In the Season 5 finale of Veer Queer, interviewer Verniss McFarland III sits down with Diamond Stylz of the podcast Marsha's Plate to discuss trans inclusion in the Black Lives Matter movement, the violence Black trans women continue to face daily, and sustainable trans allyship.…
I was at a week-long Girl Scout sleepaway camp the first time I remember experiencing racism. It was right after the counselors had called for “lights out” in the bunk. There was some problem in the cabin and, to get my attention, one of the other campers called out to me—“Hey, Black girl.” She knew my real name. She’d known for days. Yet, she chose to address me as “Black girl” instead. I don’t remember what she said after that,…
The Black Lives Matter movement was founded on July 13, 2013, by Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza, and Patrisse Cullors, in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. Black Lives Matter has since developed into an international human rights organization that aims to end systemic racism. Garza (who identifies as queer) initially helped to bring an intersectional lens to the movement—intentionally addressing how race, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity impact oppression. Yet, as Black Lives Matter has grown into…
As a Black, queer, single mother of two young Black boys, I am struggling to have faith in society, our justice system, and humanity. When I was a young girl, I had a knack for sniffing out injustice. I had an innate fire in my belly that drove me to stand against anything I considered to be inequitable or wrong. I would relentlessly debate my mother and grandfather on issues of racial injustice, always seeking to understand why things were the…
Veer Queer sits down with Black Lives Matter Houston leader Ashton P. Woods about why this movement is still so important.…
