juneberry
When I was younger… I didn’t “come out”, it just kind of happened. I did not go up to friends or family and say “Hey I’m gay”, no it was just more like “Hey this is my girlfriend” or you honestly just found out from word of mouth. This was about in middle school, I’m 21 now and a lot has changed and I’ve spent a lot of time since then thinking of what sexuality really means to me.
Within the past two months, there has been news targeting the transgender community. The news consists of a specific school shooting that I want to talk about as well as transgender student-athletes.
But when you are part of the community and make it known, you get shamed for it the second something goes wrong. For example, earlier this year there was a school shooting done by a person of the transgender community, and what did the people focus on? That exact thing. Not the actual issue, no not the outrageous gun laws we have but the fact that this person who committed this act of horror was a part of something “evil”. It was not actually an important detail to the story to let us know what sexuality and gender the person identifies with, but just a blow to the LGBT+ community. Then people ran with it, as they typically do. They saw that scary “transgender” word, and the hate spilled and spilled and spilled.
On a lighter note, another news incident was when the “fastest girl in Connecticut” teamed up with other runners to sue her state's policy of letting transgender athletes compete in accordance with their gender identity rather than their biological sex. This was only a big deal due to the opposing side being part of the transgender.
It’s currently pride month, and as silly as it is-- no one said a word to me about it. Since I “came out”, I’ve heard it all but never a “happy pride”.
When 2020 hit, it was a wake-up call for almost everyone in one way or another. This was the year I found what performative activism is and where to spot it. One thing that comes from that is performative allyship. Many of those people who go to Pride are never as supportive of the community as they claim to be. There is a difference between being a true ally to someone in the community and just going to pride for the thrill of it. It’s great that you’re an ally, but allyship is not what Pride is about. Pride Month exists so that the LGBT+ community’s voices and stories are heard. If you want to be effective, use your platform to amplify those voices.
The same goes for those big companies that will slap a rainbow on themselves during the month of June and then the second June is over, the rainbow is magically gone and they don’t show a peep of allyship any other time of the year. This has been a big issue for companies throughout the years. To them, it's all about profit and how much revenue their company is getting.
This year has been a scary year for minorities living in the United States. But for now, specifically for the LGBT+ community.
The Humans Right Campaign is the largest political organization in the United States. I will be providing the stats of year-to-date anti-LGBT+ state legislative activity.
520+ laws anti-LGBT+ bills have been introduced in state legislatures, a new record
220 bills+ specifically target transgender and non-binary people, also a new record
15 laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth
7 laws requiring/allowing misgendering of transgender students
2 laws targeting drag performances
3 laws create a license to discriminate
4 laws censoring school curriculum, including books
And the list continues to grow.
I have always wanted to write about sexuality and the performativity that comes with Pride month but with that, always comes backlash and those close to me getting upset. I’ve always been a big supporter of the cause, and hope to in the future get involved in more organizations that directly benefit the equality of the LGBT+ community.
Over the years that I have been openly queer, I’ve had much confidence in myself. It’s usually a great feeling but sometimes it can be negatively affecting. I’ve had cis-heterosexuals approach me, almost idolizing the community saying comments such as “I wish I was gay/bisexual” then backing it up with “it seems so fun” or “I hate men ''. And in the long run, those comments can cause long-lasting effects.
When it comes to the LGBT+ community, I have seen more hate for those who identify as transgender than anyone else throughout the years. Being with someone who identifies as transgender has taught me a lot and has shown me the disrespect that they will receive.
It’s always been unsafe for us.
You walk in public and see an ungodly amount of PDA, and it is always from heternomative couples. While those in a queer relationship fear showing any form of love to those loved ones in public.
June is such an important time for those who are queer. Pride month is not just about being able to express yourself. It's also about the history that is still repeating itself, the ability to be around those who you don't need to fear. And every year comes to the protestors who feel the need to throw a “straight pride” for themselves. Straight Pride supporters would have you believe that this is an opportunity to demonstrate their own overflowing pride for being brave enough to be straight in today’s gay-agenda-driven society – where they feel heterosexual people are getting less of a voice.
Pathetic, right?
When it is reality, it is a fear-mongering reaction driven by maliciously clever homophobes who are preying on the current climate of straight-white fragility/pride to gather even more attention to their gross ideas. To put it simply, “I’m too scared to openly say I hate gay people”. You have 364 days a year of unopposed privilege and now on the 365th day, they’d like to celebrate having that privilege year-round.
Homophobia directly impacts the health and well-being of LGBT+ people. Whether it be by you physically assaulting us in the street, or making some of us feel so worthless and wrong that we feel we can’t go on living, or by creating so much fear around what life will be like if we come out that we can't get appropriate physical and mental healthcare.
I have always been more on the confident side with everything, I try not to live in fear because honestly, it’s not the way to live. I will walk around and openly support my partner and those around me I see brave enough to do the same. I do not want to have to express my love behind doors. I’m on the lucky/thankful side, not everyone gets that simple pleasure. I’m naturally more on the feminine side which almost automatically makes me “straight-passing”.
So happy pride to those who didn’t get told it, and happy pride to myself.
XOXO, Jade
