BLACK LGBTQ+ LIVES MATTER

Black History Month is in February, but the inclusion of Black LGBTQ identities in should happen all year round.

According to the Williams Institute, there are more than 1 million LGBTQ African Americans currently living in the United States, with approximately 3.7 percent of all African American people identifying as LGBTQ. LGBTQ African Americans are disproportionately young and disproportionately female, and nearly one-third of all African American same-sex couples are raising children.
LGBTQ African Americans live in communities across the nation, but there are some areas of the country where the LGBTQ African American population is more heavily concentrated. African Americans are, and have always been, a vibrant part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and same gender-loving community. From trailblazing pioneers such as openly gay novelist James Baldwin and transgender rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, to modern-day heroes such as actress Laverne Cox and basketball star Jason Collins, LGBTQ African Americans have made enormous contributions to the ongoing fight for social, racial and economic justice. For Black LGBTQ, learning about and honoring history, people, and events related to their intersectional identity as both Black and LGBTQ in important.

We know that hate crime against BLACK AND LGBT separately are at an all time time high, imagine being targeted for being both. That’s why we all need allies.

Being an ally is about being an active friend or support to someone else. Straight people can be allies to LGBT people. LGBT people can be allies to each other. If we want to live in a world where people are accepted without exception, we all need to be part of the solution.