A New Generation of GLBT Royalty

By Empress Nicole the Great

At last year’s International Imperial Court State Dinner Gala in Portland, Oregon, Academy Award winner and gay right’s activist Dustin Lance Black announced that his ABC TV eight-hour miniseries “When We Rise,” about the GLBT civil rights movement, would begin with a spotlight on the Founder of the International Imperial Court System of the U.S.A., Canada and Mexico, Empress I, José Julio Sarria, whom after her death I called the “Rosa Parks of the Gay Rights Movement.”

I recently talked with Lance Black, along with the TV series casting director and costume designer, and once again and rightfully so, San Francisco and its GLBT community and activists will take their just place in history in the GLBT civil rights movement. San Francisco has given us the Gay Games, Harvey Milk, the AIDS Names Quilt, Cleve Jones, The “Sisters,” Marriage Equality, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, and so much more. San Francisco has also given us proud World War II veteran, and the first openly gay candidate to run for public office, Latino-American José Julio Sarria, the Founder of the Court System, with court chapters now in over 68 cities in three nations.

Over two decades ago, in a San Francisco ceremony, José named me her heir and successor, and 10 years later proclaimed me the new titular leader of the Imperial Court System and Queen Mother I of the Americas. I promised José that I would fight for her legacy and rightful place in GLBT history. I led, along with then Supervisor Bevan Dufty and the International Court Council, the successful campaign to get a San Francisco street named after José. I am now leading the statewide effort to get José inducted into the California Hall of Fame.

As I’ve said so many times before, “A community, indeed a civil rights movement, which does not really know where it came from does not really know where it is going.” We, of the International Court System, are proud that we led the nationwide campaign to get a U.S. postage stamp issued in honor of Harvey Milk.

So what is the future of the International Court System? What will the next 50 years be like? Once again, San Francisco has given the Court System two role models and “hope” for our future leadership in Emperor Kevin Lisle and Empress Khmera Rouge, whom I had the honor to proclaim “The Golden Jubilee Monarchs of the International Court System.” Indeed, the torch of leadership has been passed to a new generation of GLBT Royalty, and in Kevin and Khmera we are in good hands, for José’s spirit truly lives in both of them.

God bless you all.
Respectfully,
Empress Nicole the Great
Queen Mother I of the Americas
Heir and Successor to Empress I José
U.S.A. – Canada – Mexico