Black and prideful

by Mahkesha Hogg
LGBTQ Black Issues Columnist

With national Pride coming up, I was thinking about all the reasons that my strong black LGBTQ should be prideful in who they are. Do you know that we are living in a great time? It’s a really great time to be black and an even better time to be black and LGBTQ.

Many black people say that it is a shame to be an LGBTQ African-American. I say nonsense! We, as a black community, often take pride in our cultural leaders and President Obama holds the highest position in the United States.

Other examples include the lighting up of the White House in rainbow colors after the Supreme Court Marriage Equality Ruling and the first appointment of a Transgender person as a White House staff member. We have a black president who is also the first president to mention LGBTQ rights in a presidential Inaugural Address. Obama has shown his pride throughout his presidency.

I dare to say that Barack H. Obama is our nation’s most LGBTQ friendly president as of yet. This sends a message to black folks that it is okay to be black and LGBTQ. If the president is for you, it does not matter who is against you.

Most people trust the moral compass of the president. When you are at the family Barbeque and someone speaks negatively of being LGBTQ people you can say, “Hey our president is for us!” Use this as ammunition to fight bigotry. Show them that they are on the losing side – because they are. America is getting browner and more colorful as we speak. Old ways of thinking are leaving, thank goodness, to education and people being out and proud.

President Obama is expected to sign a proposal making the Stonewall Inn site a national LGBT Rights monument. The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, NY was the place in which riots erupted, in June 1969, due to police brutality against LGBTQ patrons. Many witnesses claim that it was a black transwoman who started the riot by throwing her high heel at a police officer.

Currently, Oklahoma does not have a Black Pride but in October, Dallas, TX does. A lot of black LGBTQ Okies trek to Dallas to celebrate. There are many other Black Prides around the nation. Every year OKC Pride has more and more black people attend.

No matter where you go to enjoy your Pride, have fun and bring someone who has never attended. So whether you are a black dancing prancer, a boy that wears heels, a stud, a femme, a bear, a cowboy, a butch, or a queen, shake it to the left; shake it to the right at Pride this year!

The Gayly – June 16, 2016 @ 8:30 a.m.