Day 2 of Pride

Pride Month Prompts-

✍️ #PrideOnThePage Week 1: ROOTED (Foundations of Self) (June 1-7)

#PrideOnThePage

2.Origin…

#PrideOnThePage Day 2 Origin

2.ORIGIN… Plant your voice…was the first instructions… I go back in time…

That word…, VOICE?

I’ve struggled with this for years… First when I was married to a controlling man who seemed strong but silently. To voice an opinion got me into trouble. And how in the heck can a grown woman even feel like a child in her own home afraid of consequences? I did. IF I didn’t do things his way, they were wrong. But It goes back even farther than that.

As a child I wrote songs, and lyrics. That was one of the reasons I became a writer. I wanted to share deeper thoughts than rhyming words, tunes and phrases. I had something to say.

Today, As I recall from whence I came, the song I wrote (sort of my coming out) song, comes to mind. I wonder, what would have became of that girl had she been brave enough to come out when she first knew.

Nearest thing….

It’s almost five o’clock and it’s slowly turning dawn.

We really ought to get some sleep, but we ramble on and on.

I found out, she was special and this I can allow

For she’s the nearest thing to heaven,

On this side of the clouds.

I might not like all the things

you may say or you might do

But I know what I like

and it’s you just being you

For you’re so very special and this I will allow

For you’re the nearest thing to heaven

on this side of the clouds.

I don’t claim to have all the answers, I don’t even know the questions but I do know who I am now, and no amount of harassment will let me go back into that closet! I was so trapped there for years. And now? I am out in all my glory. My starting point happened in the late 80’s. When Being a Lesbian in the Midwest was not the queerest thing about me. I was a Christian as well.

My next point of realization came when I was involved with the KC Gay Pride festivals. I helped with taking tickets, volunteered for money raising events and even helped with the parade route. At the grounds where we staged our event we had terrible protesters. (Fred Phelps) group held picket signs at funerals of gay soldiers, condemning them to hell. They lined up across the street from the entrance. They yelled things like “God Hates Fags” at us all at the end of the parade route. He was there every year for a while. I don’t think they ever made much of a dent. People tried to ignore them.

One lady shouted “I’ll pray for you.”

I thought hey, go ahead, I’ll take all the prayers I can get… As I got nearer to her, she said it again.

I turned and said “I will be praying for you as well.”

Then the night ended with this…

We stood by Sharon Glass (Yes of Cagney and Lacey fame) and watched her. She was so happy to be there. It was right about the time of Queer as Folk TV drama times. Sharon had never been to a Pride event before and was astounded at the drag queens and the caliber of entertainment. It was early 2001 by then. I’d never seen someone in as much awe as she was that night. We were in the VIP section to help keep the people from rushing her… They would have hugged her to death!

So this Christian, Lesbian who is 65 year old has seen a lot in the last 30 years. And in some ways we are so much better off than the 1980’s. My neighbor just texted me to say she loved the flag we fly in JUNE and to wish us a happy PRIDE MONTH. I am feeling seen, heard and cherished.

But we have more to go before we sleep…

Happy Pride month, to all LGBTTQQIIAA+ peoples - Incase you need to know, or are asked:

(Lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, intersex, intergender, asexual, and ally)

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash