David J. Johns penned an interesting opinion piece for theGrio.com, in which he praised Andrew and R. Jai Gillum’s diverse Black marriage.
“Let’s celebrate Andrew and R. Jai Gillum for finding the freedom to define themselves and their relationship on their terms and for making space for others to do the same,” writes Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition.
In an exclusive interview with Tamron Hall that aired on Monday, Gillum, 41, came out as a bisexual man with a wife and three children.
Johns, who is same-gender attracted, asked his readers to celebrate the diversity of the couple’s modern family.
“I write to thank my brother, Andrew Gillum, and my sister, R. Jai Gillum, for inviting us in. Andrew and R. Jai are a family. Period, full stop,” Johns said.
Johns added: “[T]here is a need to battle systemic oppression and marginalization of people who are members of racial/ethnic and sexual minority communities, there are some among us, like myself, who live public lives to disrupt assumptions that we don’t exist.”
Johns suggests that Black women should protect Gillum and look beyond the complexities of sharing their men with other men.
Johns continues:
“[T]oo many members of our community suffer, often in silence, because we have not done the work, as a community of diverse Black people, to hold space and to have conversations that honor every member of our community. It is for this reason alone that Black people should commit to protecting Andrew Gillum who is among the first highly visible Black men to identify as bisexual.
“At this moment in the movement for Black lives, let’s celebrate Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts for finding love. Let’s celebrate Andrew and R. Jai Gillum for finding the freedom to define themselves and their relationship on their terms and for making space for others to do the same. Let’s celebrate the culture shift that holds space for Black LGBTQ/SGL people to thrive—as we are—without having to shrink or hide critically important parts of themselves.”
