There's a new movement happening that is strengthening support for us. African American activist groups are beginning to publicly equate our struggle for equality with theirs.
In Ft. Lauderdale - where gay men have been subjected to embarrassing rhetoric from Mayor Naugle - Marsha Ellison, President of Fort Lauderdale NAACP, has
stood proudly for our dignity against accusations from Naugle about public sex.
At a recent altercation between factions - that took place inside Fort Lauderdale City Hall - Ellison said, ‘’I’m not here to condone or condemn gay sex, this is a hate campaign against gays launched by the mayor.’’
More recently, the Maryland Black Family Alliance was formed as a result the Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold the state’s ban on gay marriage. The group hopes to show support of straight African-Americans for gay marriage as a civil right. And the organization’s members want to show that advocates of gay rights will continue to battle for equality.
Elbridge James, a former lobbyist for the state NAACP and co-founder of MBFA, told the Examiner.com, "We are here to say, ‘
No, the black community is not homophobic'. Civil rights belong to everyone. We are saying no to those who want to bigot us, divide us.”
Sen. Gwendolyn Britt, D-Prince George’s County, said she plans to sponsor a bill that would make gay marriage legal but stipulate that churches can decide individually whether they would perform the ceremonies.
