Bernice King’s gay-inclusive speech at MLK rally surprises LGBT participants

LGBTQ Nation reports:

ATLANTA — Bernice King took the stage today at Atlanta’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. rally and included gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people among the various groups she said need to come together to fulfill her father’s legacy.

In a passionate, sermon-like speech about building unity, King said she didn’t care if people were Hindu, Buddhist, Islamist, were from the North side or the South side, were black or white, were “heterosexual or homosexual, or gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender” — that all people were needed to create unity.

LGBT people who attended the rally said they were shocked that King – who has a long anti-gay past — actually acknowledged the community in a public speech, but said they were also glad because it shows people can evolve.

Here's to the possibility of redemption.

(Hat tip: Steven Publicover)

Update: Pam Spaulding comments:

We have to allow for people to grow and learn, and it took courage for King to make her statement. With her declaration, we will now see if Bernice King follows the lead of her late mother, Coretta Scott King, and her late sister, Yolanda, in their advocacy of full equality for members of the LGBT community.

Amen.