 |
Gay
Leader Barred From Speaking
At
Millions More March
by Paul
Johnson 365Gay.com October 15, 2005
|
| |
|
Washington, DC -- Gay African
American leader Keith Boykin was prevented from speaking Saturday morning at the
Millions More March on the National Mall, despite an invitation from march
organizer Louis Farrakhan.
Boykin, President of the National Black Justice Committee, had been invited on
Wednesday by Farrakhan after the organization publicly criticized Farrakhan for
excluding Black gays and lesbians from the planning process.
As Boykin was about to climb the stairs to the podium, Rev. Willie Wilson told a
speech coordinator to tell Boykin that the decision to allow him to address
marchers had been rescinded. Boykin said that Wilson was smirking as he
spoke to the woman.
In a statement the NBJC said it is deeply disappointed by the decision.
"In our previous conversations with Minister Farrakhan, he has consistently kept
his word. Rev. Wilson, however, has not been cooperative. We call on
Minister Farrakhan to fulfill our agreement," the statement said.
Benjamin Chavis, a member of the committee that organized the march, said he did
not know whether Boykin officially had been invited to speak, but he said gays
attended and "are welcome here today."
Rev. Wilson is executive director of the Millions More Movement. He is
also pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast Washington, the
District's largest Black congregation and has a record of homophobia.
In July Wilson, warned his congregation that "Sisters making more money than
brothers and it’s creating problems in families … that’s one of the reasons many
of our women are becoming lesbians.”
In the July 3 sermon entitled “You’ve Got to Fight to Be Free” he also said,
“Lesbianism is about to take over our community. I'm talking about young
girls. My son in high school last year tried to go to the prom. He
said, 'Dad, I ain't got nobody to take to the prom because all the girls in my
class are gay. Ain't but two of 'em straight, and both of them ugly.’”
Wilson went on to say, “I ain’t homophobic because everybody here got something
wrong with him,” he said. “But … women falling down on another woman,
strapping yourself up with something, it ain’t real. That thing ain’t got
no feeling in it. It ain’t natural. Anytime somebody got to slap
some grease on your behind and stick something in you, it’s something wrong with
that. Your butt ain’t made for that.
In preparing for the Millions More March Rev. Farrakhan reached out to gay
African Americans saying they would be welcome, but the NBJC and other Black gay
organizations threatened to hold their own rally saying they had been cut out of
the planning process for Millions More.
Last month Farrakhan held a conference call with leaders of the groups -- the
first such meeting he has had with LGBT African Americans -- in a bid to resolve
differences over the weekend event to mark the tenth anniversary of the Million
Man March. During the conference call Farrakhan said that he would
consider allowing a gay Black leader to speak.
Last week the NBJC submitted a list of 10 names to Farrakhan of prominent black
lesbian, gay and bisexual leaders. Ironically Boykin's name was not on the
list.
Wednesday members of the NBJC board met face to face with the controversial
Nation of Islam leader and the invitation was offered to Boykin.
Boykin was planning to talk about hostility toward homosexuals in the black
community, said Ray Daniels, communications director for the group.
Thousands of people from across the country are gathered on the mall, marking
the tenth anniversary of the Million Man March.
|
