March 27, 2023
Today, should be a wonderful day. It is Monday, my favorite day of the week. However, I saw an article that talks about Texas potentially passing a bill that would allow bounty hunters to turn in “Drag Queens.” I quoted drag queens because the bill states that anyone who exhibits a gender different than recorded at birth. So what does this entail? Not only just drag queens, but people who are trans, or non-binary, or even just gender fluid. This bill would be a target to all members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Of course, one might say, “why are you angry? The bill is just proposed, it hasn’t even been passed.”
To which, I want to reply, that I am not angry. Anger is a second hand emotion, one which masks what you are really feeling. In this situation, my anger and rage is masking my hurt, my sorrow, my fear and downright sadness that I feel towards our country and the culture that we continue to allow that consistently tears down and degrades those who are even remotely different than white, heterosexual men.
I want to get on the roof tops and shout “F this and F that,” but what good would that do me? How quickly I would lose credibility. How fast I would lose an audience, however small it might be. So, I want to write. I want to write about my frustrations, with the hope that even one person will read them, and start this conversation with another.
Recently, we have seen a lot of discussion about drag queens in the media. Tennessee has recently banned drag shows in public places. Texas has been very close to doing the same thing, and the push to ban drag continues stronger than ever. This is all on the basis that drag when seen by minors, grooms them into becoming drag queens themselves, challenges traditional gender roles, and ultimately leads children to becoming members of the LGBTQ+ community. God forbid your child grows up to be queer.
For those of you who think like this, I hate to break it to you, but no queer child wants to be queer. Nobody wants to grow up being different. Nobody wants to grow up hating themselves because they know deep down that they will never fit into society.
Another stance that lawmakers use to ban drag, is on the stance of Christianity. Which, makes absolutely no sense to me. Lawmakers want to bring back traditional families, with traditional gender roles. All of this being based on one country under God. The funny thing is, the God that I believe in and the God of the bible, is not the same God that people hide behind to push their personal agendas.
Name one biblical scenario where Christ tells us to hate others. Name a time when Christ taught to persecute those who are different. There isn’t one. Yes, Christianity teaches the fundamentals that marriage is between a man and a woman, but Christ teaches that loving everyone is the second greatest commandment.
By banning drag, and trans, and gender fluid people and culture, we are creating a culture that is built on hatred. We are building a culture that is founded on those basic principles that Christ was against. People will then defend this point with, Christ flipped tables in the temple, and when his house was unclean, he did show some violence. Which first off, the message of that story doesn’t even relate to this message.
I am angry. I have fear for these people. I have fear for myself. All my life, I have been a victim of this hate culture. I have been beat up, and choked, and called every name in the book for being different. At least once a week, I get hate crimed. You wouldn’t believe the amount of times people have driven up to me as I walk to class or into work and yelled “Fag.” You wouldn’t believe the amount of times that people have told me to “kill myself.” In public!
The truth of the matter is, I want to. I want to die. I’m literally on medication and in therapy because I live in a culture that has taught me to hate myself because society hates who I am. Society hates people who are different. People wonder why I am never myself, well I have to feel out the room, to see if I’m safe first. The truth is, I am never safe. I’ve been isolated by my own family before.
I know that this post is just a rant, and that I am word vomitting, but if you make it this far, I beg, please be a voice for those who don’t have one. Love your neighbors. Embrace those who are different from you. Teach your family, friends, and children that different is okay. Have healthy conversations around gender identity and teach each other to accept those who are differnt.
The most Christ like people I have ever met are members of the LGBTQ+ community. They love deep. They understand unconditional love. They understand persecution. The world needs more drag queens. The world needs more people to be themselves, and to be able to express that.
If you don’t understand those who are different than you, then ask them. Listen to their stories. Love them. I never really understood why people would want to do drag or transition for most of my life. I thought it was weird. But instead of continuing to think that it was weird, I talked with real people that I know who do drag and who are trans, and I listened to their stories, and sometimes, I may not fully understand because I am not trans and I am not a drag queen, but I understand that those people are good people. I understand that they get to choose how they live their lives. I understand that my only opinion on it is my opinion to love and support them unconditionally. I understand that they are human, that they are children of God.
I plead with you, understand. each other.
To my friends in the community, I want you to know that I am a safe place for you. I accept you because I understand you. I know how hard it is to grow up feeling like an outcast, feeling like you have no place in society. I understand. I want to share a scripture that brings me comfort, take it or leave it. John 15:18:
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
Others will say what they will about you, and you will never please everyone. You do you boo! Put your crown on and shine bright!
