Juneteenth Matters: The Intersection of Black and Queer Liberation Movements

Half Moon
Jun 19
3 min read

Every June 19th, we honor Juneteenth—the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston Bay, Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. It is a day of celebration, remembrance, and reflection—and an opportunity to recommit to the ongoing struggle for Black freedom.

While Juneteenth is a moment for Black people to celebrate, it is also a call for all of us—especially those of us who are not Black—to examine the ways freedom is still being delayed, denied, and devalued. If we care about justice, if we care about mental health, if we care about the queer community, then Juneteenth matters to all of us.

Black Liberation Is Queer Liberation

As we’re fighting for queer rights, we have to fight for Black liberation, too.

The movements for Black and queer liberation have always been connected—not just historically, but at their very core. Black queer and trans leaders like Marsha P. Johnson, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, and James Baldwin aren’t just participants in both fights—they are leaders whose lives embody the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality.

Queer liberation exists because of Black resistance. And yet, Black queer people continue to be marginalized—not only by systems of power, but even within LGBTQ+ spaces.

As Audre Lorde wrote, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”

If we’re serious about queer freedom—about safety, dignity, mental health, and joy—we must be just as serious about dismantling anti-Blackness in our communities, our movements, and ourselves.

We cannot fully celebrate Pride Month without celebrating Juneteenth. The fight against queerphobia and transphobia is inseparable from the fight against racism.

Mental Health Is Part of the Movement

Black and queer communities face unique and overlapping mental health challenges rooted in generational trauma, systemic violence, and cultural stigma. For Black queer individuals, this often means navigating multiple layers of erasure and discrimination—not only in society at large, but sometimes within LGBTQ+ affirming or racial justice spaces themselves.

As mental health providers, it’s crucial to recognize that mental wellness is inseparable from liberation. Providing care without actively addressing and dismantling racism perpetuates harm.

Practicing anti-racism in mental health means:

Educating yourself about the specific historical and cultural contexts impacting Black queer clients.
Challenging biases and assumptions in your own practice and institutions.
Creating affirming, accessible, and culturally competent spaces for healing.
Advocating for systemic change that supports Black mental health and wellbeing.

Supporting mental health—especially for Black queer communities—is not just compassionate care; it is an essential act of justice.

How You Can Learn More and Get Involved

If you're not Black, Juneteenth is still yours to engage with. Learn about the ongoing impact of systemic racism and queerphobia. Reflect on how your communities and organizations can better center Black queer voices. Act by donating, volunteering, and amplifying the work already being done.

Some resources for Black queer folks to access—and for non-Black people to support—that are doing vital work at the intersection of Black and queer mental health include:

The Okra Project – Providing support to Black Trans people across the United States via mutual aid efforts
National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network – Connecting queer/trans people of color to affirming therapists
Southern Fried Queer Pride – Uplifting Black and QTPOC artists and community in the South
Black Pride Network – Building global community and amplifying voices across the Black LGBTQIA+ diaspora
Darkness RISING Project – Promoting mental health awareness and wellness in the Black community through arts and advocacy