Queerness shines brightly in New Orleans because the city exists in a world of its own. Ethereal and unlike anywhere else, it has long made space for what other places could not hold. Out of that spirit, and out of necessity as much as belonging, the Black LGBTQIA+ community carved its own lane.
This year, New Orleans Black Pride marked its 5th Annual Black Pride weekend celebration with an HBCU homecoming theme.
Founded by community leader Nikki Alexander-Tumblin, the event was created to carve out space for Black queer individuals, especially women and femme-presenting people, to celebrate and exist freely and safely.
“In the LGBTQ community, I feel like femme-presenting individuals are not often seen, and that’s been a piece of creating this space,” Alexander-Tumblin said. “It was not intentional because what I put together is for everyone, but it is an emphasis on the femme community, because we are not always welcomed in space, unfortunately, even amongst our community.”
Across society, Black cisgender women, trans women, and feminine-presenting people continue to face discrimination. That isolation is imposed not only by the broader public but also within their own communities.
The Intersection of LGBTQ+ Rights and Civil Rights
The challenges Black LGBTQ+ individuals face exist where racial and sexual discrimination intersect.
According to New Orleans Black Pride’s Grand Marshal and grandson of civil rights activist Oretha Castle Haley, Blair Dottin-Haley, “People need to understand that Black LGBTQIA+ individuals are just as much a part of the Black community as everybody else.”
Dottin-Haley continued: “We have this problem in our community where we ask Black queer people to choose between their queerness and their Blackness, as if those two things are not inextricably bound to each other inside of us.”
New Orleans native and activist Michael Hickerson has shared experiences that mirror segregation-era treatment, recalling how Black gay men were treated in white gay bars.
In an article for ImFromDriftwood.com, Hickerson described being ignored by white bartenders, required to present multiple forms of identification while white patrons showed only one, and subjected to stares and whispers while trying to enjoy a night out in spaces meant to offer acceptance.
That treatment led Black gay patrons to organize protests and boycotts to bring attention to the discrimination.
“We had a little protest around the bars about these carding African-Americans. We held signs and we marched around the bars, and stuff like that. ‘No three IDs,’ or something like that. ‘One ID.’ ‘Why me?’ Something like that. And it wasn’t that big, but it was effective, it was effective.”
Those protests, small but impactful, reflect the same spirit behind New Orleans Black Pride, which continues to create space for Black queer people to exist fully and unapologetically.
Uplifting Queerness and Femininity
One of the weekend’s standout events was the Black Queer Legacy Summit, sponsored by ViiV Healthcare and held at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center.
Panelists included actress Jerrie Johnson; Human Rights Campaign Deputy Director Letoi Williams; health coach Nikia Jasmine; ordained clergy member Twanna Moore; Shay Caldwell and Brianca Williams of LA’s Queer Aunties; mental health provider Dr. Alaiyia N. Williams; transgender rights activist Mariah Moore; TRANScending Women Executive Director Wendi Cooper; and others.
Discussions covered topics such as toxic religion, protecting femininity in LGBTQIA+ spaces, navigating university life as a queer person, and the meaning of Black Queer Pride.
Johnson moderated the “Femme State of Mind” panel, where participants addressed how both society and the LGBTQIA+ community often treat the safety of Black women and femmes as an afterthought. The conversation also examined how femininity in queer women is used to question or erase identity, rooted in misogyny and femmephobia.
Community members shared experiences of feeling dismissed by masculine-presenting queer individuals.
One example discussed was a recent viral incident involving transgender activist and TS Madison Starter House co-founder Dominique Morgan. During a hosting appearance at Baltimore Pride, Morgan attempted to bridge the gap between a gay pride and a trans pride event happening at the same time. Her efforts were met with resistance, and she was removed from the stage after announcing plans to merge the two.
The situation ended with an apology, but it highlighted how trans and femme-presenting individuals can be dismissed even within their own community.
Moore addressed that reality directly: “Before creating a safe space, you need to be self-aware. Sometimes people think they are a safe space, but they’re really not. You have to do your research and make sure you align with whatever they are presenting.”
Navigating Life for Queer Youth
Moderated by Dottin-Haley, the “A Different World” panel featured Black queer students attending HBCUs who spoke about the need for culturally aligned LGBTQIA+ spaces on campus. Students shared their experiences and the importance of living openly.
Former Mister Dillard University Paris Allen offered advice to his peers. “Don’t put a box over yourself and don’t allow other people to put a box on you because it is so easy to fall in that trap.”
While their journeys have not been easy, the students emphasized the importance of claiming identity and helping others do the same.
The panels underscored ongoing challenges faced by women and femme-presenting individuals across generations and highlighted what it takes to build spaces that truly affirm everyone.
Loving our Community Through Every Phase
Black LGBTQIA+ people are not a monolith. While many share similar experiences, each person carries their own story, and those differences can sometimes create tension.
Toxic masculinity and misogyny do not disappear within marginalized communities. Even in spaces built around shared identity, these forces can lead to the dismissal of Black queer women’s voices, concerns, and lives.
“Let people live and express themselves how they want to,” Alexander-Tumblin said.
Uplifting Black Queer Pride begins with choosing to show up for one another, even when understanding does not come easily. It requires honest conversations, accountability, and care.
Alexander-Tumblin encourages people to support their queer neighbors and organizations doing meaningful work, including My Sistahs House, Louisiana Trans Advocates, and For The Gworls.
“When creating LGBTQIA+ spaces, really understand the community you are serving and ask them what they need, would like to see, and experience,” she said.
When the Black LGBTQIA+ community invests in itself, it safeguards its future.
