Page 17 - BEQ Magazine Iss 19

AD VER T ORIAL

By ZAYLORE STOUT
Transgender soldiers have been fighting for your gay man . As I grew more curious about the LGBT
right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness community, I realized I did not have access to
since 1776. Did you ever learn about these patriots resources or materials to teach me about the history
in school? of the community . In that moment, I understood the
In the fall of 1991, I was thrust into the limelight level of privilege I enjoyed as a Black person—I was
with network news interviews and NAACP and able to learn Black history at home from my family .
school board meetings after I was attacked by a But, most queer kids don’t have that luxury . How
skinhead who yelled a racial slur, got out of a many of them are raised in LGBT homes?
car and slugged me outside Very few . How are they supposed to learn
my high school in Ventura, about their history? Better yet, how many
California . The following of us could stand to learn more about
spring, the world witnessed the mosaic of historic and contemporary ZAYLORE
the Rodney King beating and changemakers, inventors, entertainers STOUT,
subsequent riots in April and and leaders in the LGBT community? author of Our
May 1992 . Tensions remained My name is Zaylore Stout and I’m Gay History in
high . As a result, at the age of the author of Our Gay History in Fifty Fifty States and
17, I established a Black Student States . I am helping people learn founder of the
Union on campus at Ventura High about LGBT history that has been law practice
School for the 30 Black students overlooked, hidden and ignored . Zaylore Stout &
in our predominantly white student Now in its third printing with Associates, LLC,.
population of 1,820. several awards won and five U.S.
You see, I’ve always understood states requiring the teaching of LGBT
my Black history and the significance history in schools, it is time to get this textbook into
of my Black experience in this country . I have always the hands of young folks, queer and straight alike .
had the love of my family and community affirming Visit Gay50States.com to buy a copy for yourself,
and supporting me throughout my life . I learned then to send a copy as a gift or to book me to visit your
the value of using my voice to make a difference . organization, school or community to talk about the
Fast forward to college and I am out as a Black importance of learning our history .

SUMMER 2021 17
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