GAY global news

Women’s March leader refuses to denounce homophobic religious leader

Written by gaytourism

Tamika Mallory at a TED Talk. | Photo: YouTube/Tedx Talks

It has been discovered Tamika Mallory, co-president of the Women’s March, attended a speech by Louis Farrakhan in February at Saviour’s Day. Farrakhan is a minister and has been the leader of the Nation of Islam since the 1970s.

The Nation of Islam is an African-American political and religious movement. Many criticize it as being supremacist, antisemitic, and homophobic. The Southern Poverty Law Center classifies it as a hate group.

During the speech, Farrakhan said ‘the powerful Jews are my enemy’.

It is hardly the first time Farrakhan has made controversial and volatile comments aimed at certain groups. However, people are instead questioning Mallory’s attendance and her relationship with the minister.

‘I have heard the pains and concerns’

Initially, Mallory responded to the criticism in a defensive manner.

A day later, she wrote a Twitter thread, saying her love for people is deep.

Then, a couple days later, she started another thread.

Still wanting to explain herself, she wrote an op-ed for News One.

‘I have heard the pain and concerns of my LGBTQAI siblings, my Jewish friends and Black women,’ she wrote. ‘I affirm the validity of those feelings.’

She also revealed she has been attending Saviour’s Day for 30 years.

‘I am the same woman who helped to build an intersectional movement that fights for the rights of all people and stands against hatred and discrimination of all forms. I am the same person today that I was before Saviour’s Day, which begs the question – why are my beliefs being questioned now?’

Other Women’s March organizers Carmen Perez and Linda Sarsour have also associated with Farrakhan.

In response to his volatility, Perez told Refinery29: ‘People need to understand the significant contributions that these individuals have made to Black and Brown people. There are no perfect leaders.’

Calls to step down

On Tuesday (6 March), the Women’s March released a statement. They said they are ‘committed to fighting all forms of oppression’.

However, many don’t find the statement to be enough. Several others are calling for Mallory, Perez, and Sarsour to step down unless they denounce Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.

In this thread, Daniel Sugarman posted Instagram screenshots of these leaders praising Farrakhan.

Sometimes responding with sarcasm is the best way.

The Women’s March came into existence with the election of Donald Trump. The first worldwide march and protest took place the day after Trump’s inuaguration. Another one took place in January of this year, drawing even larger numbers.

However, there has been criticism of the movement and its leaders since its inception. Many rebuked it for not paying dues to Hillary Clinton, while naming Bernie Sanders and other disputed figures as speakers.

Got a news tip? Want to share your story? Email us .