Query a Queer: LGBT in the Civil Rights Movement

In addition to answering questions about LGBT identities, we also wanted to honor MLK week by raising awareness about the contributions of LGBT people to the Civil Rights Movement.

Leah: During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Bayard Rustin was an openly gay man and of one of the key fighters for racial civil rights. As one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s closest friends, he organized and led the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963. Rustin was committed to active non-violence. He embraced those values while working with Gandhi and shared with other civil rights leaders including Dr. King. Rustin was often criticized and marginalized as a “pervert” or “deviant” due to stigmas towards LGBT people in the 1950s through the 1970s (dynamics that unfortunately are still present today). Despite public discomfort toward his sexual orientation, Rustin continued to advocate for civil rights, economic and labor rights, and later gay rights. 

Other unsung heroes and sheroes of Civil Rights who were LGBT-identified include Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin and Pauli Murray — individuals who embodied Rustin’s beliefs of “social dislocation and creative trouble.” Rustin was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama On Nov. 20, 2013. At the ceremony, President Obama stated: “Bayard Rustin was an unyielding activist for civil rights, dignity, and equality for all. An advisor to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he promoted nonviolent resistance, participated in one of the first Freedom Rides, organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and fought tirelessly for marginalized communities at home and abroad. As an openly gay African-American, Mr. Rustin stood at the intersection of several of the fights for equal rights.”

Should I use the term LGBT equality or gay rights?

Sarah: LGBT equality is a more inclusive term and helps to address the problems facing the many different identities and intersectional issues facing members of our community. While “gay rights” has been used historically, the language used by activists and allies has been changing because “gay rights” erases the existence and specific issues faced by people who do not identify solely as gay. Identities such as transgender, bisexual, non-binary, asexual and more get glossed over when we only try and promote gay rights rather than equality for all LGBT+ individuals. In addition, many of the problems faced by those with identities outside of just gay, such as erasure in their own community, are different than those faced by cisgender gay individuals so it is important to make sure they are included in our fight to promote equality.

Explain the difference between gender identity and gender expression.

Jasper: Gender identity and expression are two large components of everyone’s life, even though they may not realize it. Everyone has their own unique gender identity and expression. While the two are related to one another, they don’t always work out the way most people would expect. Gender identity refers simply to the gender that someone identifies with. Some examples include cisgender male or female, transgender, genderfluid, agender and any other way that people identify. Gender expression refers to the way that a person expresses their gender. Gender expression manifests itself in many ways, including but not limited to, clothing, hair, mannerisms, speech patterns and so on. It is probably easiest for most people to understand gender expression in terms of traditionally masculine and feminine characteristics. However, as mentioned before, there are some gender identities that do not fit traditional masculine and feminine roles. Consider some popular icons with unique gender expressions. Janelle Monae is known as a woman that rocks suits. The late David Bowie is famous for his flamboyant and complex gender expression. Ruby Rose, an actress and model, identifies as genderfluid and is notorious for her androgyny. Understanding that gender identity and expression are connected, but not always concrete, will help you to better understand members of the queer community.

Have LGBTQ related questions? Send them: via email to lgbt@ohio.edu or to oulgbtcenter@gmail.com; via Tumblr (oulgbtcenter); via Twitter to @oulgbtcenter with hashtag #qaqueer; or post/message to Facebook (oulgbtcenter).

Jasper Shell, Sarah Grote, and Leah Yodzis are all student staff members at the LGBT Center.