Vogue Has Some Powerful Things to Say About Black Lives Matter and Pride Month

 

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The death in Minneapolis this week of #GeorgeFloyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black man killed by a white police officer—who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while Floyd yelled that he couldn’t breathe—has sparked outrage around the country and protests, as well widespread looting, in Minneapolis. While the death of Floyd is indeed horrible, it is also far from unique. This latest tragedy came three months after Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed by two white men (one a former police officer) while on a jog in his southeastern Georgia neighborhood, as well as two months after the death of Breonna Taylor, shot at least eight times by police officers who had attempted to enter her Louisville apartment without announcing themselves. It has also surfaced a familiar image, one that has now been given a powerful new meaning: @Kaepernick7 kneeling to protest racism and police brutality in America. Now, looking at the image of Floyd’s neck being crushed by a white police officer’s knee next to Kaepernick’s knee on the football field, the athlete’s show of activism feels disturbingly poignant and incredibly important. It should have always been important, but now those who were confused or put off before have a visual representation of exactly what his intent was and still is today. It is also a reminder that there is a long way to go for equal justice in this country and why we must all keep fighting. Tap the link in our bio for more details.

A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on May 29, 2020 at 7:22am PDT

A post shared on May 29th, 2020 detailed the tragic murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, also referencing Colin Kaepernick’s famous act of kneeling as a form of political protest. A few days after the initial post, Vogue once again began to share posts that encouraged readers to donate to The Minnesota Freedom Fund, to help post bail and pay legal fees for those arrested in the ongoing protests.

 

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June 1 marks the beginning of #PrideMonth, and this year the date comes as protests have broken out across America, as #BlackLivesMatter activists fight for social justice and equality. Marsha P. Johnson, pictured above, was an African American transgender women and activist who spearheaded the Stonewall Riots in 1969, a series of violent protests that catalyzed the gay civil rights movement in the United States. “How many years has it taken people to realize that we are all brothers and sisters and human beings in the human race?” Johnson once said. “I mean how many years does it take people to see that? We’re all in this rat race together!” Today, as we honor #PrideMonth, we also remember that the ongoing fight for equality continues.

A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Jun 1, 2020 at 10:25am PDT

As June marks the beginning of Pride Month, Vogue also created a post featuring historical figure Marsha P. Johnson, known for being a leader of the Stonewall Riots. We expect Vogue to continue to show their support by providing a platform to the Black Lives Matter and Pride Month narratives, and hope to see other organizations continue as well.