Jan 21, 2008 4:37 PM GMT
It is today Martin Luther King Day, a public holiday which hardly needs introduction to Americans.
How King would have viewed the gay liberation and legitimation movements is open to question; the fact he worked with and was advised by an openly gay man, Bayard Rustin is not. For my part, I have always taken the view (incidentally that also of the King Centre) that racism, homphobia, mysogeny and class-prejudice are social phenomena that can only be tackled as a whole. Perhaps for us as the gay community, the MLK holiday is a useful point for us to reflect on and challenge the racism, mysogeny and classism that is still very prevalent amongst gay people. For how can we remain intellectually coherent in our calls for tolerance as long as these remain?
So much for my view. My questions to you: What significance does Martin Luther King day have for you? Do you personally get the day off? And what meaning, if any, do you feel the day has for the LGBT community as a whole?
It's an emotive topic. Decorum and respect in debate, please
How King would have viewed the gay liberation and legitimation movements is open to question; the fact he worked with and was advised by an openly gay man, Bayard Rustin is not. For my part, I have always taken the view (incidentally that also of the King Centre) that racism, homphobia, mysogeny and class-prejudice are social phenomena that can only be tackled as a whole. Perhaps for us as the gay community, the MLK holiday is a useful point for us to reflect on and challenge the racism, mysogeny and classism that is still very prevalent amongst gay people. For how can we remain intellectually coherent in our calls for tolerance as long as these remain?
So much for my view. My questions to you: What significance does Martin Luther King day have for you? Do you personally get the day off? And what meaning, if any, do you feel the day has for the LGBT community as a whole?
It's an emotive topic. Decorum and respect in debate, please
