October 15th, 2005 was a historic day for same-gender-loving (SGL) and bisexual Black folks, and the Black community. We were embraced, affirmed and heard on that day. For the first time in Black history an SGL/bisexual organization (the Black Men's Xchange [BMX]) was invited to present our voice to an international African descended audience.
When Minister Louis Farrakhan and Millions More Movement (MMM) organizers decided to make this year’s march more diverse, to include homosexual members of the Black collective, we were confident BMX would be invited. BMX, an independent, national organization conceived for the empowerment, affirmation, education and healing of SGL/bisexual Black males and allies, heads toward two decades of influential work. BMX is known among west coast members of the Nation of Islam (NOI) as a “unique,” progressive Black community organization. In 1998 NOI members at Mosque #27 in Los Angeles collaborated with BMX to sponsor a debate on “Homosexuality in the Black Community.” At the time the NOI’s intentions were to put the “abominations” in their place, publicly. What occurred instead was a Black affirming lesson they would never forget, on the presence of homosexuals and bisexuals throughout the Diaspora and Black history. BMX won that debate.
This year, starting as early as June 2005 BMX members in New York/Harlem became actively involved in MMM local organizing efforts. It was then that discussion about BMX’s MMM involvement began. In August BMX’s role was solidified. In September radio personality Bob Law - head of the New York State MMM executive committee - came to BMX personally to confirm what was already known. BMX would definitely be representing SGL, gay-identified and bisexual Black folks at the historic MMM march on the DC mall.
At an October 5th MMM Washington D.C. press conference, Akbar Muhammad, international representative for the NOI, announced that the Black Men’s Xchange (BMX) would represent [Black sexual minorities] at the MMM march October 15th. The announcement came in response to “gay representative” questions by a few people in attendance who were gay-identified and or who represented "Black gay" organizations funded by the White gay 'Human Rights Campaign (HRC).' In reaction, the "Black" HRC funded organization reported to the White gay press that BMX was “separatist” and "not acceptable." Following this attack they began a gay media campaign to create dissension, empathy for them and coerce MMM organizers to make another choice. This included submitting a list of 10 other speaker possibilities, and setting up numerous meetings and a ‘photo op’ with NOI staff and Farrakhan. Though MMM organizers had already established that BMX founder Cleo Manago would speak, on the morning of the march, at 8:00 a.m. a desperate move was made by the leader of the HRC funded “Black” gay group. In a disrespectful, last stitch effort to speak, he attempted to crash the MMM march. When this was not successful he spearheaded a deceptive media campaign, claiming to have been snubbed at the last minute. He opportunistically took full advantage of the ignorance of his constituency, and of the racist biases in the media that had already resulted in total disinterest among the Nation of Islam, Farrakhan and BMX members to even address the press.
To bolster belief in their deception as a MMM victim, they released a speech called, “The Speech That Didn’t Happen.” Below is ‘The Speech That Did Happen’ (delivered in excerpt, due to time constraints). It affirms Black same-gender-loving (SGL) people, unifying the Black family, SGL Sisters, Black manhood concerns, and nurturing diverse Black children.
Related links:
http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/g
http://www.houstonvoice.com/thelatest/t
http://www.blackstripe.com/archives/dis
www.hrc.org/
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