As America celebrates the legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, it is hard not to draw comparisons between the LGBT equality movement and the successful one for African Americans. It goes without question that the Civil Rights Movement led to the modern pursuit of equality by women and the LGBT community.
Unfortunately, the connection between the Civil Rights Movement and LGBT equality has not produced broad support within the African American community. While we can all agree that there is much work to do to win over the hearts and minds of many within the African American community, there are some shining examples of support from African American leaders.
The history of African American LGBT leaders and allies is often brushed over. The focus of many in the broader LGBT community is the “black church” and its perceived hatred of homosexuality. While there are significant obstacles within the African American community around LGBT equality, marriage in particular, there are African American LGBT leaders and allies that the broader community should support to move LGBT equality forward.
Many in our community have an “all or nothing” strategy when it comes to LGBT equality. If a political leader or ally does not support full marriage equality but supports civil unions, they are often vilified by some in our community. Marriage has become the litmus test for being a “fierce’ advocate of LGBT rights. It is a short-sighted view. There are many other issues that are important to our community and we should partner with leaders who support these issues, regardless of what they think about marriage. Particularly given the new Republican House of Representatives. Let the courts give us marriage rights for the next couple of years.
We need to get adoption rights, equality in tax treatment, immigration rights, as well as equal treatment in the workplace. Many African Americans support our pursuit of these rights, while not being supportive of same sex marriage. That said, there are many African American leaders who support marriage equality, but their voices are often lost in the narrative that straight African Americans hate our community. The power of this narrative was most evident when initially the African American community was blamed for the Prop 8 debacle. Of course, that story was quickly debunked, but the damage was done.
In celebration of Dr. King’s legacy, San Diego LGBT Weekly decided to highlight a few of the LGBT heroes and allies within the African American community, past and present.
Bayard Rustin
Bayard Rustin was the architect of the legendary March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom held in 1963. The March, which helped launch Martin Luther King on the national stage, was largely planned and executed by Rustin, an openly gay man. His public participation in the civil rights movement was met with opposition by many religious leaders because he was considered a “sodomite.” While privately respected for his outstanding organizational skills, Rustin’s role was often minimized to the general public for fear that his homosexuality would undermine the effectiveness of the March on Washington. Rustin is also credited with helping King develop his non-violent direct action strategy which resulted in the infamous images of African Americans being hosed down and attacked by police dogs.
Coretta Scott King
Clearly influenced by the work of Bayard Rustin, Coretta Scott King made this statement in 1998:
“Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Georgia, and St. Augustine, Florida, and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.”
In 2000, she stated “We have a lot of work to do in our common struggle against bigotry and discrimination. I say ‘common struggle,’ because I believe very strongly that all forms of bigotry & discrimination are equally wrong and should be opposed by right-thinking Americans everywhere. Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination.”
Julian Bond
Bond was a major civil rights activist in the 1960’s and now serves as the Chairman of the Board of the NAACP. Speaking about LGBT equality, Bond said “That’s why when I am asked, “Are gay rights civil rights?’ my answer is always ‘Of course they are.’ Rights for gays and lesbians are not ‘special rights’ in any way. It isn’t ‘special” to be free from discrimination – that’s an ordinary, universal entitlement of citizenship.”
Dorothy Height
One of the few females that were allowed a leadership role in the civil rights movement, Dorothy Height actively worked with the Human Rights Campaign and other groups to move LGBT equality forward. At the HRC National Dinner in 1997, Height said “Civil rights are civil rights. There are no persons who are not entitled to their civil rights.”
Dr. Martin Luther King
While King never made any direct statements concerning homo-sexuality, his relationship with Bayard Rustin was a testament to his plea that a person be “judged by the content of their character.” I think it is easy to discern what King’s thoughts would be about marriage equality which is illustrated by this quote:
“Races do not fall in love and get married. Individuals fall in love and get married. Why don’t you want your fellow men and women, your fellow Americans to be happy? Why do you attack them? Why do you want to destroy the love they hold in their hearts?”
President Obama
While President Obama has been widely criticized for saying he was a “fierce advocate” of the LGBT community. Many in our community felt the LGBT equality agenda was not moving forward quickly enough. Obama remains one of the most vocal African American advocates for LGBT equality. He has made many statements like this one, “That’s why I support ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country. I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples. I’ve required all agencies in the federal government to extend as many federal benefits as possible to LGBT families as the current law allows. And I’ve called on Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act. And we must all stand together against divisive and deceptive efforts to feed people’s lingering fears for political and ideological gain.”
