Pride

PRIDE

     Listen up nerds. As I have established from my very first post, this blog is a place for myself to grow in my own writing, feelings, and my own opinions. Now what I am supposed to say here is that this is going to be a post of my opinions and that I am entitled to my own opinions and that you as the reader are allowed to disagree without it negatively impacting my personal belief.

     However.

     This is not the case.

     The post you are reading now is an expression of not my being, but a small part of my being that is an important factor to myself. In other words: this is not an opinion. I will not accept people who feel the need to "disagree" with this. This is not some way of life some people choose. This is not a topic to debate in a courtroom, over a dinner table, or even in a church service. We as humans strive to find love all throughout life, no matter the relationship. Love keeps the world going. So why does a good portion of the world still continue to try to control how we love? Is it out of selfishness? Out of their own personal ignorance? Or is it simply because they are scared of some misinterpreted text from a book written by old men generations ago?

     I do not care what the reason is because no reason can excuse the hate that shines through people denying or judging others for finding their own sense of love. Their own sense of happiness in the universe they strive to create for themselves. Religion is not an excuse. Personal belief is not an excuse.

     The same questions circulate around this time of year: Why does there need to be a gay pride month? Why does the gay community have to be so loud and flamboyant? A new favorite one: Why do we need to celebrate gays for a full month when we only celebrate veterans for a day?

     I mean yeah, sure. I get it. Why would we need to celebrate love? Why would we EVER celebrate being proud of the people we are? Why would we prove to the world that we are willing to stand and be brave because people like us are still being arrested and slaughtered all over the world?

     Did you know that there are 13 countries in the world where being gay is punishable by death? Did you know LGBT youth are five times as likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual youth? Did you know that everybody who strays from the hetero-normative path has a story of some form of oppression or hate directed at them for simply being themselves?

     Mine is the story of a man following the girl with short hair and a gay pride sticker on her car to scream across a parking lot at her, calling her a "f****t".

     Mine is the story of two church class teachers attempting to humiliate one 16-year-old girl in front of her peers simply because she refused to answer a question that asked why gay people do not deserve to be married.

     Mine is seeing posts against LGBT people or pride month from those I love and care about on a social platform.

     A common factor in these situations? For a lot of other peoples situations? I had done nothing to the person to insult or hurt them and I still wouldn't.

     You see, Pride is not a political outrage. Pride is a time for us to express who we are with a community that so many have and still do wish to have. A community with love and support. A community that will keep the fight going for those who can't. To eventually be the foundation of a world that accepts all forms of love.

     We are not a fad. We are not a phase. I promise we are not spawns of satan.

     So as a woman who has been in love with men and women, and will continue to love any person my heart chooses to love, I will state this one thing out of kindness and love.

     I am proud of love and all forms of love and if you choose to not accept that please accept that though I will love you the same, I will choose to not allow you a place in my life.