With this year having transphobia try to dominate senates all over the world, showing how lightly cishet people can take the meaning of "ally", and recently seeing people I know and admire easily falling for LGBTQ+phobic rethoric, I'm initially left listless without anything to say proudly other than "I'm here".
And it bothers me a lot because it makes me feel like I'm falling into the emphasis on individualism that people have been trying to put us through. Where it would be just about who we are as individuals instead of a collective. Where we "don't bother as long as we don't push it on them".
But I'm reminded of 2 things:
1 - To them, we simply existing is already "pushing onto them". If ever considered, our right to be ourselves is merely the first clause of the sentence and always followed by a "but".
2 - To us, other LGBTQ+ people just "being there" can already do wonders to not making us feel alone.
Queer folks "being there" was what helped me realize who I am and have the courage to come out, it was what helped me feel safer at uni, it was what kept me from giving up in the industry... and honestly being with them is the only situation where I can safely be myself outside my home, and a big reason of why I can still "be here".
From time to time I get DMs or see LGBTQ+ people saying I'm a source of admiration and inspiration for them emphasizing me being a trans woman in my position. Impostor syndrome will immediately act and make me ask them to reconsider, but I really am glad that I can be that source.
If you are an LGBTQ+ person, I strongly believe that at any level you have been that source for someone. That someone might even be myself if I ever interacted with you.
So this is a message to anyone who like me might have felt down or useless for not doing "enough" or for wishing we could do more for the community. Remember that in a world where our very existence is put into question, us simply being here is already a strong and impactful political statement. Be proud of it.
We are here, we can't let anyone forget this.
Happy pride month 🏳️🌈
