The Queer God Squad wants you to know about these 6 world-changing African American Queer heroes.
Marsha P. Johnson Pioneer of the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Marsha P. Johnson (born Malcolm Michaels Jr.) was a Black transgender woman and prominent figure in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. She was a tireless advocate for gay and transgender rights. Johnson’s body was found in the Hudson River in 1992. Her death was initially ruled a suicide by police, but many, including her friends and family, believe she was murdered. The case remains officially unsolved.
Quote: “No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.”
James Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic. His work explored complex themes of race, class, sexuality, and masculinity in America. Baldwin was openly gay during a time when it was socially taboo and often dangerous to be so. His sexuality profoundly influenced his writing and his perspective on identity and belonging. Quotes: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” “The price one pays for refusing to play a role that one knows is false is the social opprobrium of those who have made peace with that role.” “I can’t be a pessimist because I am alive. To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter.”
Audre Lorde Self-Described “Black, Lesbian, Mother, Warrior, Poet”: Audre Lorde was an American writer and civil rights activist. Her work explored intersectional identities and challenged various forms of oppression. Lorde battled cancer for many years, and her experiences with illness became a subject in her writing, particularly in works like “The Cancer Journals,” where she explored the intersections of illness, identity, and liberation. Lorde Quotes: “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” “Your silence will not protect you.”
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
Gender-bending Harlem Renaissance Blues Singer Gladys Bentley was an entertainer during the Harlem Renaissance. She was known for her powerful voice and flamboyant stage presence. Bentley often performed in a white tuxedo and top hat, openly defying gender norms of the era. She was known for her raunchy lyrics and openly sang about her attraction to women. Bentley openly lived with white women at a time when biracial relationships were highly taboo. Forced Conformity During McCarthy Era: During the McCarthy era’s “lavender scare,” Bentley was pressured to conform to societal norms. She reportedly took female hormones, wore dresses, and married a man in an attempt to present a more conventional image, though this was later acknowledged as a facade. What many may not know is that Bentley became an ordained minister. Bentley Quote: “I sang my blues and I lived my life, and I didn’t care what anyone thought.”
“Godfather of Voguing”: Willi Ninja was an American dancer and choreographer. He was a central figure in the Harlem ballroom scene. Ninja refined and popularized the “voguing” dance style, which is characterized by model-like poses and intricate hand movements. His influence extended beyond the ballroom scene, appearing in music videos, documentaries (most notably “Paris Is Burning”), and fashion shows. He founded the iconic House of Ninja, one of the most prominent houses in the ballroom community, providing a chosen family and creative outlet for many queer people of color. He died in 2006 at the age of 45.
