Hey, I’m feeling fucked up because of the Orlando shooting and making posts that Might Be Helpful to others makes me feel better. So here’s some positive stuff. I’m mostly linking to masterposts. If you have any suggestions for additions, please message me and I’ll add things. This is a hard time for LGBT people and I hope everyone can feel well soon.
Would coming out be something positive to counterbalance all the hate? Should we all come out over and over, in a peaceful way, to people around us? I don’t know, just thinking outloud here. I feel so helpless.
“Every gay person must
come out. As difficult as it is, you must tell your immediate family.
You must tell your relatives. You must tell your friends if indeed they
are your friends. You must tell the people you work with. You must tell
the people in the stores you shop in. Once they realize that we are
indeed their children, that we are indeed everywhere, every myth, every
lie, every innuendo will be destroyed once and all.” – Harvey Milk
I’m actively thinking about this today. I run exercise classes in my community and I know my Monday morning group are going to be talking about this. I can think of no way to talk about it that doesn’t involve discussing the many happy nights I’ve spent in gay clubs, especially when I was trying to figure myself out, what a relief it was to be among people who accepted the parts of me I couldn’t safely express elsewhere, to just dance and celebrate, to have a space that was separate. I can think of no way to talk about this attack that doesn’t include owning who I am, even though I’m not out to these people. Huh.
I’m contemplating telling my parents I’m bi. I’ve never brought it up because I’m in a long term straight relationship and I’ve only ever really had straight relationships. Plus I’m old enough that growing up I wasn’t aware that it was a possibility. But I’ve been aware I like both for a while, even if I’m still a little uncertain about what I should call myself.
fucked up to know that this is being called terrorism not because of the very real terror it’s causing for lgbt people, but because the shooter fits the news media’s racist terrorist profile
