By AFRO Staff
Thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans and allies gathered this past weekend for the National Equality March in Washington to demand full civil and equal rights for LGBT Americans. Participants included many faith leaders, youth, families and friends. (Courtesy Photo/Laura McGinnis)
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NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, who was the keynote speaker on Oct. 11, linked the struggle of gays and lesbians to the civil rights struggle of Blacks. (Courtesy Photo/ Laura McGinnis)
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Young people were also out in full force. (Courtesy Photo/ Laura McGinnis)
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(October 14, 2009) - Washington, D.C. – This past weekend, thousands gathered throughout the nation’s capital in support of full equal and civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. The National Equality March, a three-day event that began on Friday, was punctuated with interfaith services, a protest of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” panels, parties and advocacy trainings. The National Equality March culminated in a 2.2-mile march to the West Lawn of the Capitol Building on Oct. 11 – National Coming Out Day – following a Saturday evening address by President Obama to the Human Rights Campaign – the nation's largest gay rights group – where he promised to end the ban of gays serving openly in the military. Some taking part in the National Equality March seemed energized by the promise. “We're out, we're proud, we won't back down,” some chanted Sunday. “Hey, Obama, let mama marry mama,’’ others said.
According to {The Associated Press,} the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said Sunday that Congress will need to muster the resolve to change the “don't ask, don't tell policy'' – a change the military may be ready for.
“I think it has to be done in the right way, which is to get a buy-in from the military, which I think is now possible,'' said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.
The issue was just one of many LGBT Americans would like to see addressed by state and federal lawmakers. Others include: job discrimination, protection from hate crimes, the ability to raise a family, visit a spouse in the hospital or obtain healthcare benefits. While individual states and localities offer protections, the rights of LGBT Americans are not universal.
NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, who gave the keynote address on Sunday, linked this struggle to that of civil rights.
“When I am asked, ‘Are gay rights civil rights?’ My answer always is, ‘Of course they are,” he said. “Civil rights are positive legal prerogatives – the right to equal treatment before the law. These are rights shared by everyone. There is no one in the United States who does not and should not share in enjoying these rights.
“Rights for gays and lesbians,” he continued, “are not special rights in any way. It isn’t ‘special’ to be free from discrimination. That is an ordinary, universal entitlement of citizenship.”
Along with Bond, who represented the Black civil rights community, African-American religious leaders such as columnist, Rev. Irene Monroe and the Rev. Graylan Hagler participated in the weekend’s events, leading an interfaith service at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ.
“It wasn’t so long ago that this country justified bigotry against African Americans by hiding behind cherry-picked religious texts. It took strong faith leaders like Dr. King to help overcome religion-based bigotry, then,” said Mitchell Gold, founder of Faith In America. “Now, as we struggle for rights as basic as freedom from violence, or the ability to marry, the next generation of faith leaders is playing a key role in gaining civil rights for LGBT Americans.”
Organizers say communities of faith, youth, and people of color were well represented during the events of the National Equality March, a sign of how the LGBT movement has changed. “When you are a young, African-American woman, your life is already a struggle. Add ‘lesbian’ to that mix, and you further diminish the rights and opportunities available to you,” said Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, minority outreach coordinator for the National Equality March. “Same-gender loving people of color simply cannot afford to be complacent. We are worthy of and demand our full civil and equal rights under law.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.