When Hiding isn't Enuf: How the Expression of Queerness within Black Feminism Change Over Time?

Abstract

The relationship of queerness and Black feminism works as an unbalanced scale. Within the transformative era of the 20th century, Lorraine Hansberry, Nina Simone, and Audre Lorde both created and expressed radical Black feminist thought through their artistic and intellectual contributions. Their work in music, poetry, and literature proliferated through Black communities and later the world, giving way to conversations about Black women’s lived experiences that would be otherwise neglected or ignored. However, Lorraine and Nina did not publicly fight for the rights of black LGBTQ+ individuals, but that choice can be attributed to their politics. The same can be said about Audre; she embraces the risk of living as a black lesbian, but the rise of the gay rights movement has provided a type of social cover that was not afforded to Lorraine and Nina.