What I remember most about
Coretta Scott King are several small news stories that I read over the years. Probably none of them made front page news outside of the gay rags I picked up weekly in the Oak Lawn neighborhood of Dallas.
Coretta Scott King, a hero of mine, stood up again and again and again and again for the rights of gays and lesbians.
From 1994:
I support this legislation because lesbian and gay people are a permanent part of the American workforce, who currently have no protection from the arbitrary abue of their rights on the job. For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious form of discrimination against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any other group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been denied equal protection under the law.
I don't remember the first time I read of her standing up for
my rights, but google searches return mountains of articles that link her to the struggle for gay rights.
She is quoted on hatecrime.com and gay.com from a speech in Chicago, reported by the Chicago Defender in 1998:
"I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people and I should stick to the issue of racial justice. ... But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'" "I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream to make room at the table of brother- and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people."
It's ironic that while that Republican hate group known as the "Concerned Women for America" once said, ""Shame on Coretta Scott King and the liberal black leadership for helping the gay lobby make these ridiculous comparisons."
now, the CWA, George Bush, and other Republicans speak of her wisdom and bravery...but they still refuse to hear her message.
In 2002, at an event honoring Ms. King for her work on behalf of the gay and lesbian community, she said,
"We need more funding for diversity education so young people are inoculated against the toxic viruses of racism, sexism, and homophobia before they enter the work force," King said. "Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people are entitled to the same respect and dignity as every other citizen."
Coretta Scott King stands out as one of my greatest heroes because she did all of this on behalf of a group that she wasn't a member of. She didn't have to do this, to repeatedly put herself and her reputation on the line for a group so hated by so many "religious" groups, and even members of her own family. She didn't do it because she was a lesbian, or even because she had a son or daughter that was gay or lesbian. She didn't do it because she consulted with her husband on the issues...he was, sadly, gone by the time gay rights became such a prominent social issue. She did it because she, like her husband, was truly one of the wisest and bravest civil rights leaders of our time. While I don't claim to be a Christian, I recognize that of all the people who purport to represent the teachings of Jesus Christ, Coretta Scott King did it best.