LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH

Story: Sable Hawkins

October is LGBTQ+ history month. As a Queer person, it was difficult to write this without straying into the political, which was not my initial intention.

However, upon further consideration, it is clear that the issues of Queer history and politics are intertwined.

Many people, somewhat reasonably, think of Stonewall and the modern Pride movement as the beginning of Queer history. While not strictly true, it was a pivotal moment for Queer culture and Queer rights.

Stonewall, in many ways, defined the spirit of Queerness in a time of oppression. This conception was created in a time of flux, and we are no in a time of flux again. It is important to remember our roots.

Queer history has its roots in activism and social justice movements. Activists like Marsha P. Johnson, a Black drag queen, were integral to these movements. The spirit of queer activism was not just one that wanted to survive, but one that wanted to change society itself.

This is an attitude that has resonated with Queer people to the present, and it is one we need more and more as attacks on Queerness have begun to increase once more.

An African term, from the Akan people, Sankofa, seems relevant here, particularly given how movements for racial justice and sexual liberation were intertwined.

Sankofa is a celebration of remembrance. The North Carolina State University African American Cultural Center states its meaning in the Akan language and in English: “so wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki/it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot.”

While this legacy of activism has certainly not been forgotten, it must be fetched and brought back into the sunlight, to spread itself amongst a new generation of Queer people.