Minnie Bruce Pratt, a prominent poet and essayist who explored issues of gender fluidity, the friction between acceptance and intolerance and personal struggles, died at a hospice in Syracuse, N.Y. She was 76.
Ms. Pratt moved between the worlds of literature, scholarship and activism over nearly five decades as the LGBTQ+ community achieved gains such as legalization of same-sex marriage and greater recognition of trans and nonbinary identities. But Ms. Pratt rarely adopted a celebratory tone on perceived progress.books and anthologies, Ms. Pratt carved out a distinctive niche with narrative-driven poetry that had a restless energy and a wide-angle lens.
She often described her upbringing in segregated Alabama as the foundation for her belief in the unifying power of sharing stories and experiences. “Of course, almost every Southern child, White or Black, stopped at least once at water labeled Black or White, and sneaked a sip. We said, ‘This is just like my water. What’s the difference between us?’” she recounted in 1999. “But this was a hidden, secret making of a bond between us. This was a private unspoken metaphor.”
Ms. Pratt also found a voice on the streets, taking part in early pride events and other outreach projects during eras such as the AIDS crisis. During that time, in the 1980s and early 1990s, Ms. Pratt and her partner, photographer, also known as JEB, were leading figures in gay and lesbian movements in the District and surrounding areas.
In 1984, Ms. Pratt co-founded LIPS, a lesbian-led activist group in Washington, and joined other organizations including the National Women’s Fightback Network.
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