Justice Smith comes out as queer and calls for queer and trans inclusion in Black Lives Matter
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Detective Pikachu actor Justice Smith has come out as queer on Instagram while addressing the Black Lives Matter movement.
The 24-year-old uploaded a video from a New Orleans protest yesterday (June 5), as well as several shots of himself alongside boyfriend Nicholas Ashe.
He wrote: "@nckash and I protested today in New Orleans. We chanted 'Black Trans Lives Matter' 'Black Queer Lives Matter' 'All Black Lives Matter'. As a black queer man myself, I was disappointed to see certain people eager to say Black Lives Matter, but hold their tongue when Trans/Queer was added."
Related: RuPaul's Drag Race stars join together for special show in support of Black Lives Matter
Weighing in on queer and trans inclusion, Justice continued: "I want to reiterate this sentiment: if your revolution does not include Black Queer voices, it is anti-black. If your revolution is okay with letting black trans people like #TonyMcDade slip through the cracks in order to solely liberate black cishet men, it is anti-black.
"You are trying to push yourself through the door of a system designed against you, and then shut the door behind you. It is in our conditioning to get as close to whiteness, straightness, maleness as we can because that's where the power is. And if we appeal to it, maybe it'll give us a slice."
A post shared by Justice Smith (@standup4justice) on Jun 5, 2020 at 8:37pm PDT
His lengthy post went on to say "the revolution is not about appeal", adding: "It is about demanding what should have been given to us from the beginning. What should have been given to black, queer, and trans individuals from the beginning. Which is the right to exist. To live and prosper in public. Without fear of persecution or threat of violence."
Justice then exclaimed his love for Nicholas: "You've been my rock and guiding light through all of this and I love you so much."
A series of hashtags tied everything up, including #justiceforgeorgefloyd, #justicefortonymcdade #justiceforninapop #justiceforahmaud #justiceforbreonna #sayhername, #endwhitesupremacy and #defundthepolice.
For more information on how you can support Black Lives Matter, please visit its official website or donate here. Readers can also donate to the UK anti-discrimination group Stand Up To Racism, and the Unite Families & Friends Campaign, which supports those affected by deaths in police, prison and psychiatric custody.
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