I’ve said often that when I lived in/near Uptown (between two and four years ago), I never felt unsafe. Never felt like I couldn’t use the Greenway. Never felt like I couldn’t walk to Rainbow. Never felt like my car would get broken into while parked on the street.
I’ve said that I, frankly, thought part of that had to do with my being black (or appearing to be, anyway) which somehow makes me seem less like someone to fuck with. I grew up in Detroit. I know to be wary. I know to look around. I know to always lock my doors.
I’ve never felt fear of being targeted for being gay. Despite a handful of noted gaybashing incidents and some near-miss instances of intimidation, this is a pretty gay-friendly town, right? Or at least there are a lot of us here, relatively speaking.
I don’t know how much of this was my previously conceived perception of what Uptown is like and how much of it was my personal experience of existing there.
So the fact that Kristen Boyne was gaybashed in Uptown makes me ill. It scares me. Not that it’s not scary anyway, but it hits me in a particularly vulnerable place. So please consider attending the Queer Women’s March tonight. You don’t have to be a queer woman to attend.
[Queer Women’s March
Thurs, Jan 29, 9:00-10:00 PM
Starts at Intersection of Bryant & Lake Street in Mpls
QUEER WOMEN AND ALLIES!!!
Join us at Bryant and Lake in Minneapolis at 9 pm on Thursday, January 29th to march in solidarity with Kristen Boyne, who was violently gay-bashed in the streets of Uptown. Kristen was walking less than three blocks from her home when she was brutally attacked by two men. The unidentified assailants called her an “f—ing dyke”, then punched and kicked her until she lost consciousness.
Love, compassion and understanding is the only cure for hatred and fear. So in response to this senseless act of hate and violence, we will march to demonstrate that queer women (and all women!) will not tolerate being victimized by hateful bigotry and violence. Let us gather the collective energy of our community to promote awareness and understanding with a loving and peaceful demonstration.
Let us “Be the change we want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
We are exceedingly grateful for supporters and allies of all genders and orientations and welcome all to march with us in solidarity for the cause. But we are also hoping to have strong representation from the diverse community of queer young women of which we are a part. There is diversity within the words “young” “queer” and “women” so if these words feel right to you – WE MEAN YOU. We know our community is strong, diverse and powerful. Let us make our voices heard and our presence known!
Check out www.myspace.com/queerwomenmarch or email “queerwomenmarch@gmail.com” if you wish to volunteer in some way, cover the march or get more information.
They’re really in need of volunteers. I have no idea what volunteering entails, but if you’re gonna be there anyway…
I have mixed feelings on marches. Yeah, you want to make your presence known and your voice heard. I don’t think something like this should not happen. But there needs to be action that comes out of this.
