expressed his disdain for the injustices that black people have continually been suffering, reminded his followers about how LGBTQ+ liberation began with a riot, and made a call to action by saying, “We have to donate to causes that spread the word and educate.” When someone followed up in the comments offering him specific organizations that he could donate to, his response was, “Sorry, right now all funds are to the Pines. I need to make sure my businesses survive the pandemic.”
Seeing a response like that after reading what looked to be an expression of empathy was disheartening. Seeing how that response directly conflicted with his call to action was confusing. Another person followed up to let him know that as well. His message, followed by his comment, is a clear example of performative allyship, and that’s exactly what this movement does not need right now. He would have been better off posting a black square with an empty caption. Or do like Daniel Nardicio (owner of Big Dicks Inn and promoter of the legendary DWorld Underwear Party), who despite requests from his employees, chose to say nothing. Saying nothing when the world is burning around you but it doesn’t directly affect you is a privilege.
Regarding donations, I have seen people make one from their unemployment. Yesterday, I even saw an Instagay who offered to send people nudes in exchange for proof that they sent a donation somewhere. There are people who have no means, that are getting creative! If you’re not donating, it’s because you simply don’t want to.
Now, let’s get real. In the four summers I have come out to Fire Island, I have only met one black business owner. I am a black man launching a new print magazine on the island very soon. I have 1500 circulations that will be going out to the Pines & Cherry Grove in a mere 3 weeks! (You can view the Preview Issue here.) From the time I even conceptualized FAG RAG Magazine, I thought of my skin color as a barrier to entry. I even considered using a pseudonym so that people wouldn’t be able to look me up and see that I am black. I worried about how my skin color would affect my ad sales. I wondered whether I should personally ask shop owners if I could leave some magazines lying around or if I should get a white friend to ask for me. Seeing performative allyship like the kind above validates my fears. Seeing numerous racist comments firsthand validates my fears. Hearing about racist business owners validates my fears. These are things that white entrepreneurs can’t even begin to fathom considering when they sit down to create their business plan. But this struggle isn’t new for me; over time, I’ve learned to compartmentalize it. Letting those fears stop me from doing what I set out to do gives a win to the systems of oppression that, for centuries, have been designed to make black people feel like we are not good enough.
So what can we do?
I was frustrated after nearly 600 comments amassed in that Cherry Grove Untucked post. On the one hand, the endless back-and-forth bickering opened the eyes of many people to the true nature of some of the residents and frequent visitors of the Grove. But on the other hand, it didn’t leave us with many solutions to move forward. So I jumped on a Zoom call with NYC nightlife legend Kareem McJagger, and the Cherry Grove fan favorite, Brenda Darling. Both of them are black drag queens. Kareem frequents the island, while Brenda has a weekly summer residency at the Ice Palace in the Grove and is one of 4 black Miss Fire Island winners (out of 52). We discussed our experiences on the island and came up with some actionable ways to make Fire Island more inclusive right now.
Fly the “Progress Pride Flag” (pictured above). When the Sayville Ferry is sailing into Cherry Grove, the immediate focal point is the giant rainbow flag that billows over the dock. I have literally heard people give audible sighs of relief when they see it. They’re comforted. They feel welcomed. Feeling welcomed in Fire Island is a privilege. I think a way to make POC, who are already arriving with their defenses up, feel welcome is to fly this flag high on the pole in Cherry Grove and mount it on the Pavilion's upstairs balcony in the Pines. Here is a way that PJ McAteer can make a difference! And to the people who say that the stripes on the original flag were not meant to represent race; they weren’t meant to represent anything until the artist told you that they should. & there have been 3 versions of that flag already. There is no golden untouchable rule book that says we can’t have a different flag. & if not having a white stripe makes you feel othered, imagine how POC feel about nearly every other thing in life.
Hang a BLM sign, “Progress Pride Flag”, or better yet a “Queer Pride Flag” in front of your house. The “Queer Pride Flag” is my favorite version of the flag that was designed by a brown queer disabled transman, named Scout The Bootblack. Here are the links to buy directly from him: (Flags, shirts, stickers, and face masks). Walking around the island and seeing this would bring those same feelings of welcome and comfort to POC.
