Today we celebrate what would have been the 89th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr,. a man who is considered by many to be one of the greatest civil rights activists of our time.
His iconic speeches, powerful messages of resistance and self-led protests (which sometimes turned violent) during the late ’50s and early ’60s laid the groundwork for the enacting of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Nearly 60 years after he was assassinated, however, the nation is still burdened with a severe racial and societal divide.
Multiple sub cultures are being marginalized as systemic racism and racial bias spill out to the forefront in this fight for black lives and all lives in jeopardy of being sidelined in America. In the spirit of King’s message for equality, today’s movements go beyond the fight for simply black lives but for the lives of those who identify across the gender and sex spectrum.
As powerful and inclusive as recent movements have been — queer and trans people of color marching alongside their cisgender brothers and sisters — one may question whether Dr. King would have been as vocal for the civil rights of all black citizens, in particular those of the LGBTQ community.
We at least know where one of his contemporaries and friends, Rep. John Lewis, stands on the matter.
Last week during Senate testimony against U.S. Attorney General nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions, Lewis, joined by Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Cedric Richmond, spoke on behalf of civil rights for the marginalized, including LGBT Americans, in the face of a potentially harmful Donald Trump administration.
It was especially comforting to hear Lewis, a Civil Rights icon and freedom fighter from the old guard, champion the rights of LGBT citizens, as it served as an olive branch being passed on to the new guard in this fight for the equity of black lives and the disenfranchised.
“We need someone who’s going to stand up, speak up and speak out for the people that need help, for people who have been discriminated against,” Lewis said during his testimony at Sessions’ confirmation hearing.
“And it doesn’t matter whether they are black or white, Latino, Asian American or Native American, whether you’re straight or gay, Muslim, Christian or Jews. We all live in the same house: the American house. We need someone as attorney general who’s going to look out for all of us, and not just for some of us.”
It’s hard not to wonder if King would’ve been as gracious and inclusive, if he were still alive today.
The only time he ever really addressed his opinion on homosexuality was in 1958, when he wrote an advice column for Ebony Magazine in response to what, at the time, was an unusual letter. In the letter, titled “I am a Boy,” the writer wrote, “I feel about boys the way I ought to feel about girls. I don’t want my parents to know about me. What can I do?”
So as not to create any misinterpretation, King wrote verbatim:
“Your problem is not at all an uncommon one. However, it does require careful attention. The type of feeling that you have toward boys is probably not an innate tendency, but something that has been culturally acquired. Your reasons for adopting this habit have now been consciously suppressed or unconsciously repressed. Therefore, it is necessary to deal with this problem by getting back to some of the experiences and circumstances that led to the habit. In order to do this I would suggest that you see a good psychiatrist who can assist you in bringing to the forefront of conscience all of those experiences and circumstances that led to the habit. You are already on the right road toward a solution, since you honestly recognize the problem and have a desire to solve it.”
Considering the times, Dr. King’s response goes in line with societal norms. But then again, societal norms also said that blacks should have separate water fountains and restrooms. The beautiful thing about King, however, was that his actions often spoke louder than his words, so even if what he wrote in 1958 were to be true, his treatment of fellow civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who was openly gay, tells a different story.
Rustin, who is credited with organizing the 1963 March on Washington, was noted by Lyndon B. Johnson as being “one of the 5 smartest men in America” and was never afraid to publicly debate Malcolm X and champion rights for all black citizens. Choosing King as the final speaker of the day with his “I Have A Dream” speech is part of the reason why it’s so revered today.
Rustin’s sexuality, however, was a point of contention during the Civil Rights movement, and the calls for him to be removed from his position as special assistant were refuted by King. King’s vision went farther than his personal acceptance of one’s sexual orientation. Whether he agreed or not on the topic homosexuality, what is clear is that King understood that basic human rights were not for some, but for all men.
Interestingly enough, even Dr. King’s family seemed to divided on this issue. His daughter, Bernice King, has said that her father would not have been in support of same-sex marriage, stating that he “did not take a bullet for gay marriage.” It’s worth noting that there are signs Bernice King may have evolved on the issue. Dr. King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, however, felt that her husband would’ve made “room at the table of brother and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people.” Mrs. King was an active and unapologetically vocal ally for the LGBT community, a hopeful indication that her husband would have been just as embracing.
And while we’ve watched members of the Black Church, time and time again, speak out against homosexuality and equality for the LGBTQ community, there is no recording nor sermon from King, the church’s most revered leaders, ever coming down in that way against the community.
As a black, queer, man and, like King, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., such intersections at times can be a burden, as I often find myself put in a place where my activism for others is met with the rejection and/or criticism parts of who I am, whether it be my race or sexual orientation. Just imagine how it must feel to fight on the behalf of those who may never fight for me. I’m sure brother Rustin understood this all to well.
Dr. King will always stand as a person from whom I gain inspiration, understanding, and the undying commitment to fight for my people, inclusive of all areas of blackness and queerness. For if I truly believe his words that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” then I know that Dr. King would have gladly pulled out a seat for me at the table.
And I would’ve gladly accepted.
George M. Johnson is a journalist and activist based in the Washington, D.C. area. He has written for EBONY.com, TheGrio, JET, Pride.com, Thebody.com, and The Huffington Post on topics of health, race, gender, sex, and education. Follow him on Twitter: @iamgmjohnson.