Black History Month celebrates the
triumphant journey that African-Americans have had in facing entrenched
racial discrimination in our country. As an African-American lesbian, it
is an especially sacred time because I know personally how important it
is for the work for justice to continue. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
stated over 30 years ago, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.” Those eloquent words still ring true today for countless
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Today, I think about the fact that I lack
full protection under the law in my home or in the workplace because I
am a lesbian. And, because of my dual identity, Black History Month
reminds me of that discrimination even more. You see, I grew up in
Memphis, Tennessee, where Dr. King was killed April 4, 1968. I was 5
years old, watching television with my mother and grandmother when a
news bulletin flashed across the screen: “Dr. Martin L. King has been
killed at the Lorraine Motel.” My grandmother and mother wept.
My entire family participated in the
civil rights movement. My mother always said she was sitting at the
retail stores practicing nonviolence so that I wouldn’t ever have to
ask for the right to be treated equally. My father attended NAACP
meetings faithfully, looking forward to a better future for us all.
While I celebrate the accomplishments of
the civil rights movement this month, I also continue the legacy of
those who came before me by working for GLBT civil rights. And the fight
for equality continues on all fronts—black, lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender.
Many in the opposition want to make the
African-American and GLBT communities enemies of one
another—apparently forgetting those of us who find homes in both
communities. This came to the surface recently when the far-right
employed a divide-and-conquer strategy by asking black churches to
support the fight against the GLBT community. Some ministers joined
their side, but mainstream civil rights organizations understand that
the fight for justice doesn’t stop halfway. There are differences
among the struggles my ancestors faced during slavery and the civil
rights movement, and the modern GLBT civil rights movement. However
there are some basic inequalities that cannot be overlooked.
How we are treated is important. Everyone
deserves the right to be treated equally and with fairness. In the past,
my history has taught me that I have a right to have a decent job and to
choose where I live. I grew up thinking I was protected because my
ancestors secured that right for me as an African-American woman. But
then I found out that I could be fired because of my sexual orientation.
As it stands, only a part of my identity is protected—the
African-American part. There should be coverage for all parts of my
life. That acknowledgment would be treating me equally.
Hate crimes have also been a major focus
for the GLBT community and we have relied on the guidance of civil
rights allies in working toward legislation that would assist both
communities. I recall the murder in 2000 of J.R. Warren, a black, gay
man in West Virginia. In discussing the case with our allies, we
stressed that we could only bring a federal investigation because he was
covered by race, not by sexual orientation. His murder didn’t receive
equal treatment because there was no law to protect the gay part of him.
Our nation’s civil rights movement is a
tribute to everlasting liberty and the supreme triumph of freedom. The
movement ensured that human rights are central in defining America’s
identity, character and destiny. The enactment of race-based
anti-discrimination laws is one of the greatest achievements in
contemporary American history. Not only because it liberated
African-Americans, but also because it inspired people across the globe
to dream of a better world and to act in the noble quest for equality.
This is why I work for justice. I cannot separate the African-American
part of me and the lesbian part of me. They make up my whole being. Let
us all continue the work for equality by recognizing the importance of
Black History Month and carrying on with the legacy of the civil rights
movement until the day we reach true equality. The day when all of our
whole beings are treated equally.
Donna
Payne is a constituency field organizer for the Human Rights Campaign.
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