Religion and Politics

Black Leaders and Gay Advocates March in Step

The New York Times’ Kate Taylor writes about the growing rapprochement between gay rights activists and America’s black leaders. For years, writes Taylor, “African-American leaders often saw the gay rights groups as insensitive to racial concerns …  Advocates for gay rights, in turn, sometimes blamed socially conservative African-Americans for their defeat in crucial electoral battles.” Now a new coalition is emerging, built around shared political and social justice concerns. “You must be for the civil rights of everyone, or you’re not for the civil rights of anyone,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said last week at a joint news conference of the N.A.A.C.P. and leading gay rights organizations.  

Read at The New York Times

• Email
• Print