It is a black day for the international LGBTQ community.
Clément Méric is as good as dead. His brilliant, 18-year-old queer brain mangled by right-wing thugs on the streets of Paris.
He is presently kept alive by a tangle of opalescent tubes.
In Russia activists are targeted by government sponsored bullies.
In London intellectuals are beaten to the ground by members of the EDL.
In NYC a black man is shot in the face and killed.
Trans people are murdered every day all over the world, often without investigation.
Have you heard? There is, amongst the general population, a perceived inevitability about LGBTQ equality.
Some amongst us are becoming complacent. Bloated on the success we think we have.
Basking in the support we think we get from the President. In fact we are silenced by him.
His words over deeds have silenced us.
We must speak up. Continue to challenge. Continue to be seen.
We must not shirk our responsibility to queer martyrs like Clément Méric.
Speak up. Heckle.
ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) is only now being widely discussed after the petulant FLOTUS was confronted by GetEQUAL queer activist Ellen Sturtz.
I congratulate Ellen. Finally, a voice for the queer poor heard over the screaming voices of the queer rich.
As the Great Recession continues in so much of the USA, ending workplace discrimination (especially for trans people) is essential.
Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice.
FLOTUS
Remember. As we strive for parity there will be those with equal and opposite views.
There will be violence.
There will be those who will kill an 18-year-old queer boy because they can.
African-Americans had to face nearly another century of lynchings before the Civil Rights Movement was powerful enough to push back strongly against violent racists.
The women’s movement of the 1920s, side-tracked for a generation until the 1960s, with so many needlessly broken lives and life expectations as a result.
Queer people are being attacked all over the world: Paris, Moscow, New York, London by increasingly emboldened haters.
As we demand equality in the workplace, the home and in the establishment these attacks will become more frequent.
We must, whether we like it or not, form a true LGBTQ alliance not only in name but in practice.
It is too late for fear to drive us into the shadows. We are out. We are visible.
We need to be more fearless and more visible.
LGBTQ.
This means YOU.
This means ME.
Reading about Clément Méric this morning, looking at his sweet, boyish profile… I began to question my own behavior.
I have, of late, let resentment toward the gays shape my own kind of homophobia.
For those of you who have read my blog these past couple of years the provenance of this loathing may seem understandable.
Today, I need to jettison those resentments.
If I truly believe in this fight… I have to accept those I detest as my queer brothers and sisters.
2 replies on “Clément Méric: We Cry For You”
Reblogged this on ladyberd.com.
(((Hugs))) Good on you. As in any group, a house divided against itself will inevitably fall. It’s always about the message & not the idolization of the messenger. People are flawed but the message can be flawless. Or damn close to it. We are all One. Truly in unity there is strength & comradeship. I hope that you can forgive the flaws in your community as you hope to be forgiven for your flaws. That’s what it comes down to in the end. I got that from the book about the Amish response to the Nickel Mines massacre “Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy”. It’s a day by day reconciliation with God. I also want to read “Left ToTell: Discovering God Amidst The Rwandan Holocaust” by Immaculee Ilibagiza. Forgiveness & non-violence is the path of Gandhi, MLK & Nelson Mandela & I want to walk that path. I know that I’ll see you there. Blessings.