As Black Twitter’s leading authority for racial injustice, Deray McKesson may be the most recognized face of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Despite being a public figure, McKesson has kept his personal life as a black gay man relatively private. Last February, he was interviewed by Janet Mock for the cover of Advocate, which chipped slightly at the guard he’s had around his queer identity.
On June 7, hundreds gathered in Harlem to hear McKesson speak at a New York public library in part to hear about the movement, his mayoral bid in Baltimore, and to demystify his online persona.
During his talk, McKesson was asked about how queer politics intersect with the activism of Black Lives Matter when homophobia within the black community is a significant issue.
“The issue around sexuality often is about erasure. It’s often about invisibility. It’s often about who can occupy the space” McKesson said. His response shows the ways identities are often silenced even within movements that support marginalized communities.
McKesson said that Black Lives Matter has an intersectional approach to identity politics in which all black lives matter.