civil rights movement

Last week, Martin Luther King tributes were taking place across the nation. And the spirit of MLK and the courageous acts of our foremothers and forefathers of the civil rights movement are etched indelibly in many of our hearts. But the civil rights movement of Martin Luther King’s era of the 1960’s, many would say, is dying a slow and necessary death. King once told a racially mixed audience that “Eventually the civil rights movement will have contributed infinitely more to the nation than the eradication of racial injustice.” If King were alive today he would want us to look at homophobia.

Meghan McCain showed her support for gay and lesbian marriage equality in a speech Thursday night in Washington D.C., calling the gay rights movement "this generation's civil rights movement." The daughter of the former Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain spoke at George Washington University and urged like-minded "progressive Republicans" to make a stand. McCain was met with a protest before the event.

Cathy DeBuono compared the current fight for gay rights to the civil rights movement of the 60's and was told by her 20-year-old friend that we, as gays, had no business comparing our struggle to that of African Americans. This was her reply: Is Gay the new Black?

At a time when many African American ministers are still espousing an anti-queer rhetoric that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities are pimping the civil rights movement and history of the 1960’s, at the busy intersection of Ellis and Taylor Streets in San Francisco stands the Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church whose ministry intersects faith and theology to the struggles of LGBTQ civil rights.

Comments of celebration, and some inevitable criticism, began to flow late Friday night and into the Pride weekend worldwide as New York, the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement, became the sixth and most populous state, in addition to Washington, D.C., to give same-sex couples the right to civil marriages through a historic vote in the Republican-led state senate.

Tea Party members protesting health care reform in Washington DC on Saturday, hurled insults at several congressmen, including openly gay Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank. Tea Partiers called Frank a "Fa**ot" and civil rights movement hero John Lewis a "ni**er."

In her ongoing series of columns writer Taj Paxton introduces SheWired readers to Dr. Mignon Moore, also known as 'Professor Hottie.' Moore shares her views on Prop 8, the use of 'Civil Rights' to describe the gay marriage movement and more...

National Organization for Marriage president Brian Brown spoke at the rally against marriage equality held by New York state senator Ruben Diaz Sr. in the Bronx on Sunday, where he described his efforts as part of a “new civil rights movement.” The New York Daily News reports that Erica Diaz, the lesbian granddaughter of the senator ousted from the military under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, attended a smaller counter-protest across the street with her girlfriend, Naomi Torres.

SheWired spoke with web series star Cathy DeBuono (We Have to Stop Now is currently in its second season) about how important it is to be FAIR and balanced in mainstream media when dealing with a civil rights movement like the one the LGBT community is currently undertaking. One very observant and pro-active journalist spotted DeBuono’s plea to the mainstream media and decided to take it upon herself to do something about it. Nanci Francis opened up her laptop, wrote an article on The Examiner and initiated a pledge called FAIR IS FAIR.

African American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities have always existed in Harlem, residing here since this former Dutch enclave became America’s Black Mecca in the 1920s.

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day 2010 we no longer have to hold King up to a God-like standard. As I comb through numerous books and essays learning more about King's philandering, sexist attitude about women at home and in the movement, and his relationship with Bayard Rustin, I am wondering would King be a public advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights?

Civil Rights activist Dorothy Irene Height died on April 20th at the age of 98. A prominent African American with civil rights allies to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community including Corretta Scott King, Julian Bond, and John Lewis, to name a few, Height wasn't profiled and honored enough.

ATLAH World Missionary Church's latest message of hate mixes up the Bible a bit.

Today's MLK Day. I am proud to count myself among the many people working for social justice today who stand on the shoulders of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Civil rights activist Dorothy Irene Height died on April 20, 2010 at the age of 98. Of prominent African American civil rights allies to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community – Corretta Scott King, Julian Bond, and John Lewis, to name a few - Height wasn’t profiled and honored enough.