None of us are free until we’re all free

1st June 2020, 2:36 pm

Tom of Finland worked for decades to breakdown walls and establish equality for everyone. Tom wanted to help create a world where everyone would be accepted as they are, to be able to live free from the scrutiny and judgments of those who seek to perpetuate a system of oppression.

Tom’s Foundation stands with all those in protest against brutality and injustice.

We all need to be part of the solution of dismantling racial injustice.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’” Martin Luther King, August 28, 1963

The 13th Amendment to the US Constitution prohibited slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. “Crimes” create “criminals”, who are stripped of their human rights upon entering and exiting the prison/justice system, systematically.

In 1969, being Queer was illegal, or more aptly put – a crime. Marsha P. Johnson was in the front line at Stonewall, where 21 were arrested.
How many thousands of us have been brutalized and arrested for being who we are?

While the Civil Rights Movement resulted in legal changes, Blacks continue to experience discrimination and prejudice at every level of society. The situation is even more severe for those in our LGBTQ community, who live at the intersection of racism, homophobia and transphobia.

The intersection for many also includes misogyny. The term intersectionality was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, Founder of African American Policy Forum, speaking on the intersectionality of racism and sexism. BLM was partly formed by Black Queer women who deal with heterosexism, racism and misogyny.

https://twitter.com/TomsFoundation/status/1268434792527261696

https://twitter.com/Dazed/status/1266826282488287232

51 years ago, Black trans women fought back against police brutality.

Just last week Tony McDade, a Black trans man, was killed by police in Florida. Black and Brown trans people routinely face harassment and violence from cops.

Pride has always been and will always be protest. pic.twitter.com/mn8w38CjQc

— ACLU (@ACLU) June 1, 2020

Rest in Power, Beautiful. @BlkLivesMatter honors those we have lost to police violence. #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/AtqA0YtEOK

— Black Lives Matter (BLM) (@Blklivesmatter) May 29, 2020

Floyd’s killer was the first white police officer to be charged by the state of Minnesota for taking the life of a civilian. https://t.co/68HRi5nTsQ

— Slate (@Slate) June 1, 2020

Please pray for those who may be suffering from trauma after yesterday’s attempt at a peaceful protest in Los Angeles that became disrupted by police using tear gas and rubber bullets to minimize crowds.
We see you. We hear you.
Images: @MF_Khairi pic.twitter.com/OUkhx2Pqce

— EBONY (@EBONY) May 31, 2020

Today, Out Magazine is standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and those who are fighting ongoing, sometimes fatal, systemic racism by participating in #BlackoutTuesday. But as we join in the campaign, we won’t be silent on our platforms.

Here’s why: pic.twitter.com/amdLSaEoU7

— Out Magazine (@outmagazine) June 2, 2020

We’ve compiled an ongoing list of ways you can help as we collectively fight against systemic racism and violence. https://t.co/6a3vw4XSEO

— AdHoc (@adhocfm) June 1, 2020

Support Black Trans Femmes in the Arts

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-jELdDheZ/

Published: 1st June 2020

Tags: Black Lives Matter

Categorised in: For the Record