Each personality shares their unique stories and experience about what it means to be black and gay today:
Don Lemon (CNN Anchor) – “We–black men–are always reminded that we are black. And if we happen to be gay, it’s yet another reminder that we are different. So in order to keep our sanity and dignity, we embrace it, sometimes even laugh at it. I’m black and I’m gay. So what? Deal with it! And we keep moving forward, proudly away from the darker alternative of becoming bitter and angry. We also say I’m black and gay because we want our own people to support us and know that we were born gay just as surely as we were born black. And because the church has such a strong influence on our community, we want our churchgoing, God-fearing black brethren to know that despite what the church tells them, God doesn’t make mistakes. Nor does he judge.”
Laverne Cox (transgender actress) – “When I was perceived as a black man I became a threat to public safety. When I was dressed as myself, it was my safety that was threatened. It was usually other black people who policed my gender, called me out, or made fun of me on subways, street corners, and in delicatessens. I believe it is because I am also black that I became their target. These same folks would often ignore white trans and gender nonconforming folks in the same spaces, even those who passed even less that I did at the time. Systemic racism not only encourages the state and non-black individuals to police and monitor black bodies, white supremacy encourages other black folks to do so as well.”
Aaron Walton (co-founder Walton Isaacson) – “What I have learned from [Bayard] Rustin is to never wait for permission to change the world for the better. In a year that has seen many triumphs for gay black Americans, I have refocused my efforts on the core principle that fueled Rustin’s passion for equality and compassion in both our profession and personal lives.”
Doug Spearman (actor, director, activist) – “[Jason] Collins stood up as a man and let his community – our community – know that you can be both a black man and gay; that the barber shop beliefs and the Sunday morning rhetoric about what a man is and what he is not don’t work anymore. His coming out signifies that you can be a baller and be gay. That you can be a sports hero and be gay. That you can be someone to cheer for or follow up and down a court someone color commentators and coaches can point out and marvel at, and be gay.”
Janora McDuffie (actress, TV host) – By being visible, I’m also able to challenge and break the mold of what the mainstream might think a black gay woman looks like–there truly is a much broader spectrum of same gender loving people of color that exists than many might imagine. The brave act of coming out educates and moves our community forward toward love and acceptance.”
