a breath of fresh air

today was pride. I'm still awake. I have yet to go to sleep from yesterday and I had to drink a five hour energy but that's okay 'cause I loved it. it was like a breath of fresh air in it all.
in the heteronormative world we live in where the fight for rights is continual.
where the fight for live is continual.
it was a breath of fresh air to someone like me whose been under the weather for quite some time now.
a burst of energy for those who felt like they had none left.
a canvas for those who thought they weren't creative.
an outlet for those who are scared of what others may think.
a home for those who feel like an interloper everywhere else.
a place for outrageousness.
a place where everyone is loved.
a place where I felt at home.

pride was amazing, it was my first one but it was so great to see so many people out and people bought out their children and babies too. that was encouraging.
it was great to see that streets got blocked off and police escorts were provided for our day of celebration too. it was great to see so many people so jovial. everything was so amazing.
there were plenty of flaws in sight but the amazingness swallowed them whole and I will always cherish this day no matter what.

&& I'm out.
-- Lexy

In Examining My Past One Will Find Many Clues

while I was in the car today I sat thinking about a conversation I had with my mother years ago when I was around 11 years old while riding around upstate new york. I remember the conversation so vividly 'cause I was a curious child with numerous questions about my own identity. I had just recently heard (on the radio) about an individual who went through gender reassignment surgery and I wasn't grappling the religious aspect of the situation. I mean I understood why someone would want the surgery because often times I felt like a little boy and a little out of place but I was always told that god didn't make mistakes and people were insane to think they knew better than him.

of course being a young child I turned to my parents, specifically my mother, for advice. I remember word-for-word asking her "mommy what happens to those people?" and she responded to me with "those people are abominations to god and they won't be accepted into heaven." or something very similar to that. pause. I bet you all thought I was gonna say [that she said] something cute or reassuring. resume. I paused for a while and said "ohh" and turned away from her to look out the window. I sat with this information and it was then that I told myself that I would never be mean to those people or do things to hurt them. I mean how could since they were already destined for hell? what's worse is that for a questioning child that was very damaging to my self acceptance process (which as we all did not come until MUCH later and still hasn't been fully realized). I kept that conversation in the back of my head for years. I mean I've come to believe it was a very defining moment in my childhood because on that day something in me died, a little bit of my childhood innocence and hope left me.

I can also recall remembering that very conversation one day while I was in s.c. living with my grandmother while thinking about my sexuality a few years later. it's difficult to say whether or not it had a large influence on the repression of my sexuality but I'm willing to bet it did. and in some odd way I think this conversation could have been the beginning of my true questioning and doubting of religion. even though as far as I can remember I was never that religious, I was always very "whatever" but that may be attributed to the fact that I was a child. it's ironic that the most religious time in my life was only because I was trying to repress my sexuality and not because I actually believed in christianity and it's tenants. I simply wanted to change 'cause I thought I was morally wrong. I have to admit though the bible is a very compelling story. the writers ought to be given the newberry prize or something. anyways the point is that sometimes people don't realize the things the say to their young ones can outlast any other lessons they may teach and negatively affect their psyche. parents choose your words carefully.

&& I'm out.

-- Lexy