What the National Equality March on Washington Means For Queer Americans
The LGBTQ+ community has a long history of marching on Washington to demand civil rights.
Earlier this year, the world had its eyes on the nearly half a million participants in the Women’s March on Washington. The January 21st event inspired many “sister marches” to take place all around the world, and because of its success, many others have felt inspired to take their cause to the streets of the capital, though this it is certainly not the first time. The history of marches in the United States is an impressive display of resiliency and fortitude. These monumental events have come to demonstrate the vitality of the American people and have exemplified how organized activism can successfully unite groups together for a cause.
On June 11th, 2017, the National Equality March on Washington is set to occur at the nation’s capital and will take place in conjunction with this years Pride Festival. This significant march occurs at a time in history when LGBTQ+ rights have been severely threatened by our elected leaders. As a result, many activist organizations have agreed it is time to take action for the queer community. Although national Pride festivals have become the most popular celebration of gay rights and liberation in the country, the National Equality March will create a distinct and separate demand for our government’s policy reform. In contrast to the celebration of queerness at the festivals, the march will serve as a solemn event for participants to express their deepest concerns.
There is a great amount of potential power for marches to combat discrimination, incite change, and inform policy makers of the general discontent of the nation’s citizens. The National Equality March has the potential to do the same, on a grand scale. Organizers for the march have expressed it is their wish that the equality march and the Pride festival will complement each other to make for a historic event. David Bruinooge, a 42-year-old man residing in Brooklyn, New York created the Facebook event for the march shortly after watching the news coverage for the Women’s March stating:
“I was really inspired by all the strong women marching in our country and around the world, and I thought our community should be doing something similar to get our voices heard. We think it’s very important that we have a united front and that all our voices are heard. We encourage friends, family and allies of all religions, all races and all identities to participate” (1).
Amidst all the positive recognition for the Women’s March, there were still issues involving exclusivity and a general lack of intersectionality at the march itself. One prominent and troubling component of the march cited by many intersectional feminists involved the pink “pussycat” hats worn by a predominantly cis-, white population of women. While the hats (presumably) served as a symbol of unity among the women, the likening of “pussy” and “women” did not sit well with the queer community for the simple fact that not all women have the same genitalia. In an effort to “queer up” the march for justice in our country, the National March for Equality was suitably named. The last march for LGBTQ rights was held in 1993, 24 years ago, making the 2017 march a historic event for all.
The first major march on Washington, The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, occurred in 1963 and is remembered for being the location of Martin Luther King Jr.’s renowned “I Have a Dream” speech. Its purpose was to call the nation’s attention to civil rights issues, and with over 250,000 people in attendance, it was the largest demonstration of human rights in the U.S. at the time. The march prompted Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act in 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, or sex as well as prohibited any racial discrimination in the voting process. Two individuals, Asa Philip Randolf and Bayard Rustin, organized the march and in 2013, former President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Bayard Rustin with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, making him the first openly gay black man to receive the award (2).
Sixteen years later, after the assassination of openly gay California politician, Harvey Milk, the gay liberation movement gained momentum and the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights occurred on October 14th, 1979. Among the many issues the participants hoped to address, organizers presented a declaration of five demands and concerns for the government on behalf of the LGBTQ community (3).
First, they wished to pass a comprehensive lesbian/gay rights bill in Congress. This request is still extremely relevant now and has become seriously threatened by the actions and beliefs of our current President and VP. Before the 2016 election had concluded, Hillary Clinton had promised the signing of the Equality Act as an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The amendment would have further protected every individual against instances of discrimination due to sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex in areas of employment, housing eligibility, public education, and federal funding among other things (4).
The second order of business in the first Pride march was to issue a presidential executive order banning the discrimination of people based on sexual orientation in the government, military, and under federally contracted employment, which finally came to fruition under Obama.
The third request was for the repeal of all anti-lesbian and gay laws, which remains an issue that is difficult to measure, though we have progressed in considerable ways since 1979. Still, just recently North Carolina and Texas have been conspiring to ban “same-sex” marriage laws, in the midst of North Carolina’s already controversial repeal of the transgender bathroom bill, which directly prevents trans individuals from using the bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.
Another prevalent concern for the 1979 marchers was ending the discrimination in lesbian and gay parental custody cases. Court proceedings have drastically improved their provisions, however, a bias still exists in the court system. The last item on the marchers’ agenda was the protection of LGBTQ youth from discrimination in their homes, schools, jobs and social environments. Some states have been proactive in passing laws to protect queer youth, while some states have remained silent and inactive.
The last LGBTQ march occurred on April 25th, 1993, and it remains the largest march on Washington to this day. With over one million people in attendance, the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation was historic for the queer community. The march had many themes, among them was the demand to end the ban on gays in the military, coming out of the Vietnam War. All day people marched up and down the streets yelling, “End the ban now! End the ban now!” (5).
The demands from the government in 1993 had barely changed since the march of 1979, with requests for safety, fair treatment, and anti-discrimination still on the list. Among the more prevalent concerns for queer Americans was an increase in funding for AIDS research and education, which was continously promised by former President Bill Clinton, but never accomplished completely (6).
Participants in The March for Equality will nevertheless have their own unique agenda this June, but requests for anti-discrimination, transgender protection and representation, and guaranteed healthcare will be essential. Though many Americans believe the acquisition of marriage equality is “enough,” the queer community deserves much more.
After the shooting at the PULSE nightclub in Orlando, Florida, hundreds of Americans took to the streets of New York City to protest gun control laws and discrimination based hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people. Among them, 74-year-old John Burris shared deep reflection and hope for the new generation of activists. Having attended over 30 Pride marches in his lifetime, he stated:
“This acceptance may be too late for me, but I’m so grateful that it’s available to all these young people” (7).
References:
- Miller, Hayley. “LGBTQ March on Washington Joins Forces With Major Pride Festival.” Huff Post: Queer Voices. 27 Jan 2017. Web. 24 Apr 2017.
- “National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights,” Histories of the National Mall, http://mallhistory.org/items/show/286.
- Baume, Matt. “The First National Queer March on Washington.” Unicorn Booty. 6 Nov. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
- Ibid.
- “A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States: National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.” Georgetown Law Library. 1 Apr. 2017. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
- Ibid.
- Rojas, Rick. “Pride Marches On, With Jubilation and Solemn Tributes to Victims of Massacre.” New York Times, 16 June 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
