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THE EQUALITY ISSUE With Articles Covering Coretta Scott King’s Message Reclaiming the Power of Queer Not Equal: Challenges Regionally and Nationally Hidden Histories The Great Organizer 1 Question : 9 Perspectives and more... ICON + ACTIVIST Melissa Etheridge4 EDITOR’S LETTER Dear Readers, As Publisher and Co-Editor, it is always an honor to share what inspired the theme for this issue. As a stance, I want inclusion to be seen year-round, celebrating the vast diversity of our community. As such, we don’t have a Black History Month or a LatinX History Month issue. I believe all aspects of our community should be included and shared consistently. This month, I am proud to present our Equality issue, and while I wish I could have a 120-plus page magazine filled with all of the different intersectionalities that can be seen throughout our community, I am proud to start with this issue as a work in progress. For that is what Equality is: an ever-advancing dream of bringing inclusion and equity to those we serve. From Coretta Scott King’s messages and passion for equal rights to honoring those who have been erased, this issue is dedicated to people who have been at the forefront of advancing our community forward. When we allow one person to be erased, we start erasing parts of ourselves. It is something we need to strive to hold onto and celebrate. Pride is more than a community event; it is being proud of our strengths to overcome the adversity that the world repeatedly encumbers upon us. Sometimes, these prejudices are even continued from within our community. While we pursue our place in the world, remember that we are pursuing it for the many things that make our identities uniquely us. Our genders, sexualities, races, economic status, disabilities, religions, and all other labels that make us who we are as individuals need to be respected and accepted. While inclusion is our universal goal, respect for safe spaces must also come to the forefront and be protected. Allowing our identities to relax without judgment and having an unsaid commonality with others provides for more mental support and comradery. As a white gay male, I have learned the importance of being an ally. Supporting spaces like the Kiki Ballroom scene, which was created for People of Color to gather and enjoy culture, dancing, and finding their sense of belonging. It is a space for me to be invited into but not make my own. These spaces are sacred. Think about it this way. When our bars started to be taken over by the straight community, in many ways, we felt like we had lost our space to let loose without judgment. It is one thing when we invite our straight friends out with us for a night, but it makes us feel like our space is invaded if they call it home just because they want to without a connection to us. The connection, though, is what makes inclusivity successful. Sharing our lives and finding one aspect to connect and bond with another, no matter how big or small, that is the key. The more connections we make, the stronger our community becomes. Keep that in mind! No matter how different we are, we are all connected in one way through being queer, and Queer Equality has to include equality for all. Anthony Polimeni, Publisher of Out NW Anthony Polimeni | Publisher & Co-EditorMichael Montgomery | Editor-In-Chief5 Table of Contents Coretta Scott King’s Message Reclaiming the Power of Queer Not Equal: ChallengesRegionally and Nationally Perfectly Different Melissa Etheridge Interview The Great Organizer Bayard Rustin Navigating Identities and Intersectionalities 1 Question, 5 Answers 9 Perspectives Out NW | Alaska Call to Action & Masthead Out NW | Oregon Out NW | Washington Hidden Histories Out NW | Montana Out NW | Northern California Out NW | Idaho Quickies 2024 Calendar Page 6 11 14 17 20 25 28 37 40 45 48 49 52 57 61 64 666 Coretta Scott King’s Message By Pore Camara In a time when the majority reigned over minorities and discrimination was the order of the day, Coretta Scott King, the wife of Martin Luther King Jr., stood in support of, advocated for, and talked about all minority communities in places no one wanted such discussion. She is well and famously known for not only continuing her husband’s legacy but also extending the struggle to the LGBTQ+ community. For several years, Coretta traveled throughout America and the world, fighting against discrimination and enlightening people on economic and racial justice, religious freedom, gay and lesbian dignity, children’s and women’s rights, nuclear disarmament, and the needs of the homeless and poor. She was one of the most influential Black activists who supported gay and lesbian movement (as it was known then) and strongly stood against homophobia and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. She believed injustice toward one was injustice to all, and that the world could not accept that racism is wrong and in the same breath believe homophobia to be the order of the day. “Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood. This sets the stage for further repression and violence, that spreads all too easily to victimize the next minority group,” she stated to an audience of nearly 600 people at Palmer House Hilton Hotel. This speech was a wake-up call to civil rights communities that had failed to see equality between queer rights movement and other civil rights movements. In a reaffirmation of her stance, she said “It’s not good enough to support human rights for one’s own race or culture and then be silent about injustices to other groups.” Mrs. King was often heard quoting her late husband at conferences and gatherings. At the 25th anniversary event of Lambda Legal, a gay rights organization, she said, quoting him, “As Martin once said, ‘We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny an inescapable network of mutuality I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be,” Mrs. King said, continuing, “Therefore, I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brother and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.” She believed her husband’s dream of freedom was in harmony with the gay rights movement. She clearly stated that gays and lesbians are part of every community and that they are always seen at the forefront of every civil rights activity. 7 There was no way that they should be torn away from their sexuality and dehumanized just because of whom they love and choose to be with. At times, she faced challenges for advocating freedom for all. Extremist groups such as Concerned Women for America didn’t want to associate African American civil rights activism with gays and lesbian rights. CWA believes that homosexual groups are rich, privileged, and spoiled in ways that don’t necessarily reflect the mainstream bravery and struggle of Black activists who had to overcome real oppression, poverty, and injustice. It refuses to acknowledge that homosexuality is just like skin color — God-designed — and that gays and lesbians are equals in the struggle against discrimination. It denounces anyone who tries to equate the two struggles and condemns any activist groups who accommodate members of the LGBTQ+ community. bring awareness to the public that sexual minorities are like every other person and deserve their rights, privacy, and dignity. She encouraged all right-thinking people to oppose homophobia, just like other forms of bigotry and discrimination, and stop hate crimes against gays, lesbians, and other sexual minorities. Mrs. King fought openly against all discrimination and bigotry and stood with all in their struggles. She openly opposed measures against the queer community, such as President Bill Clinton’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in 1993, President George W. Bush’s efforts against same-sex marriage, etc. Coretta Scott King believed that every person, group, community, and society is equal and should be treated with dignity and respect as human beings. She continued to fight against discrimination and oppression against all groups up until her death in 2006. Mrs. King disagreed with the CWA’s stance and made it clear to all that they had little to no idea what they were talking about. She strongly believed that the group does not speak on the behalf of African Americans by dehumanizing and criticizing the fight for gay rights. “Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement,” she said. “Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.” Mrs. King enlightened individuals, groups, communities, and world leaders that sexual orientation is also a fundamental human right and that any form of discrimination against sexual identities is a crime against humanity. She labeled it a “common struggle” in order to demystify homosexuality and Source: Library of CongressNext >