John Lewis
Congressman John Lewis has been a leader for LGBT rights for decades. In 1996 when the Defense of Marriage Act was being debated, Lewis was one of the few brave Congresspeople that took to the floor to suggest that gays and lesbians should have the right to marry.
Lewis continues to be a strong advocate for LGBT equality stating “”We cannot keep turning our backs on gay and lesbian Americans. I have fought too hard and too long against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up against discrimination based on sexual orientation. I’ve heard the reasons for opposing civil marriage for same-sex couples. Cut through the distractions, and they stink of the same fear, hatred, and intolerance I have known in racism and in bigotry.”
Reverend Al Sharpton
Reverend Sharpton is a deeply religious figure but is one of the Black clergy that supports marriage equality. Sharpton stated “I think it is not an issue any more of just marriage. This is an issue of human rights. And I think it is dangerous to give states the right to deal with human rights questions. That’s how we ended up with slavery and segregation going forward a long time… Whatever my personal feelings may be about gay and lesbian marriages, unless you are prepared to say gays and lesbians are not human beings, they should have the same constitutional right of any other human being.”
Evelyn Thomas
“My act of civil disobedience was a fight for equality for the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people that suffer in silence. It was worth risking my teaching license-and I would do it all again. I am a servant in God’s Army. I follow the steps of the purest social activist, his name is Jesus Christ and that is to show and demonstrate love for our brothers and sisters.” Thomas is one of several servicemembers that chained themselves to the White House fence to protest Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She calls San Diego home.
Donna Payne
Donna Payne has been an active advocate for LGBT rights at the Human Rights Campaign for the last twelve years. As one of the Human Rights Campaign’s key representatives, Payne works closely with other civil rights organizations and leaders nationwide to increase visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community within the religious and people of color communities.
Maxine Waters
Congresswoman Waters has been a key advocate for LGBT rights in Congress and the Congressional Black Caucus. She stated, “The government should not infringe upon matters dealing with personal liberty and individual autonomy. The Fourteenth Amendment protects the rights and liberties of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans equally under law.
“I have fought against discrimination against LGBT Americans as well as voted against a proposed constitutional amendment that would prevent marriage equality. Amendments to the Constitution are relatively rare, and previously they have been used to protect and expand liberties, not to limit individual freedoms.”
Kamala Harris
California’s first African American and woman Attorney General has made clear her support of LGBT equality. She has stated she will not support an appeal to the ruling that Prop 8 is unconstitutional.
“Maintaining a position that is the right position in saying we will not defend Proposition 8 because it is simply unconstitutional….One does not need to run from their convictions when they choose to run for office.”
Dr. Pat Washington
Dr. Pat Washington has held a number of local, state and national leadership positions, as well as participated in a broad range of political and education-related activities. Considered a critical straight ally by many in the LGBT community, Washington has been a champion of LGBT equality in the San Diegan African American community and beyond.
Shelia Jackson
Shelia Jackson has been a significant partner to the LGBT community through her role on the San Diego School Board, as well as been an active member of the San Diego Democratic Club. She has actively worked with Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network which strives to assure that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Jackson was the first to endorse Todd Gloria for City Council.
Charles W. Patmon, Jr.
Charles W. Patmon, Jr. became actively involved with the San Diego LGBT community in 2008 when he was asked to produce an African American gospel stage for San Diego Pride Annual Festival. Since then he has worked with many local LGBT organizations. Currently he serves as the Executive Director of Urban Pride – San Diego (also known as Ebony Pride – San Diego). Urban Pride is a social service and community-based organization committed to promoting positive self-images of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Urban Communities of San Diego through education and enrichment activities.
“We celebrate San Diego’s unique and culturally diverse LGBT community, and are committed to empowering LGBT urban individuals and families, as well as the LGBT community at large. Ebony Pride has served the San Diego community for many years. We have a rich, diverse history and heritage, and we want to continue in that with a new vision of inclusion and unity.”
Vertez Burks
Vertez Burks has been a fixture within the San Diego LGBT community for over 25 years. A great example of an out, proud African American lesbian, Burks has been active in numerous organizations including Lesbians and Gays of African Descent United (LAGADU), San Diego LGBT Pride, the Names Project, and the City Heights Planning Committee, to name a few. Most recently, she was one of the interim Board members of Pride San Diego that helped guide the organization through its Executive Director scandal.
