Source: Facebook / Facebook, Hall of Her
It’s Women’s History Month and in celebration of the good work women across the world do every day, Facebook decided to celebrate administrators on the platform who belong to underrepresented, or misrepresented groups. One of these women was LaJoya Johnson of Black Educated Lesbians.
We had the chance to speak to Johnson about her experience growing up a lesbian in the Black church, finding herself in college and creating Black Educated Lesbians. See what she had to say below.
LaJoya Johnson: I have been doing activism work since I was in undergrad at Michigan State University. I created a scholarship for LGBTQ+ students of color at Michigan State, in honor of Sakia Gunn, a 15-year-old lesbian who was murdered in Newark, New Jersey. I didn’t know her at all but when I heard about the murder, I was moved to help and bring awareness to it because a lot of people don’t know that as a Black lesbian, it is very hard to move in society.
We are underrepresented and misrepresented a lot. So the opportunity to be a part of Facebook’s Hall of Her campaign is amazing.
I started Black Educated Lesbians in September of 2014. It was something that I created because I knew I wasn’t the only educated person who wanted to talk about things full of substance and things that affect our community.
There are other Black lesbian groups; however, they don’t really talk about the things we talk about. We talk about things that deal with COVID, things in the film industry, the injustices Black people face. It’s important that we talk about these things in this community because we are underrepresented a lot.
MadameNoire: What was it like for you growing up?
Laughs
MadameNoire: I know a lot of Black women can relate to coming from the church. Messages about any type of sexuality in the church can be problematic. So what was that like for you? What representations of Black lesbians did you have as you were coming up?
LaJoya Johnson: Lord. I’ll just say this, I’m a preacher’s kid. So that should tell you a lot. My father is a Baptist preacher. I actually did not come out until my first year of college. I knew I was different all my life but I didn’t know what different meant. And I didn’t have a chance to figure that out until I became a freshman.
Growing up, I was in the church. I was making sure the Bibles and the hymnals were correct in the pews. I was making sure everybody had what they needed for Bible study. I had to make sure I sat properly, I was wearing the proper thing, my hair was good. I’m Black, I’m a woman. I’m gay. I’m plus size and I’m a Christian. So…girl! It’s real.
I had a great life as a child but it was hard and I couldn’t be who I really was until I got out of house and was able to find out who I was and what my different really was. I had to do this one my own. I had to figure it out on my own.
I wish I had role models but it didn’t work like that.
But now, Black Educated Lesbians has helped me a lot. I’m very an introvert and it helps me get out of my shell. It helps me to help people. I get messages from people in the group who just want to talk. And because I’m a social worker, it helps me to help them. And that’s the number one reason I created the group, to help other people. I don’t call the women of Black Educated Lesbians members, I call them sisters because that’s what we are. We are there to help each other and we do.
Source: Facebook / Facebook, Hall of Her
MadameNoire: What are some of the ways you feel like Black lesbians, particularly, are misrepresented in society?
LaJoya: The first thing is that people think there is one type of Black lesbian. They think that you want to be a man or you’re really, really prissy and all you wear is high-heeled shoes, dresses and makeup all the time. Those two are different ends of the spectrum and they’re completely extreme. Me personally, I consider myself to be an aggressive femme. I do not wear makeup. I do not wear high heeled shoes. I’m already 5’11. I’m a femme but I don’t dress up like that.
There’s nothing with that but as far as dress is concerned that’s a misrepresentation of all lesbians. We are not cookie-cutter and one size fits all.
The other thing is that we only talk about sex and that sex is the only thing on our mind. We’re human beings and we talk about all types of thing.
MadameNoire: What are some of the things people have said the group has done for them since you launched it?
LaJoya: I actually have a friend that just posted something. She said, Ten years ago, she never thought there would be a group like this to help her get out of her shell. She said, she’s glad she found this group and that it’s been able to help her in such a way.
I had another member who reached out to me about negative feedback she was getting in the group. She was dealing all the stuff with COVID and having to be inside. And that’s what’s going on with a lot of people, they’re dealing with anxiety and depression being inside. So when I talked to her and now we’re best of friends.
Being an administrator is like a full time job. I take it seriously because it is serious. That’s important to me and one of the reasons why this membership has stayed around as long as it has and will continue to.
MadameNoire: How do you keep the group safe? I know there is a lot of harassment that Black women and people in the LGBTQ community deal with.
LaJoya: Trust me, my members know that I don’t play. I have membership questions. The first one is what do you identify as. If someone identifies as anything other than Black lesbian, they’re not admitted into the group. I also make sure they have a profile picture. If I suspect anything or if any of my sisters suspect anything, they send me a message and I shut it down. I don’t play when it comes to that. I protect mine. When I say that this is a safe space, this is a safe space.
We’re here and we’re going to continue to represent and support each other.
If you’d like to learn more about LaJoya’s group, you can do so, here.
