Race takes precedence for some in hierarchy of diversity among alphabet perverts in Charleston, South Carolina

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:24-32

As reported by Kalyn Oyer of the Charleston Post and Courier, September 7, 2019:

Charleston Pride Week has begun, but not all of the Lowcountry’s LGBTQ community is celebrating.

A group of Charleston Pride members have split from the organization, claiming it wasn’t meeting their needs.

One of those members was Regina Duggins, a former Charleston Pride board member and an African American lesbian. In June, she started a new local organization created to support LGBTQ people of color. It is called Charleston Black Pride.

Duggins said she felt like other Charleston Pride board members, many of whom are white gay males, were not actively seeking and supporting diversity within the organization. There are at least five people of color, out of 15 members, currently on the Charleston Pride board.

When she became a board member two years ago, Duggins was the only African American lesbian to fill the role, but she said the board wasn’t the only place in the organization lacking people of color. Many of the organization’s programs, she said, were inherently exclusive, from their locations to their themes to their pricing.

“Most of the events have a downtown location, while a lot of the LGBTQ black community is in North Charleston and Summerville,” she explained.

Last year, she said Charleston Pride also dropped the ball in flying a variation of the Pride rainbow flag that represents LGBTQ people of color, though it was approved during a board meeting. That broke trust within the organization, she said.

Yet Duggins said she didn’t found Charleston Black Pride to start a rivalry. Instead, she wants to show that awareness, inclusivity and diversity have to be more present within the organization. There are hopes to rejoin with Charleston Pride once those values have been prioritized...

...Charleston isn’t the only city to have a Black Pride organization. Duggins attended an August conference in Kansas City hosted by the Center for Black Equity that convened Black Prides from across the country and beyond, including New York City, Atlanta and Paris. There is also a South Carolina Black Pride organization based in Columbia.

During a weekend of training, Duggins and the others discussed issues that they’ve faced in regards to other non-black Prides. One unique aspect to Charleston that poses a challenge is that religion is closely tied with the local African American community.

“People of color are in a hidden society when they’re in a Bible Belt state because of religious affiliation and people feeling ostracized from their families and their churches,” Duggins said.

Reverend Robert Arrington, pastor of the Unity Fellowship Church of Charleston, said he is the area’s only openly gay African American reverend. He’s been supportive of Charleston Black Pride since Duggins founded it.

“So much of the LGBTQ community of color are in churches where they are abused and talked down to because of their sexuality,” Arrington said.

He said that’s a part of the local black religious culture, but he’s trying to change that...

...A new role of Chief Strategy Officer was created within Charleston Pride, in part to address diversity issues. The person filling that role now is Evan Nowell, and he says it’s all about listening, observing, being a citizen and engaging.

“As a white, gay queer male, I want to use my privilege to sit back and listen to those who haven’t had a seat at the table,” Nowell said.

Nowell helped Charleston Pride launch a physical space, which was rented to unite the Alliance for Full Acceptance, Charleston Pride and We Are Family under one roof so that they might better collaborate to meet the needs of the entire LGBTQ community. It also provides a space where conversation can be had and brainstorming can take place.

This year at the festival, he added, all of the Pride flags will be flown, including the one for people of color which was left out last year...