BY: SOPHIA CASTEN, SUMMER 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE
As we move, sit, protest, and isolate through the 51st anniversary of Pride Month, it is imperative to call upon white and non-Black members of the LGBTQ+ community, like myself, to recognize the roots of our celebratory month and its relevance given the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement. The recent riots that took place across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis and many more people like him, have gained copious amounts of criticism across political parties and social identities including from members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Though the criticism is widespread, it is imperative to remember that Pride month was created from a series of riots. Specifically, the Cooper Do-Nuts Riot, The Black Cat Tavern riot, Gene Compton’s Café Riot, and most famously, The Stonewall Riots. The culmination of these riots, which were often led by trans people of color, were in direct response to homophobic and transphobic police violence that plagued the LGBTQ+ community for decades prior to the rioting. It is really easy to forget about the beginnings of Pride when it is now a celebration trademarked with rainbows, sexual liberation, and nation-wide parades and not violence, criminalization, and blatant police brutality.
I urge members of the LGBTQ+ community, including allies, to see the Black Lives Matter riots and protests happening now as a sign of a revolution that could turn into a celebration. Just as Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans woman, is hailed for throwing the first brick at Stonewall, we must hail the young leaders, mainly women of color, who continue to organize and fight back against racist police brutality. Many women politicians who have been outspoken about social justice issues from the beginning are urging all supporters and members of the LGBTQ+ community to support the Black Lives Matter movement in its entirety.
New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (affectionately known as AOC), shared in a June 1st 2020 tweet that she, along with a few other politicians, introduced a resolution “calling on the FDA to allow gay and bisexual men to donate blood without discrimination.” During a global pandemic where blood donation is necessary and where Black people are disproportionately impacted by the virus, prohibiting members of the LGBTQ+ community from donating is “especially cruel.” Continuously, we are seeing Black and non-Black members of the LGBTQ+ community speak out against racial injustice while remembering the beginnings of Pride over 50 years ago.
Activists have been diligent in sharing resources that folks can donate to/support, if able. Below is a list of organizations and groups that support Black LGBTQ+ rights.
https://transgenderlawcenter.org/support
https://my.truecolorsunited.org/give/118989/#!/donation/checkout
Sophia Casten is a rising junior at Smith College majoring in Government with a certificate in Reproductive Health Rights and Justice. She is a Yoga teacher and a Community Health Organizer at the Smith Wellness Center and is passionate about spreading inclusive wellness practices. Sophia is interested in reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights advocacy, and public policy reform.