March 21 was International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Can you talk a little about that and how that can be related to queer feminism?
March 21 is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination annually because, in 1960, police shot and killed 69 people during a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa.
Every year, there is a different theme. For example, 2015's theme was "Learning from tragedies to combat racial discrimination today." This year’s theme being "Promoting tolerance, inclusion, unity and respect for diversity in the context of combating racial discrimination" and this month also being Women’s History Month, it is important to acknowledge, celebrate and empower the groups of women that are often marginalized in their own communities. Often, those communities are already oppressed.
Strong and brave transgender women of color, like icon, activist and drag performer Marsha P. Johnson, are often erased from history when their works are key features in the queer revolution. Marsha threw a shot glass that started the Stonewall Riots, which paved the way for the rights queer people have today. She also started an advocacy group to help trans youth who were down on their luck.
How can queer folks be better allies to queer folks with different identities?
We are all marginalized because of our sexuality, gender identity or gender expression, but we all do not experience oppression in the same way. We all have varying identities that give us privilege in some ways or take privilege away in others.
It is important to understand how one’s own identity, and therefore one’s own privilege or lack thereof, is being presented in different spaces. Listen to others when they share their experience and do not invalidate it because you don't share that experience.
Advocate for them — especially when they are not around. Being an ally is a 24/7 job. The LGBT community is one that is stronger when it is together.
Have questions? We have answers! Send your questions via email to lgbt@ohio.edu and/or oulgbtcenter@gmail.com; via Tumblr (oulgbtcenter); via Twitter to @oulgbtcenter with the hashtag #qaqueer; or post/message to Facebook (oulgbtcenter). So bring it on, do it to it and query a queer.
delfin bautista is the director of the LGBT Center, faculty advisor to the Latino Student Union, and adjunct lecturer for the social work program and women’s, gender and sexuality studies.
Cassidy Paul is the outreach coordinator for the LGBT Center.
