BLM and QUITLTBAG+
by a virtual pride magazine team member
The Black Lives Matter movement seems to making waves in every sector of life right now; bandages that include a greater variety of colors to match darker skin tones, introduction of new legislature to criminalize racial profiling, and the end to various popular stores’ policies of keeping hair products marketed towards the Black community under lock and key when hair products marketed towards non-Black people are not are just a few examples of this. And you, socially aware individual that you are, may be looking for ways to support the Black community, fight for racial justice, and help dismantle white supremacy, but may not know where to start! There’s so much information floating around all over social media and via other forms of public communication that it may all feel overwhelming, so I’ve put together some tips specifically for members of the QUILTBAG+ (another acronym for LGBTQ+) community on ways you can help dismantle white supremacy and terms that will helpful for you to know.
Part one is to listen and do the work of educating yourself and recognizing your own bias and the ways in which you might be upholding white supremacy and perpetuating anti-Blackness. Go follow Black racial justice leaders on social media (Patricia Taylor, Ijeoma Oluo, Nupol Kiazolu, Be the Bridge, Jemar Tisby, Brea Baker, Winter BreAnne, Thandiwe Abdullah are all good people to start with) and be open to listening to their guidance and tips. It might be tempting to jump in and start trying to speak out against white supremacy, but first we all must begin doing the inner work of recognizing how extensive racism is, how anti-Blackness manifests itself systemically, systematically, and within ourselves.
Reading books about being actively anti-racist (supporting anti-racist policies and practices via words and actions) are also a good place to start. How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi, So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, and Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad are wonderful books written precisely for new allies, co-conspirators, and people who would like to become active in fighting white supremacy. Be sure to listen primarily to Black leaders. There are many non-Black celebrities issuing statements about anti-racism or writing books about race and racism right now, but it’s important to recognize that Black people have been experiencing anti-Black racism and writing about it for decades now, and that many people new to racial justice have not done the inner work of dismantling their own prejudices and bias. This can lead to performative activism or activism that hinders the movement instead of helping it thrive (like the black out day posts clogging up the #blacklivesmatter timeline and blocking out vital updates about protest safety and recent murders, brutality, and curfews).
Be sure to fully commit to the personal work of transforming yourself. That’s one of the best ways you can support the Black community and begin dismantling white supremacy. Do a lot of digging into our country’s history and the way that impacts how we currently live our lives today. Look up terms such as the school to prison pipeline, race and voter suppression, institutional racism, and the history of racism in the medical field.
Part two is acting outside of the self. Getting involved in organizations that fight white supremacy and aim to uplift and value Black voices, bodies, and people is easiest when you identify what specific systems of white supremacy and anti-Blackness you want to combat. Do you want to get involved with matters concerning the police and the way Blackness is criminalized by law enforcement? Do you want to fight voter suppression that targets Black constituents? Do you want to protest in the streets? Do you want to change the way issues of racism are handled at your school and disrupt the prison to school pipeline? Do you want to fundraise for organizations via art shows or by selling your creative work? These are all different ways that you can fight for racial justice. Research more ways, pick certain issues you feel passionate about, that are accessible to you, or that use your gifts and talents, and then find local or national organizations that you can be a part of! Remember that the inner work on yourself hasn't stopped just because you've joined an organization- dismantling inner biases and prejudices is life-long work. The NAACP, Fair Fight, ACLU, the Audre Lorde Project, and Southerners On New Ground are all some great organizations that fight against different facets of white supremacy (and the last two, ALP and SONG are specifically focused on racial justice and QUILTBAG+ liberation and inclusion).
And that brings me to part three: fighting against anti-Black racism specifically within the QUILTBAG+ community! This one also requires a lot of reading, especially on terms like intersectionality. Research why terms like “stud” or “same-gender-loving” are exclusively for the Black community to use only, the history of the appropriation of Black culture, sayings, and traditions, and learn about why Black-only QUILTBAG+ spaces exist (hint: it’s not to exclude or hate on non-Black members of the LGBTQ+ community). Making QUILTBAG+ spaces safer for queer Black people means being actively commiting to anti-racism, openly condemning white supremacy within your circles, and not expecting queer Black people to do the work of educating you! Seeking out articles that discuss the intertwined histories of Black and queer oppression and fight-for-rights movements are great ways to get started.
Safe journey!