Support black artists. Every summer, there are artist residencies on the island that invite black artists to get inspiration and create. BOFFO is one of them.
Encourage your favorite promoters and clubs to hire more black talent. I can name 20 drag queens off the top of my head who have recurring gigs in the Pines or Cherry Grove. Two of them are black. Brenda Darling said that there are actually four. The most recent two were brought in by other white queens who already had existing shows. Before the current crop of black talent was performing on the island, there was only Shequida for quite a long time. Long may she reign! That aside, there is an entire island of queens making money for lip-syncing and doing dance moves from a culture that does not belong to them. Which might be fine if they continued to create spaces for their black and brown sisters.
Encourage bars/clubs to hire more black bartenders and dj’s! I’ve never seen a black DJ at tea. Ever.
Invite a black friend for a weekend. How many quarter shares clear out on Monday when everyone returns to work, even though you’ve all paid to stay until Wednesday or Thursday? How many shares don’t mind if you have an extra guest over the weekend? Everyone can’t afford a quarter share. And there are times when you have available space in your house. So use it.
Diversify your share. If you look back at your Fire Island photos and the only thing visible is a sea of white bodies and perfect abs, do better! Fire Island is exclusive. Maybe not to you. But figuring out where to begin looking for a share can be tricky for people who have never been or want to go. And guess what? A lot of black folks want to go. Just ask.
Encourage organizations like Dancers Responding To AIDS and the Pines Party to make donations this year to charities that specifically help queer communities of color.
Make a personal donation to BLM-supportive groups. If you want to put a cherry on top, make that donation recurring! The NYC Pride Committee made this working spreadsheet of groups that could use your help. Here is another page that tells you ways to donate without spending money!
Come out as anti-racist and invite others to join you. Be loud about it. Explain ways that you are actively making an effort to be anti-racist.
Call out your friends who say racist/problematic things or use microaggressions. Do this whether you are in the presence of a black person or not.
Let’s bring back “Blackout”. There’s a bear weekend, a Latin weekend, a leather weekend. But apparently, the black weekend has been the only one to face resistance from the community. Even if it’s not “Blackout”, Fire Island is long overdue for another weekend filled with black excellence.
Listen. Your experience on the island may be contradictory to what you hear other people say. It’s just that. Your experience. Listen to the experiences of POC and take their word as credible.
Discuss ways to diversify homeownership. This one is for the realtors. According to the Fire Island Pines Property Owner’s Association’s 2018 Quadrennial Survey, 92% of Pines homeowners are white, 2.1% Asian, 1.4% Hispanic, 1 % black, 0.3% multi-racial, and 3.1% other. Obviously, structural racism in the U.S. housing system has contributed to stark and persistent racial disparities in wealth and financial well-being, especially between black and white households. Still, maybe the realtors can get together and discuss what things they can do to address that in our little gay mecca.
Use your connections. If you are reading this and have connections to make anything on this list become a reality, use them! Reach out. Phone. Email. Text. Zoom. Skype. WhatsApp. Smoke signal. Facetime. Telepathy. Every single thing on this list can happen if we want it to. Do it right now. And if you are one of the people who can make this happen on your own, do it. Be the change.
Encourage your white friends to do all of the above. Posting something on social media is helpful in terms of educating people, but without action, it is performative. It doesn’t matter how big your following is. Progress takes action.
Fire Island is special. It doesn’t even feel like you’re still in the state of New York when there. The beaches are beautiful, the nature is beautiful, the houses are beautiful, and the scene can be really fun. There is something magical about being in a place that is just so gay that when you’re there, you can truly let your hair down. Even on the gayest corner of Hell’s Kitchen, I would still check my surroundings before kissing another guy in public. Being in a place where that is one less thing to worry about is indescribable. But like anywhere, it’s not perfect. If we as a community come together to make these actionable changes, we can make our way a little bit closer towards that perfection.