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Kenya Scarlett (they/them) is Brook’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead. Ahead of UK Black Pride this weekend, Kenya talks about the QTIPOC (Queer, Trans, Intersex People of Colour) community, it’s importance in history and key figures.
Being pansexual and genderqueer, I love being a part of the LGBT+ community! Through it I’ve met some of the most creative, kind, fun and resilient people who have taught me a lot about opening your heart, listening, and caring for others.
We continue to grow in the most beautiful ways together.
Intersectionality in the queer community has come a long way but unfortunately racism still exists and we must work together to ensure QTIPOC (Queer, Trans, Intersex People of Colour) are safe in these spaces. When we say intersectional, we mean recognising the different ways that people’s identities and experiences interact, and how that impacts the discrimination they face.
The original Rainbow Flag was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker in reaction to the gay and lesbian political movements at the time. It originally had eight coloured stripes on top of each other but the pink and turquoise were taken out, leaving the flag with the six colours that most of us will know and recognise as the popular pride flag mostly used in the 21st century.
You may have wondered why the pride flag now features six new colours and some versions also feature a purple ring within a yellow triangle. The reason is that over the years, people have become more aware of the intersectional struggles within the LGBT+ community. In 2018, Daniel Quasar, an American non-binary artist, designed the Progress Flag to celebrate the diversity of the LGBT+ community and a call for a more inclusive society.
This representation is important because QTIPOC have always existed and have always been at the forefront of a lot of the activism and political movements that helped pave the way for LGBT+ people. Some examples include: Marsha P. Johnson, a Black transgender woman, and Stormé DeLarverie, a butch lesbian, were both prominent figures in the Stonewall riots in the late sixties. James Baldwin was an LGBT+ American writer and civil rights activist who wrote about race. Black lesbian Audre Lorde, also a writer, addressed the injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia.
In the UK, Pearl Alcock, a bisexual entrepreneur and artist, moved from Jamaica and worked to open a boutique shop in the early 70s. She then opened a shebeen underneath the shop, a safe space for the black gay community. Ted Brown, a British Gay Rights activist helped organise the UK’s first Gay Pride Rally in 1972, where he made history organising a kiss-in. Now aged 72, he says he’s not attended Pride in years because it’s lost its political edge.
These inspiring LGBT+ people paved the way for those doing exceptional work today.
Skin from Skunk Anansie was the first black artist to headline the pyramid stage at Glastonbury, she is an LGBT+ advocate and a rock icon! Marc Thompson is an activist, health promotion specialist and mentor who has been living with HIV since 1986. He has been at the forefront of HIV activism and education in the UK and is the director of The Love Tank, which came from the work of Prepster.
Lady Phyll is a British Political Activist and co-founder and CEO of UK Black Pride, the world’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent, which is returning for its third year on the 11th of August 2024. Munroe Bergdorf, a UK-based model and activist, was the first transgender model for L’Oréal and is a huge figure in the community and champions trans rights on social media.
Those are just a few of the amazing activists who have helped and continue to help the LGBT+ community. But there are so many more who have given their time and energy for LGBT+ rights and the inclusion of QTIPOC within that. I have highlighted some of their achievements because I want to celebrate the beautiful diversity that the LGBT+ community holds but also to remember that the safety of QTIPOC is not always thought about in theses spaces.
I have at times found it difficult to navigate queer spaces and understand why there are still QTIPOC activists needing to fight for change. That’s why I found a sense of peace going to UK Black Pride and seeing old gay rasta men enjoying themselves and being free alongside all the beautiful diversity of races and identities.
I felt safe, free and able to enjoy the celebration of myself and the community I am very proud to be a part of.
Jess, 25, writes an open letter to the person who assaulted her at 15.
Brook Education and Wellbeing Specialist, Elyssa Rider, writes on the history of Pride and why we must fight to protect marginalised identities within the LGBT community in order to achieve true equality for all.
Rin Harris is a queer educator who works as an Education and Wellbeing Coordinator for Brook in north London. They have worked as a secondary school teacher, an LGBT+ youth…