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Pride month looks a little different this year doesn’t it? The murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that have followed have highlighted some truths for our LGBTQ+ community, with one being that in many places, Pride is no longer about the people who started it. When we think of the work of activists such as Marsha P. Johnson (American gay liberation activist and drag queen) and Silvia Rivera (Latina American gay liberation and transgender rights activist), and their leadership roles in the Stonewall Riots, we realise that our Black LGBTQ+ community was at the very heart of the Gay Liberation Movement, and that the fight they fought paved the way for all of us to have the rights we enjoy today. Marsha P Johnson: ‘America’s first transgender statue’ will …Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera in 1973 As an out and active member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have realised how important it is that we educate ourselves and speak out on matters such as the Black Lives Matter movement too. It seems beyond hypocritical to enjoy the freedom many of us now have, without giving something back to the people who started it. In 2018, Stonewall revealed that 51% of BAME LGBTQ+ people reported having experienced racism in the LGBTQ+ community. This number rises to 61% for black LGBTQ+ people. Sadly, when these individuals speak up about their experiences, they say they are often met with doubts, challenges and defensiveness. It cannot always be their responsibility to educate others (including their white LGBTQ+ friends). Therefore, it is important that allies educate themselves, by doing research and listening to BAME LGBTQ+ voices whenever possible. When someone tries to explain why something is racist, it’s crucial not to become defensive – it’s crucial that we own our mistakes, biases and privileges, and believe someone when they explain how something impacts them. I am glad to see more research being done into the specific experiences of LGBTQ+ communities, but we can’t eradicate anti-LGBTQ+ attitudes in any meaningful way if we don’t at the same time work to tackle both the racism and sexism that continues to exist. To make real change for LGBTQ+ women and men, as a community, we need to challenge homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexism, and racism all at the same time. It is a big issue, but one that’s gaining traction. As we ALL become more visible, we become more powerful, and this year’s Pride is a perfect opportunity to lift the voices of black members of the LGBTQ+ community who are […]