But to make it as clear as possible: all black lives matter. What do I mean by that? After videos and images of a brutal aggression to black trans Minneapolis woman Iyanna Dior at the hands of her Black peers/protestors went viral, it was clear that the pro-Black, antiracist revolution isn’t enough. The changes the world is demanding have to extend to any Black person regardless of who they are: trans, cis, straight, gay, bi, asexual, rich, poor, religious, atheist, able or disabled – if not, just ask one of the most vocal activists of these past years, the disabled, black, trans model Aaron Philip.
But as many people know from listening to queer members of the Black community when they share their personal experiences – from social activists to RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants –, things aren’t precisely easy for QPOC, who often talk about one of the greatest challenges they face to become who they truly are: fight homophobia inside the Black community, and fight racism inside the LGBTQ+ community. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of twenty queer, Black artists you should be listening to in times of protest and revolution. Because remember: the first gay pride was a riot, and its leader was Marsha P Johnson, a black trans woman. And her spirit lives in every protest of Black Lives Matter, and in every protest supporting LGBTQ+ rights.