We march on the path paved by bricks our predecessors threw for us.
Many people, including those in the queer community, do not know queer history.
It is important to acknowledge the people who paved the way for LGBTQ activism as we know it, especially the people of color who are not often recognized as the faces of the movement. We honor their legacy by continuously sharing their stories and mourning those we have lost.
Many queer folks are part of more than one marginalized community. We recognize that Black members of the LGBTQ community experience discrimination at a higher rate than other racial groups.
Transphobia and structural racism work hand-in-hand to perpetuate hate against Black transgender and gender non-conforming people, according to the National LGBTQ Task force.
Visit the Transgender Gender-Variant and Intersex Justice Project’s website to learn about direct actions people can take to support these individuals who need aid the most.
LGBTQ lives won’t matter until all Black lives matter.
We recognize that media portrayal has not always been kind to the community and has contributed to the discrimination that people face. We hope these stories in our second OUTober issue are part of the effort to move the needle in a more positive direction.
The road ahead is a long and bumpy one, but we move forward as we always have.