How Queer Undocumented Youth Built the Immigrant Rights Movement

I don’t usually give a damn to what DC immigration groups do because ain’t nobody got time for that. That is true until someone tries to re-write my history. And that is precisely what straight, white, cisgender and clueless male Frank Sharry, who is best known for running several failed political campaigns, does in his racist Washington Post column.

The columm is racist because it marginalizes the existence and work of queer undocumented youth. The column is also racist because Sharry is essentially implying that the people of color immigrant rights movement learned tactics from the white gay movement, which is highly problematic and inaccurate. And as a straight male, Frank should shy away from ever using phrases like “It is time to go gay on their ass” because that is just plain old heterosexism (and inappropriate).

Now, the Washington Post was willing to post his 1800-word vile and depraved white racist ignorance, but unwilling to post our response, which was written with the input of over a dozen past and present immigrant youth leaders. The beauty of the massive social media network and presence that we’ve built is that we don’t need racism-enabling networks such as the Washington Post to respond with truth.

This column was initially titled “Frank Sharry Didn’t Build That.” But he isn’t important enough to be a title in anything I write so the response is how queer undocumented youth built the immigrant rights movement.

Because we did.