May Roundup
Film & Video
The Black Trans Prayer Book, is an upcoming documentary produced by trans film makers, J Mase III and Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi who received a 2020 Creative Capital grant for their project that explores the “healing needs of Black trans people. The film is based on the book of the same name. The two film makers remind us that trans and non-binary people have been targeted in the United States since 1500s.
When asked what they imagine this film will do, Dane shared she believes it will, “Help build a world free from oppression.” While Mase views it as, “the first film of its kind to connect white supremacy to transantagonism, by centering the experiences of Black Trans people.”
You can support their film project through their GoFundMe Campaign.
Last month I reported on Queer Nigerian YouTubers, this month it’s South African queer Vbloggers — this the good news! My favorite is Surburban Zulu aka Lelo Macheke who discusses everyday life issues of being queer / trans / non-binary and imaginary futures! Yes queer young Black people have futures! The Vbloggers are young, performative and outrightly QUEER and at the same time address homophobia and transphobia and the politics of hate in South Africa.
Black Death
After only one month I am wondering if Black Death will become a monthly inclusion in these roundups. Starting with South Africa. The headline reads “SOUTH AFRICA HIT BY A WAVE OF GAY AND TRANS HATE MURDERS” as if this is a new phenomena! Hate murders of gay and trans people has been a feature of South Africa in spite of the inclusion of LGBTIQ++ rights in the post apartied constitution. A Dangerous Visibility documents the 2012 horrific murder of Thapelo Makhutle in Kuruman, in the Northern Cape. Other murders and mutilations have taken place, for example one of the worst years was in 2012 when there were at least twelve. This recent “wave” has taken place over the past three months when there has been “at least ten” .
The latest victims were 23-year-old gay man, Lindokuhle Mapu and 27-year-old trans woman, Khulekani Gomazi. Police and government officials have been widely criticised for their lack of action in pursuing the murderers and protecting the LGBTQI+ community.
A coalition of over 30 South African LGBTQI+ groups and allied civil society organisations have demanded action from the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Ronald Lamola.
The names of all the murder victims are listed on the Mamba LGBTIQ website.
Here in the US the murder of Black trans women continues! 49 year old Keri Washington, who lived in Clearwater Florida was murdered on May 1st. A week later, Serenity Hollis was shot point blank in Albany Georgia. In 2019 Serenity was stabbed 22 times in another attack in Albany. Six months into 2021 and already there have been at least twenty one murders of trans women most of whom are Black.
Free Oliver
BLMP iniatiated a campaign to Free Oliver J Dunbar, #FreeOliver, A Black gay Jamaican who is incarcerated at ICE facility at Krome Immigration Detention Center in Miami Florida.
“I have been attacked by Krome officials, medical staff and detainees countless times [but] my grievance somehow does not make anyone help me. But I am still fighting my case.”
- Oliver J. Dunbar
Background
Oliver J. Dunbar is Black gay migrant from Jamaica. He is a father to two children and a survivor of domestic violence. Oliver has been in the United States for over 40+ years. In June of 2019, Oliver was detained and brutalized by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at his family’s home in New Jersey. Oliver spent over a year in immigrantion detention at Essex County, NJ, which is known for rampant human rights violations, before being forcibly transferred by ICE, away from his family, to Krome Immigration Detention Center in Miami Florida. Enduring over two years in immigration detention, as a Black gay migrant Oliver has suffered extensive harassment and violence at the hands of immigration officals. ICE has denied Oliver’s right to essential care for medical issues stemming from his assault, which has resulted in chronic infections. ICE is attempting to speed up his deportation process by denying any existing medical issues.
In 2019, Oliver’s lawyers filed for him to be release from ICE’s custody under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), whose supposes to provide protections for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, which he was denied, Oliver is now set to be deported to Jamaica on May 27th.
Oliver belongs with his family in New Jersey. Oliver has spent most of his life in the United States. ICE’s continued abuse and attempt to separate Oliver from his family is an extension of the Biden Administration targeting of Black migrants.
We are demanding the Miami field office grant Oliver a Stay of Removal, which they have the power to do, and allow him to be with his family while settling the rest of his legal case, specifically so he can access the essential health care, such as seeing his original team of doctors in New Jersey.
Please see Black Queer Migrants for further information on how to support this campaign.
Nigeria
Queer Nigerian academic and writer, Unoma Azuah, has an excellent article in African Arguments that challenges the narrative of homophobia / transphobia in Nigeria. In “ Bobrinsky: A Mirror for Nigeria” Azuah lays out the multiple contradicitions of Nigerian social, cultural and poltical narrativies through an essay on Nigeria’s “out and out” queer / trans celebrity and influencer Bobrinksy. Bobrinsky shatters notions of homophobia/tansphobia in Nigiera’ which despite it’s homophobic laws and anti-queerness, is one of the highest consumers of gay porn!
The parallel between Bobrisky’s contradictory life to Nigeria’s bundle of inconsistencies and two-facedness is striking. Nigerian society is riddled with blatant illogicalities. For instance, Nigeria enacted the law that sends homosexuals to jail for 14 years, yet Nigerians are one of the highest consumers of homosexual porn according to Gay Star News.[2] Nigerians are some of the most religious people in the world, but their diabolic politicians buy salvation through tithing from equally predatory pastors. Nigeria is one of the richest countries in Africa, yet more than 40 percent of its population live in dismal poverty — the so-called giant of Africa, yet nearly half of its population is unemployed. So, yes, Bobrisky plies the kind of wares they buy: she is hypocritical with a creative twist. Still, Bobrisky, perhaps unintentionally, continues to revolutionize the Nigerian concept of queerness and chips away at the concrete slab of gender normativity in Nigeria.
R.I.P Colin Robinson
BLMP remembers and honours the late Trinidadian gay icon and activst Colin Robinson, who transitioned March 4th aged 58 from colon cancer. Colin Robinson was so many things; He co-founded the Audre Lorde project the Gay Men of African Descent; was a health justice advocate working on HIV/AIDS; he was a writer and a poet.
“People like him don’t happen every day. He was brave, naughty, liked to stir things up. He was not afraid to live. We looked at him and thought maybe we could live like him. He did not force you to agree with everything he said…He understood people had different views, but he was compelling with his words.”
For more on Colin Robinson’s life and contribution to the freedom of LGBTIQ+ people in the United States and the Caribbean see here and here and here and here.
