By Dennis Richmond Jr.
Pride Month is celebrated each June in the United States in celebration of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. As we kick off Pride Month 2022, we look back to move forward. A lot of millennials and I would like to say thank you to all the elder members of the LGBTQ+ community. Most importantly, thank you to those who are no longer with us. The generations before us “gave people like me courage and tenacity,” said Guy Williams, 24, of Yonkers.
Guy Williams, 24, thanks our LGBTQ+ elders for their courage and tenacity. You would have had to be brave to put on makeup as a man in the 1950s or 1960s and not be in Hollywood. Previous LGBTQ+ generations were fearless because they knew who they were and where they were going in a society that told them otherwise. The 1980s saw homophobia and misinformation. Many of our elders passed due to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic. Williams wants our deceased LGBTQ+ elders to know that “HIV is not a death sentence.”
Cienna Rosalina, 21, of Yonkers, thanks our LGBTQ+ elders for their allyship. As a young trans woman, Cienna says, “thank you to the gay men who have fought for us, stood for us, and respected us.” During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, not all gay men have been vocal in the fight for trans liberation. Some gay men still aren’t. We all must stick together in our community. Black trans women face barriers and discrimination in multiple facets of life. Folx in the community with privilege need to stand up and fight for what’s right.
Ali Youssef Mounkary, 21, of Boston, Massachusetts, thanks our LGBTQ+ elders for their framework. “Thank you for setting the framework for us now.” Mounkary describes the folx in our community who came before us as not ancestors but trancestors. TS Candii, 28, thanked our trancestors for their existence. “Thank you for existing, thank you for being true to thyself, thank you for paving the way,” said the Brooklyn, New York, resident.
Michael Stephens, 60, is a fourth-generation Yonkers resident. Stephens summed up the LGBTQ+ community in just four words. “It’s been a struggle.” A Black LGBTQ+ scholar and gem, Mr. Stephens is a burst of positive energy. “They call me OG now… they call me Pa.” Mr. Stephens offered advice that I cherish. “Education will carry you through.” He also made sure to talk to me about being alert when traveling to other places. “These kids will steal the teeth out your mouth and then help you look for it.” I’m glad to have been able to speak with him and soak up some knowledge.
I want to thank all my LGBTQ+ elders for their authenticity. Folx in my family and families across the world had to be authentic to survive. It’s one thing to live in the closet. To be out and live your truth is the basis of being authentic. Authenticity starts with you, and they all knew that. We all thank you!
