Safe. Seen. Secure in our being. Strong in a way I couldn’t have dreamed.
Impossible to emerge this way without a cadre of allies backing our play.
Such an incredible journey thus far, mercifully short as far as runways go.
I could have never imagined our reception would leave us feeling this glow.
Jason never considered the ramifications of leaving his cis white male identity behind.
His power and privilege meant the potential negatives never even crossed his mind.
That his confidence has withstood the fire is testament to the inequality of our time,
not a feelgood story of American society suddenly embracing an identity like mine.
Once we were out in the world, despite the goodwill, bigotry remained the default feel.
Rarely face-to-face, but plenty of social media disgrace to understand our precarious place.
Our circle grew to include women across the gender spectrum and the dangers they face.
Everyday. In countless ways. The danger is very real. Deliberate. Degenerate. Often fatal.
I enjoy an invisible armor due to the nature of my birth. My abrupt reemergence on this Earth.
Caught many by surprise, including those who would cause harm, disarmed by an aura of calm.
My invisibility is from our combined energy, our dual certainty, and hard for bullies to untangle.
An unspoken challenge to bring it if they can is proving to be much more than they can handle.
Perhaps this is just the calm before the storm. It’s hard to credit a crooked smile and casual charm.
I’m convinced it’s our growing tribe of rainbow warriors, committed allies and a welcoming vibe.
We’ve yet to find a question that’s too intrusive or a conversation we wouldn’t honestly entertain.
Maybe it’s the lack of biological transition keeping us confident and cozy inside this new frame?
Perhaps it was divine intervention that took a cis poster boy like Jason and totally transformed him
into what would normally be an object of hate and derision. A unicorn among the most marginalized
who nonetheless opened eyes that otherwise might have stayed blind to a tragedy of the commons.
Good people who simply couldn’t believe so many beautiful humans face such violent extremes.
We found activists and allies amongst our group of friends. Silence from some remains without end.
Strangers we met provided surprises to discover. We have decided to largely ignore a book’s cover.
Taking each and every encounter at face value until the prevailing facts demand a different reaction.
It’s happened once or twice, perhaps several times. Lessons learned. Person immediately redacted.
Our mission is to keep life going in this amazing direction, not letting disdain become distraction.
We’ve hit that mark again and again, yet it doesn’t keep the finish line from constantly changing.
Each time our community attains an essential freedom, another new threat emerges on the horizon.
We’re starting to think that is our reason for being. An ally for those who have no one to believe in.
Both activists and allies have their role to play in winning a battle that started back in the day.
Stonewall exploded into decades of struggle after a history of suffering in anger and angst.
The powerless rose up. That’s more than enough. We’re here. We’re queer. Get stuffed.
It starts with a vote for a candidate who won’t erase those hard-won rights.
Who won’t sow fear to win a fight.
It starts with confidence in your light and an unwillingness to take flight.
We win with love and death’s cold glove. The march of time won’t subside.
Take hope in the dawn. It won’t be denied.
Activists and allies spreading out to defend progress on the left and the right.
