By Caleb Simpson
The Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association, located in North Carolina, was named after Anna Pauline “Pauli” Murray, a civil rights lawyer who focused on combating racial and gender inequality in the 1960s. She obtained her JD from Howard University and a master’s degree in law at the University of California, Berkeley. She was the first African American to receive a Doctor of Juridical Science degree from Yale Law School and her contributions to civil rights case law aided Thurgood Marshall in his own work. Murray was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to serve on the 1961-1963 Presidential Commission on the Status of Women and she also was a co-founder of the National Organization for Women. In addition to her work furthering the civil rights of Black and LGBTQ+ folks, she became an ordained priest with the Episcopal Church and also held positions for various law schools. Murray dealt with many issues related to her own sexual and gender identity; although she had a brief marriage with a man that was annulled, she was reported to have many relationships with women. Many believe, including scholars and Cristal Robinson, the President of the Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association, that she would’ve identified as transgender/non-binary had trans people been more accepted at the time/had she been aware that these terms existed.
The Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to serving the LGBTQ+ legal community in North Carolina with a network of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, sexual/gender diverse, and allied legal professionals who support LGBTQ+ equality and the other goals of the organization. They encourage fellowship and support the professional advancement of members of our communities. The Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association provides research and discussion on legal issues that affect the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, sexual/gender diverse communities.
The organization has worked hard advocating on legal matters in North Carolina for the LGBTQ+ community. They previously worked closely on undoing the infamous North Carolina “Bathroom Bill” that banned transgender people from using public restrooms that were not based on their sex assigned at birth. This was a highly controversial bill that led to nationwide protests and boycotts. Currently, the organization is focused on providing queer couples with domestic violence protections, which North Carolina state law has made incredibly difficult. Under current state law, a person in a same-gender romantic relationship could not obtain the same domestic violence protection order as a person in an opposite-gender romantic relationship. The Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the plaintiff-appellee in M.E. v. T.J., supporting the argument that there is a legal basis for the use of domestic violence protections for queer couples.
The Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association has taken the initiative to host Continuing Legal Education (CLE) classes for its members. This has been a prime opportunity for members of the organization to network with others in the area within the legal community. Association President Cristal Robinson sees these classes as an ample way to engage with the LGBTQ+ community and check in on each other as mental health is often cast aside in the legal industry. She also sees the Bar’s CLE and networking opportunities as a way to build community with people who are new to the area and are unsure how long they will stay but still want to connect and form relationships with others.
The organization has worked with local cities such as Charlotte to mitigate the “growing pains” that have come along with the influx of non-native residents, many of whom are queer people, who have come to these areas in search of employment at some of the large corporations setting up shop. Like many other cities across the nation, North Carolina is facing an “identity crisis” in their own cities. Traditionally, their cities host a relatively small population with a more traditional mindset, but as they expand their corporate sector and bring in more diverse employees, the identity of the state and its values are evolving. The Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association has worked closely with local and state level legislatures to accommodate and protect new and current LGBTQ+ residents by helping pass anti-discrimination laws in housing and the workplace. Additionally, they are working to implement Critical Race Theory (CRT) in state school curricula.
Congratulations to the Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association on a long history of supporting the North Carolina LGBTQ+ legal community! If you are interested in learning more about the life and legacy of Pauli Murray, the documentary “My Name is Pauli Murray” (2021) is available for streaming now.