On the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, speakers called attention to a nationwide backlash against LGBTQ+ rights. But some Black LGBTQ+ participants felt that their early speaking slots minimized their contributions and reflected historical erasure of Black queer people in the Civil Rights Movement. Still, the appointment of Laphonza Butler to Dianne Feinstein s seat this month is a meaningful step forward for Black LGBTQ+ representation. Butler is the first Black and openly lesbian member of Congress. Activists and lawmakers tell The Associated Press that an acknowledgment of Black queer contributions to achieving civil rights and protecting American democracy is long overdue.
On the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, speakers called attention to a nationwide backlash against LGBTQ+ rights. But some Black LGBTQ+ participants felt that their early speaking slots minimized their contributions and reflected historical erasure of Black queer people in the Civil Rights Movement. Still, the appointment of Laphonza Butler to Dianne Feinstein s seat this month is a meaningful step forward for Black LGBTQ+ representation. Butler is the first Black and openly lesbian member of Congress. Activists and lawmakers tell The Associated Press that an acknowledgment of Black queer contributions to achieving civil rights and protecting American democracy is long overdue.
On the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, a few Black queer advocates spoke passionately before the main program about the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights. As some of them got up to speak, the crowd was still noticeably small.