We can’t be selective about which Black lives should matter

It’s impossible for you to fight for your own freedom without fighting to free your entire community.

I normally would never discuss my sexual preference on this channel since the truth I try to share on a regular basis is almost always removed from the question of whether I love men or women.

But stating that I am a heterosexual male of African descent is important for what I need to share at the moment: Black Lives Matter means all Black lives matter.

Black Lives Matter does not mean “except for the Black trans people”.

Nor does it mean “except for Black gays and lesbians.”

All Black lives must matter because our centuries-long oppression is not selective.

I was saddened to watch a video of Black trans person Iyanna Dior being brutally beaten by two dozen people who would likely consider themselves Black men. 

Consider that visual — the oppressed beating the oppressed. And for reasons that have no rational root in spiritual, political, or moral justification.

Those men don’t get it: the path to freedom will never come from beating Iyanna Dior and all the trans people in the world.

But their actions demonstrate their fear of putting in the type of work that will make them free: dismantling White supremacy.

That type of work is hard. You would have to spend extended time facing the oppressors who face you as they plan to harm you.

And dismantling White supremacy in streets and institutions requires the type of work that Dior’s attackers fear.

Therefore, they gave up.

Accepted their status as oppressed people.

Chose to beat Iyanna Dior, another oppressed African descendant.

And ran away from freedom.

The attack against Dior is not an isolated problem. LGBTQ people represent one-fifth of all hate crimes in America. Plus, they are no strangers to police violence (pdf).

We have segments of the African American community who refuse to follow certain Black organizations because its leaders are suspected of being LGBTQ persons. These suddenly-self-righteous people use the Bible to justify their hatred, in many instances.

I could discuss the contradictions between that reasoning and the moral lives many of them currently lead, but I won’t go there today.

But it’s important to mention that Black LGBTQ persons have — for years and years — been on the front lines of the struggle for Black freedom.

And many LGBTQ people are sacrificing their bodies during the current George Floyd protests, with the understanding that no African descendant can fight for their individual freedom.

We have to fight for all of us.

So yes, every Black gay, lesbian, curious, undecided, non-binary, trans and hetero life matters.

Let’s focus on fighting the real enemy …

song currently stuck in my head: “don’t leave me alone” – aaron taylor and lalah hathaway