#ITLQBM – Pride, Marriage & Blackness

Intersectionality Through the Lens of a Queer Black Man

I will start with the most prevalent piece that has changed this country for the better. On yesterday June 26, 2015, the SCOTUS ruled in favor of millions of SGL-BT/LGBT individuals, granting the right to marry in all fifty states! When this took place I was at watch party held at the Law Offices of Mitchell Katine who was the attorney that won the Lawrence V Texas case in 2003. That morning had so much anticipation in the air as I reflected on how I volunteered, protested and agitated in the efforts to obtain the right to marry since age 19, if my memory serves me well. By 9:15 a.m. (CST) we knew the verdict and then I experienced a level of emotion that I had not had in a long time.

My emotions were fueled by the fact that I was and still am reeling from the loss of nine heroes in Charleston, SC at the hands of a racist. Not a second goes by that I don't think about how all Black bodies matter and how I just had a piece of me that intersects with my Blackness recognized. At any moment, I can walk down the street and still be killed for being Black as I wear my shiny new engagement ring that my future husband just bought me (I AM SINGLE LOL). Now we move forward with the purpose of making sure PEOPLE OF COLOR are included and that means we need to work on TRANSGENDER PROTECTIONS, WOMEN'S RIGHTS & AND NON DISCRIMINATION ACROSS THE BOARD .



Even in my initial celebration, my intersectionalites hit me hard:

Now lets get one thing straight, Pride is for me too, DAMN IT I fight every day for the rights of all of us including the part of me that is SGL/GAY! I will celebrate Pride and Marriage Equality, but best believe I am plotting on how we can get more respect as People of Color across the board. Don't think you can just slide by calling White folks out when you don't show up to get you a piece of the rights pie, I saw some of your posts as if you put in some sweat and work. I have no remorse for you, NOW for those of us who were doing the work, don't stop. While we have White allies, much of our movement in the LGBT sector has been White wash, MAINLY because they haven't invited Persons of Color and the OTHER reason is that many of the Persons of Color who know don't show up until after the fact and want to celebrate and co-opt without knowledge of how we got here. In other words, everyone is complicit in some way....

Here is an example of White wash:

The example above illustrates lack of communication to the entire SGL-BT/LGBT and ally community about the celebration from our White counterparts and a lack of participation from those Person's of Color who did know about it. Anyway, Pride is today and I will be there, as many of you know about how I feel regarding the Houston organization behind its planning, still this is a time to celebrate! For those of you planning to participate in the Pride festivities, here are some graphics for your reference & I will see you there...

Barefoot Stage

1 p.m. Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA) ballet folklorico
2 p.m. Drop Out Vegas
3:30 p.m. Big Freedia
4:30 p.m. Morena Roas Da Artist
5:15 p.m. The T.R.U.T.H. Project - merged arts experience

Bud Light Stage - City Hall 

12:30 p.m. (We Are) Nexus
1:30 p.m. Erika Jayne
2:15 p.m. Pride Superstar!
3 p.m. Jessica Sutta
3:45 p.m. Ginger Minj Official Fan Page
4:30 p.m. Estelle

The Houston LGBT Pride FESTIVAL runs noon-7 p.m. Saturday and is FREE! Cross streets are McKinney and Smith in downtown Houston.

It will be followed by the Houston LGBT Pride PARADE at 8:30 p.m. in downtown Houston!
More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1504645259747100/"