Race tinges LGBT celebrations
Some people of color say the celebration prioritizes the experiences of gay white men
NEW YORK — Gay pride marches in New York City, San Francisco and in between this weekend will have plenty of participants — and also protests directed at them from other members of the LGBT community, speaking out against what they see as increasingly corporate celebrations that prioritize the experiences of gay white men and ignore issues facing black and brown LGBT people.
The protests disrupted other pride events earlier this month. In Washington, D.C., the No Justice No Pride group blocked the parade route. In Columbus, Ohio, four people were arrested after a group set out to protest violence against minority LGBT people and the recent acquittal of a police officer in the shooting death of Philando Castile, a black man, during a traffic stop.
“Nobody wants to feel dropped in a community that prides itself on diversity,” said Mike Basillas, one of the organizers of the planned New York City protest action by No Justice No Pride.
In Minneapolis, organizers of Sunday’s Twin Cities Pride Parade initially asked the police department to limit participation following the acquittal of police officer Jeronimo Yanez in the death of Castile. But organizers changed their minds after meeting Thursday with Janee Harteau, the city’s openly gay police chief who called the decision divisive and hurtful to LGBT officers.
On Friday, the organizers apologized and said they had neglected to consider other alternatives. They said the officers are welcome to march after all.
In Philadelphia, where racial relations in the LGBT community are beginning to mend after a year of community protests, the introduction of a rainbow flag — the traditional symbol of LGBT unity and diversity — that added black and brown stripes to represent blacks and Latinos has spilled over into a national debate.
The recent flare-up of racial tensions comes as no surprise to Isaiah Wilson, director of external affairs for the National Black Justice Coalition, one of the few national groups focused specially on black LGBT rights.
He said the broader LGBT-rights movement “has been whitewashed” — dominated to a large extent by white gay men.
“Black queer and trans folks have always been there, but our contributions have been devalued,” Wilson said.
He said major LGBT-rights groups need to be frank in discussing the issue of racism, as well as recruiting and supporting nonwhite leaders.
“Until the mainstream LGBT groups address this, we’re not going to move forward and you’ll continue to see this pressure,” Wilson said. “In my opinion, the pressure is good — it has us talking.”
Shannon Minter, a white attorney who is the legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said LGBT people of color were justified in challenging racist aspects of the LGBT-rights movement.