The Trans Resistance March, Boston 2020
Dublin Core
Title
The Trans Resistance March, Boston 2020
Description
Double jeopardy means BIPOC trans people typically strive to survive in the outside world and the LGBTQ community. Not only must they expend their energies defending themselves from anti-trans forces external to their communities. But they also must fight their communities where the rule of whiteness in LGBTQ organizations tends to ignore or minimize their needs.
In one case, for example, The Boston Globe reports that Queer, trans, and Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) activists have called on Boston Pride to make changes since 2015. That happened when Black Lives Matter demanded the organization to diversify the board, allow BIPOC activists control of Black and Latino Pride events, and reexamine corporate sponsorships, among other things.
It was not only Black Lives Matter but a broad coalition of activists demanding that Boston Pride decolonize its policies. According to the Globe, the coalition demanding change included Trans Resistance, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Urban Pride, the Center for Black Equity, Boston Black Pride, Boston Dyke March, and Pride for the People.
One reason they insisted on change is because of inequitable resource distribution. For instance, Boston Pride only allocates $10,000 so that Black Trans people can organize on their behalf when the total Boston Pride budget is $500,000. That is 2% of their budget when 23.5% of Boston is of African descent.
Jo Trigilio, who resigned from the Boston Pride communications team around this issue, told the Globe, as a former insider, that Boston Pride sees itself being attacked when community people ask for their needs to be served. Instead of performing like "these are our people," Boston Pride regards a community insistence on service "as antagonistic," Trigilio explains. This may explain why the coalition became so angry when Boston Pride "removed a statement from its newsletter supporting Black Lives Matter" that it organized its alternative pride march.
In one case, for example, The Boston Globe reports that Queer, trans, and Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) activists have called on Boston Pride to make changes since 2015. That happened when Black Lives Matter demanded the organization to diversify the board, allow BIPOC activists control of Black and Latino Pride events, and reexamine corporate sponsorships, among other things.
It was not only Black Lives Matter but a broad coalition of activists demanding that Boston Pride decolonize its policies. According to the Globe, the coalition demanding change included Trans Resistance, Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, Urban Pride, the Center for Black Equity, Boston Black Pride, Boston Dyke March, and Pride for the People.
One reason they insisted on change is because of inequitable resource distribution. For instance, Boston Pride only allocates $10,000 so that Black Trans people can organize on their behalf when the total Boston Pride budget is $500,000. That is 2% of their budget when 23.5% of Boston is of African descent.
Jo Trigilio, who resigned from the Boston Pride communications team around this issue, told the Globe, as a former insider, that Boston Pride sees itself being attacked when community people ask for their needs to be served. Instead of performing like "these are our people," Boston Pride regards a community insistence on service "as antagonistic," Trigilio explains. This may explain why the coalition became so angry when Boston Pride "removed a statement from its newsletter supporting Black Lives Matter" that it organized its alternative pride march.
Source
https://www.historyproject.org/news/2021-06/history-project-supports-trans-resistance-ma-and-pride-4-people-and-calls
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/boston-protest-march-transgender-rights-trans-resistance/
https://www.historyproject.org/news/2021-06/history-project-supports-trans-resistance-ma-and-pride-4-people-and-calls
https://transemergencyfund.org/2021/06/trans-resistance-activists-stage-second-annual-alternative-to-boston-pride/
https://www.boston.com/news/racial-justice/2021/06/10/why-these-trans-bipoc-activists-are-hosting-an-alternative-pride-event/
Photo: Jo Trigilio
https://www.boston.com/news/racial-justice/2021/06/10/why-these-trans-bipoc-activists-are-hosting-an-alternative-pride-event/
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/boston-protest-march-transgender-rights-trans-resistance/
https://www.historyproject.org/news/2021-06/history-project-supports-trans-resistance-ma-and-pride-4-people-and-calls
https://transemergencyfund.org/2021/06/trans-resistance-activists-stage-second-annual-alternative-to-boston-pride/
https://www.boston.com/news/racial-justice/2021/06/10/why-these-trans-bipoc-activists-are-hosting-an-alternative-pride-event/
Photo: Jo Trigilio
https://www.boston.com/news/racial-justice/2021/06/10/why-these-trans-bipoc-activists-are-hosting-an-alternative-pride-event/
Citation
“The Trans Resistance March, Boston 2020”, The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-Spiritual Leadership, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed November 18, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/bipoc-trans-spiritual/item/2073.