“As long as gay people don’t have their rights all across
— Marsha P. Johnson, gay liberation activist and central figure in the Stonewall riots
America, there’s no reason for celebration.”
LGBTQ+ Community:
With its iconic marches and vibrant colors, Pride is both a time of celebration, as well as a recognition of the Stonewall Rebellion’s anniversary, which birthed the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Today — a world of unrest that echoes the very Stonewall riots that gave us the Pride we know — is the time to focus on the spirit of that uprising and save the celebrations for another day.
Marsha P. Johnson, the Black trans woman who catalyzed the Stonewall Rebellion, said it best: “As long as gay people don’t have their rights all across America, there’s no reason for celebration.” As protests across the nation respond to systemic police brutality against the Black community, there is a bright, necessary light on violence against People of Color — including LGBTQ+ People of Color, who experience these injustices differently.
Today, in the United States:
- Data shows that Black people who identify as LGBTQ+ have the highest rates of unemployment, lack of insurance coverage, food insecurity, and income below the poverty level than both non-Black LGBTQ+ people and non-LGBTQ+ Black people.
- Young LGBT People of Color are at higher risk of homelessness. An estimated 20–40% of homeless youth in the U.S. identify as LGBT or believe they may be LGBTQ+. One study found that among homeless youth who identify as gay or lesbian, 44% identified as Black and 26% as Latino.
- Black transgender women are disproportionately victims of harassment and violence; last year, there were 26 reported deaths of transgender and gender non-conforming people in the United States caused by acts of violence. Black trans women accounted for the majority of these losses.
The path forward is paved with solidarity. We hope these injustices are rectified soon so that all of us can celebrate and heal — not just a privileged few. In the meantime, we’re here to support you with resources and workshops focused on LGBTQ+ topics. For more information on how you can stand with People of Color, read our post, Why We Should All Be Angry, by our very own Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, James Page.
Stay safe. Stay strong. Don’t stay silent.
Events:
- 6/11 – Diversity & Inclusion in Tech
- 6/24 – Leading at the Intersection: Our Identities in the Workplace
- 6/25 – Drag Queen Bingo for the Ali Forney Center
- 6/25 – Radical Pride, Radical Allyship: Community Talk, Workshop & Dance
- 6/26 – Designing for All: Why Accessibility Matters
- 6/30 – How They Got There: LGBTQIA Leaders
- 7/6 – Celebrating Pride: A Road to Self-Acceptance