toOmiry 18.2001
tvn ilium 4 news
15
P ink P anthers
More than 30 years ago, tho "Letter from Huey"
called for coalition with the gay liberation movement
Mission Ceiling Fan $299.95
by Rawley Grau
Viper Ceiling Fan $199.95
$69.95
n the months following the Stonewall riots the Panthers’ homophobia. A few months
of June 1969, the fledgling gay liberation before Newton’s statement, during a May Day
movement sought to form alliances with rally at Yale University where about 25,000 peo­
other progressive movements. But New ple gathered to demand the release of incarcer­
Left groups were usually no less homopho­ ated Panther leader Bobby Seale, the G LFs Jim
Fouratt called on radical leftists to stop using the
bic than the rest of the country and were often
embarrassed when gays and lesbians carried ban­ word “faggot” to describe their enemies and to
ners at their demonstrations.
confront their own bias against gays: “We
A breakthrough came, however, in the sum­ demand that you treat us as revolutionaries.”
Another speaker at the rally was gay French
mer of 1970, when Black
writer Jean Genet, who had come to the United
Panther Party Supreme
Commander Huey P. New­ States to win support for the Panthers among
ton issued a statement in American intellectuals. Although he didn’t
support of gay and lesbian publicly mention gay issues during his visit, he
equality. Not only was his did discuss homosexuality privately with his
the first pro-gay pro­ Panther hosts.
Like Fouratt, Genet objected to their use of
nouncement to come from
the black civil rights move­ the word “faggot.” According to his biography,
ment, it was the first such his comments are what prompted Newton’s
statement to come from statement on gay liberation.
Although the gay left was thrilled by the “Let­
any nationally known het­
erosexual activist of the time.
ter from Huey,” others in the movement were dis-
“A Letter from Huey to the Revolutionary paraging. “So Huey Newton wants to be friends,”
Brothers and Sisters About the Women’s Liber­ editor Don Michaels wrote in The Advocate.
“Sorry, Huey, but somehow this fails to
ation and Gay Liberation Movements,”
elate us.... In fact, we see much more
published Aug. 21,1970, in the party’s
newspaper, The Black Panther, was
hope [in trying to change the sys­
tem gradually] than in violence
as much a reprimand to fellow
and destruction.”
Panthers for their homophobia
and sexism as it was a call for
The promise of New­
coalition.
ton’s statement was not
immediately borne out.
“As we all know, some
Both male and female
times our first instinct is to
GLFers attended the
want to hit a homosexual
Panther-sponsored Rev­
in the mouth and want a
olutionary
People’s
woman to be quiet,” New­
Constitutional C o n ­
ton wrote. “We want to
vention,
which took
hit a homosexual in the
place in Philadelphia
mouth because we’re
just weeks after the let­
afraid we might be homo­
ter was published.
sexual; and we want to hit
Although gay men
the woman or shut her up
were generally positive
because we’re afraid that she
about the event and issued
might castrate us, or take the
a statem ent hailing the
nuts that we might not have to
Black Panther Party as “the
start with.” The remedy, he said,
vanguard of the people’s revolu­
is to “gain security in ourselves and
tion,” lesbians found the experi­
therefore have respect and feelings for
ence disheartening and thought
all oppressed people.”
Admitting that the party had failed to con­ women’s issues were not being taken serious­
ly. Significantly, Newton made no mention in
sider gay issues, Newton made an observation
that must have astonished many of his com­ his plenary address of either gay or women’s
rades-in-arms: “Homosexuals are not given free­ liberation.
Still, the historic nature of the ‘ Letter from
dom and liberty by anyone in the society. Maybe
Huey” should not be discounted. As lesbian
they might be the most oppressed people in the
writer Jewelle Go-
society.”
Newton also ad­ Adm itting that the p a rty had failed to consider gay mez has noted,
“The importance
dressed what had
issues, Newton m ade an observation that must have
of Newton’s state­
become a particular­
astonished
m
any
o
f
his
com
rades-in-arm
s:
ment lay not in the
ly sore point for gay
groundswell of sup­
activists: “The terms
"Homosexuals are not given freedom and liberty
port that it failed
‘faggot’ and ‘punk’
by anyone in the society. M aybe they m ight be the
to promote but in
should be deleted
most oppressed people in the society."
its simple recogni-
from our vocabulary,
tion that alliances
and especially we
should not attach names normally designed for must be formed if social justice is to be attained.”
More than a dozen years would pass before
homosexuals to men who are enemies of the
black civil rights leaders— notably, the more
people.”
mainstream Coretta Scott King and Jesse Jack-
The relationship between gay activists and
the Black Panthers, who advocated violent rev­ son— again would consider forming a coalition
olution as the only way to win justice for with gay rights groups.
African Americans, had been a stormy one. The
RAWLEY G rau has won four Vice Versa
Gay Liberation Front’s support of the Panthers
Awards for his writing on gay and lesbian culture.
already had caused a split among gay activists,
but even the GLF was vocal in its criticism of He can be reached at Gayblestor@aol.com.
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