Harvey Milk: The Door Opener

Harvey Milk 

"Let me have my tax money go for my protection and not for my prosecution. Let my tax money go for the protection of me. Protect my home, protect my streets, protect my car, protect my life, protect my property...worry about becoming a human being and not about how you can prevent others from enjoying their lives because of your own inability to adjust to life." Harvey Milk

We were standing in the lobby waiting to exit the ritzy downtown hotel in Edmonton, Alberta. I had gone there for an interview; he for reasons unknown to me.

This elegant and tall African-Canadian man caught my eye for exactly those reasons - elegance and height. His words shut me right down.

"F-ing faggots, get out of the way so decent people can go about their business!" The look of scorn on his face was so intense, it sucked the air right out of me.

Image: flickr.com

It was Gay Pride weekend and my same-sex loving brothers and sisters were "working" the parade! It was my very first experience of seeing LBGTQ people openly strutting and celebrating their be-ingness and I was enthralled.

My unexpected door companion was not! He continued swearing at the show of pride as we stood their waiting for the crowd to thin and allow us to get on our way.

I have gained a reputation over the years of being quite vocal, unafraid to speak my mind and to tell anyone like it is - in whatever language they best understand: polite or foul.

In spite of his fluency in the latter, I chose polite, polished and my Masters degree level language to address 'de brother'.

Claudette Esterine - Back in the day!

"Sir, as people of colour, descendants of slaves, second class citizens in a white majority country and as a black woman, I have no moral right to decry any section of our society for claiming their right of existence! Hence, if only as a black man it would behoove you to cheer them on rather than standing here cursing at them. There is a back door, use it since you are not comfortable seeing people striving to ensure that we ALL can enter through the front ones."

I bade him farewell and deliberately added an extra sway to my hips as I went out to watch the papade up close.

Bigotry I do not do and have no tolerance for bigots - no matter their colour or stripe.

It saddens me to see people who I love dance with glee at the persecution of others based on religion, race or sexual orientation. My blood boils at sexist jokes and/or comments whether the target is black, white, yellow or brown.

I was shocked by the elation of people I know at recent news that Nigeria, for example, has basically "outlawed" homosexuality, sanctioning stiff prison terms for people who love each other but so happens to be of the same sex. Yet in the same country, 200+ girls are kidnapped allegedly to be sold and the Government has hardly lifted its proverbial finger to rescue them.

As a black woman, I consider it my duty to speak Truth to power in light of any injustice anywhere. Black women have been stereotyped, labelled and categorized as a result of our collective response to our journey. For me, that is okay as on a personal level I know who I am and whose I am.

It is in this knowledge and in gratitude to all those who came before me and died working for the amount of freedom I now enjoy that I salute Harvey Milk's memory today.

Harvey Milk died speaking and living his truth.  As the first openly gay person to be elected to office in the United States, he opened many closets - not just for homosexuals in the USA but across our world. Read this interesting article about his legacy and global impact.

One person, one voice can make a difference. How are you using yours?

Share your thoughts with us here or on our Facebook page. Do follow us as well on Twitter.

Be blessed. Be bold. Be proud today and everyday!

Harvey Milk's image source: archive.constantcontact.com