Being a white, feminist ally is not about being recognized for one’s good work, being congratulated or receiving an honorarium. It’s about saying what needs to be said without any expectation of recognition, simply because it is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to stand up for voices missing in the room, the same voices that are easily ignored when they are present. The white allies I trust the most are the ones I know are talking about race not only for the benefit of the people of color in the room but for the benefit of their white peers.
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Kentucky social advocacy groups plan counter protest to Neo-Nazi Hitler rally
A coalition of social advocacy organizations are planning a counter rally to the Neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement rally in Frankfort, Ky., Saturday, April 21.
While the annual NSM rally not only celebrates Hitler’s birthday, it will also draw attention to “illegal immigration, rampant crime, the recession and white civil rights.” NSM members will wear uniforms similar those of SWAT teams, said commander Jeff Schoep to the Detroit Free Press.
Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, the LGBT Fairness Campaign, the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Standing Up for Racial Justice and other organizations are also sponsoring the counter rally.
“We can never be silent in the face of racism,” said Fairness Campaign director Chris Hartman. “The intersections of oppression are made clear by the NSM, whose prejudice spans the entire spectrum of perceived difference in our country—race, color, religion, nation of origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and more—all the unique identities that, woven together, form the brilliant tapestry of our great nation.”
The NSM’s basic philosophy is, “Only those of pure white blood … may be members of the state. Accordingly, no Jew or homosexual may be a member…,” according to the group’s website.
Illegal immigrants “scurry into this country like roaches” and then work “for taco wages—and I’m not just talking about Mexicans,” said another member of the NSM, Duke Schneider, to theDetroit Free Press.
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear called the NSM’s ideology “reprehensible” in a state that is “tolerant, progressive and welcoming” for all. However, he added in a statement that the Constitution “affords the right to free speech and free assembly to all, and we respect those rights.”
Both groups are gathering Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in front of the Kentucky Capitol Annex, located at 702 Capitol Ave. in Frankfort.
For the counter rally, carpools will be leaving from Louisville at 1 p.m. from the Fairness Campaign office, located at 2263 Frankfort Ave., and Carl Braden Memorial Center, located at 3208 W. Broadway.
The Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus hosted Conversations on HIV Research yesterday at the University of Chicago. Dexter Voisin is pictured speaking on HIV self-disclosure among black cisgender men who have sex with cisgender men. That community is the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Chicago, with an infection rate of 44.4 percent, seven times higher than their white and Latino counterparts.
Highlight the struggles and accomplishments of all women on International Women’s Day
“Poverty is most definitely racialized and feminized. Single women with children—particularly single mothers of color—represent the largest share of adults in poverty. In 2008, 28.7 percent of households headed by single women were in poverty, while 13.8 percent of households headed by single men and 5.5 percent of married-couple households lived in poverty. Unemployment among African-American women jumped to 12.9 percent, while the unemployment rate increased to 12.1 percent for Hispanic women. And more than one in five women living in poverty are elderly women age 60 and older, many of whom are widowed.”
Filmmakers release Cincinnati race riots documentary trailer
TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains content about racialized violence and police brutality.
“The Cincinnati race riots are one of the few events I can pinpoint as a defining moment in my life. I will always remember the riots. I will always remember uniforms beating back black bodies. I will always remember people crying in the streets. I will always remember my city burning for days. And I will always remember people’s reactions.”
Read more on the upcoming Cincinnati race riots documentary on Stuff Queer People Need To Know.
LGBT racial minority hit hard by social and financial inequality
“Despite significant gains in securing basic rights for LGBT Americans over the past decade, the quality of life for black gay and transgender Americans has remained virtually unchanged. Marriage equality is vital to overall progress, but marriage alone is not a silver bullet to reduce the disparities black gay and transgender populations face.”
