RENWL

There’s a great story today on the blog 365 Gay titled Blacks play key role in D.C. marriage equality. The piece features DC African American marriage equality activist Michael Crawford and how outreach to the African American community in DC was critical for the success of marriage equality in the nation’s capital.

It’s a heartwarming story for those of us California blacks who still have to contend with beliefs that the black community is overwhelming homophobic. Never mind that there was absolutely no outreach to the black community in California at all in the days prior to the Nov 5, ‘08 vote on Proposition 8.

But black same sex marriage advocates in DC worked hard in gaining support from the black community which culminated in the support of many local black clergy and black heterosexual DC residents who vocally and visibly faced off with those black clergy and community leaders opposing marriage equality.

The moral here is that it takes LGBT black community members to stand up first—and reach out to potential allies. That’s the only way that gay rights issues are going to become important to the black community. As some black LGBT Angelenos continue to dismiss marriage equality as something of non-importance to their community, know and understand that it will never become important—-until you make it important.

The fact that an assault on black women’s reproductive rights is about to be thrust in the spotlight any day in the black community clearly indicates that when it comes to ones rights—-there is no such thing as it being a “single issue.” When someone’s rights are taken away then everybody’s rights are up for grabs. We really wish those local black LGBTs and same gender loving folks who sing the “no single issue” song—would give it up and get real.

Maybe this story on DC’s black LGBTs and same gender loving folks fighting the good fight might serve as inspiration for the local black LGBT community.

365 Gay: Blacks Play Key Role In DC Marriage

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