Civil Rights Groups Condemn Minister's Anti-Gay and Woman-Hating Comments

August 19, 2005

On July 3, Rev. Willie Wilson, a former Washington, D.C., mayoral candidate, delivered a sermon where he is reported to have said that, "We live in a time when our brothers have been so put down, can't get a job, lot of the sisters making more money than brothers. And it's creating problems in families. That's one of the reasons our families' breaking up. And that's one of the reasons many of our women are becoming lesbians."

The National Organization for Women (NOW) joins in solidarity with the National Black Justice Coalition and black lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender people to repudiate these comments and to urge that Wilson, who serves as pastor at Union Temple Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., meet directly with the black LGBT community to discuss his public statements about black lesbians.

In addition to being a local minister, Wilson has a national platform as the Executive Director of the Millions More Movement March which is the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March. Wilson's comments strongly suggest that woman and openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender are not welcomed by the March leadership. "Black gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people must be decision makers at the highest levels of this march", said H. Alexander Robinson, Executive Director and CEO of the National Black Justice Coalition.

"The National Organization for Women calls upon Rev. Wilson to retract his homophobic and anti-woman statements. He is a local and national leader whose words and actions have done considerable damage and he must take responsibility for this," said NOW President Kim Gandy.

Rev. Dyan Abena McCray, pastor at Unity Fellowship Church of Washington, D.C., has been speaking out against Wilson's comments for the past several weeks. As a result, she has reported receiving harassing phone calls and e-mails. This past Sunday, a brick was thrown through her car window. McCray believes that this act of violence is directly related to how outspoken she has been about the impact of Wilson's statements. NOW and the National Black Justice Coalition call upon Wilson to demand that his supporters to stop the violence and harassment.

"It is shocking and unfortunate to hear such statements coming from a religious leader," said Gandy. "Rev. Wilson must be called to account for his bigotry towards the entire community."

"The litmus test of our unity has become our willingness to acquiesce to our own abuse," said Robinson. "If we speak up against black homophobia, we're accused of airing dirty laundry. If we don't speak up, we have to sit back and take the abuse. We are emboldened when our allies-women and non-gay black leaders speak up as well."

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Mai Shiozaki, 202-628-8669, ext. 116; cell 202-641-1906

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