Trans lives matter – …on the B.L.

We were full of Pride. | Dress | Tutus | Bow Ties | Shoes | Belt

Happy Pride Month!

It hasn’t felt like Pride because of everything else going on in the world. BLM, protests, COVID, and more have been dominating the conversation, which is not a bad thing. I’m thrilled BLM is starting to pick up some serious steam and gaining mainstream attention. Black Lives DO Matter.

The beautiful thing about Pride: it was founded in protest. It is a community of protest. The Pride community has not been up in arms about the lack of visibility this month. We’re fighting for lives. It is a fight the LGBTQIA+ community is all too familiar with. They have and continue to fight for their own lives. Trans lives continue to be questioned, negated, and criminalized. LGBTQIA+ children are still ostracized and renounced by their families. They are at higher risks of suicide, self harm, and violence. To be LGBTQIA+ is still seen as being “other” instead of “human.” The Pride community fights for visibility, legitimacy, rights, and more the same way BLM is. Being LGBTQIA+ does not discriminate based on gender or race or religion or socio-economic status. It is a rainbow community made up of everyone.

Pride matters to me for the same reason Black lives matter to me and Trans lives matter to me and every other life matters to me. Human rights matter to me. I identify as a feminist, but in reality, I am a humanist. I practice intersectional feminism because the work will not be done until everyone has the same rights and recognition as everyone else. People are different. We’re not the same. Our stories and experiences are as varied as our identities. That’s what is beautiful about the world we live in: no one is me, and no one is you.

I haven’t considered myself straight in years; I would call myself pansexual. I have always dated men, but if I were ever single again, I would date people based on who they are not their gender identity. My sexuality is nondiscriminating; I am more interested in the person than the parts they have. This is not my coming out. I’ve never felt the need to do it. Since my early twenties, I’ve been pretty aware and open about my sexual identity. When people call me straight, I disagree. I’m not straight even though that’s what I look like. I’m not hiding, but I’m not going to pretend I’m anywhere near Kinsey-Zero-Straight. Why I’ve never dated a woman: That’s a longer story.

My life and any area I reside – whether it be my physical existence or my virtual one – will accept everyone no matter gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, religion, and anything else I’ve forgotten. I will even accept differences of opinions, political backgrounds, and more. I do not accept hate, intolerance, ignorance, and lack of compassion or willingness to listen.

COVID has affected so much. It has definitely put a damper on Pride. In Houston, the Pride Parade was canceled, as I’m sure it was elsewhere too. I was really excited to go this year because I was going to load all my puppies up in a wagon with their Pride gear on. We’ll all be out there next year in our rainbow extravaganza. We need to work on leash training before that happens; luckily, I have a year.

I believe in love. I believe in people. I will fight for everyone’s rights whether I belong to the group or not. I am an intersectional feminst, and every single person deserves to be seen, accepted, and affirmed for who they are. We must stand beside one another and fight for equality together, or nothing will change. Whether it be the BLM protests or a Pride parade or the Women’s March or really any other group fighting for their lives and their right to exist in peace, support in any way you can. Educate yourself. Stand up for others. March. Protest. Write. Sing. Talk. Volunteer. Vote. Show up. Open yourself up to new friendships and connections. Whatever works for you.

Do not be complacent. Do not stay silent. Silence kills.

bisous und обьятий,
RaeAnna

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”4078233″]

Rainbow Dress (So many compliments and linen!) | Heels | Belt | Purse | Hair Clip | Watch

The fact we have to have a month to bring awareness to any population of the world is shitty. I truly wish the world was a loving and accepting place full of kindness, but it isn’t. Which is why we have African American History Month in February, National Women’s History Month in March, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, National Hispanic-Latino Month in September, National American Indian (cringe) Heritage Month in November. This month of June is Pride Month to celebrate all our LGBTQIA+ brothers, sisters, and gender nonconforming family members.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a family and church where sexual orientation and gender identity were nonissues. My parents wouldn’t have cared if I came home with a girlfriend. When I was young, the church I grew up in created a mission statement accepting and welcoming people of all identities as God’s children. Two places where seeds of hate and ignorance could have – and for so many are – sowed, I was given examples of acceptance and love. People are who they are. I have always believed and will continue to believe sexual orientation and gender identity are a part of who a person is and cannot be changed, though they are often far more fluid than people realize.

Pride month is important to me like all the other months celebrating the beautiful diversity of humanity. I have known out LGBTQIA+ people my entire life. (We all know them, we might not be aware, though.) I remember my parents explaining to me, at four or five, why our family friend brought another man instead of a woman to dinner. The conversation went pretty much like this: Mom/Dad, “Instead of falling in love with a girl, he fell in love with a boy.” My reaction was along the lines of “ok.” Totally scarred for life. Just kidding. I loved him, he loved a man. Cool. When I was 15 and a freshman in high school, my mother asked me if I was gay because I had no interest in boys. It wasn’t a big deal, but it was a question. I was not a lesbian then, and I’m not now. (Although, my sexual preferences are probably more fluid than I had thought possible at 15.) People I knew came out at all ages around me. In college, I knew a ton of gay, lesbian, and bi kids; there were even people transitioning. On the first day of class, one of my classmates introduced herself and said she was transitioning and would prefer to be addressed with the pronouns “she and her.” I went to a very liberal school, and everyone had a nonreaction of “cool.” She was a she, and no one cared or made a big deal about it. It wasn’t really until after graduating from college, when I ran into homophobia or transphobia along with a lot of other phobias based on rigid and outdated ideas of how people work. I knew they existed, but it seemed like it should be a thing of the Ozarks where there is a lack of teeth and running water.

Dress | Heels | Belt | Purse | Hair Clip | Watch

I’m all about Pride because everyone should support people embracing who they are. I’m also all about Pride because I have two gay cousins, who I love very much. I have friends who are LGBTQIA+, who I love very much. I want them to be able to inhabit the world with the same rights, protections, and abilities to be who they are and love who they love as their straight, cisgender neighbors without fear of violence or persecution. The world is changing; not nearly as fast as I would like. Marriage equality has been passed in my lifetime. It’s a huge step forward, but there are so many more to go.

Falling anywhere on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum or not on it at all is fine by me. I don’t care either way as long as you are a good person. My opinions are my own, and I would never push my own opinions and feelings on other people. I may not know a great deal. I do believe acceptance, kindness, and respect should be given to all people because every person is deserving.

Shop the Post
[show_shopthepost_widget id=”3626596″]

Tag: Trans lives matter

Pride 2020

Pride 2019