This chapter aims to explore the nuances of Blackness with intersections of gender and sexuality. Black and Queer (BlaQ) lives matter just as much as Black (cisgender/heterosexual) lives; however, the distinctions are not always clear. Provided in this chapter, readers will find a brief overview of the creation of HBCUs, inequitable practices pertaining to the exclusion of Black lesbian, gay, trans*, and queer (LGBTQ+) people from HBCU history and celebration, and a view of what the future of HBCUs can be when they become more inclusive about gender as well as sexual orientation. The knowledge in this chapter is provided in the form of a literature review which is a connection to the author's groundbreaking dissertation that centered the experiences of LGBQ faculty and administrators at HBCUs. It is the hope of the author that by directly addressing these inequitable practices of discrimination at HBCUs, these institutions would continue to do the soul work of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is considered good trouble and results in transformation.
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Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get into good trouble – The Late Honorable Representative John Lewis
Black queer (BlaQ) people have always been present at HBCUs even though some institutions have chosen not to acknowledge these intersecting identities (Harris, 2014). When searching for academic research on queer faculty and administrators at HBCUs, the research on this population is as deep as a droplet of water. Some studies have documented the lived experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA+) students at HBCUs (Brckalorenz et al., 2020; Carter, 2013; Gates et al., 2017; Hudson, 2017; Lewis & Ericksen, 2016; McCrary, 2014; Means and Jaeger, 2013; Mobley & Johnson, 2015, 2019; Nguyen et al., 2018; Patton, 2011, 2014; Pennamon, 2018; Wood, 2018). Research on queer faculty and staff in the broader field of education across secondary and post-secondary education does exist but is also limited in scope (Dozier, 2015; Dykes & Delport, 2017; Gess & Horn, 2018; LaSala et al., 2018; Lineback et al., 2016; McKenna-Buchanan et al., 2015; Misawa, 2015a, 2015b; Mobley et al., 2019; Nicolazzo & Jourian, 2020; Reinert and Yakaboski, 2017) but much of this previous research is limited in the use of intersectionality. Research of the experiences of Black queer faculty and administrators within higher education is limited and there has not been enough discussion to further interrogate the nuances between race, sexuality, gender, and religion. As HBCUs are in some cases an extension of the Black church, the culture of non-acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community at most HBCUs is still palpable today (Barnes, 2013; Cane, 2015; Gates, 2021; Guy-Sheftall & Alexander, 2006; Marston, 2018). This chapter provides an overview of the historical factors impacting Black Queer Faculty and Administrators at HBCUs and current efforts to address past inequities with the intention to get into good trouble by addressing a topic that is typically silenced.