I’ve been marveling a little at how far we’ve come in our lifetimes. There’s so much queer content now, not just coded but stated clearly, that it’s a major party platform to ban it.
That entire religious denominations are splitting in half (half with us!) and have to go to extreme financial and legal lengths to fight against us. City councils and school boards have allies at them, vocal and not anonymous! Support is so high that the haters have to resort to coordinated campaigns and recycle their fear-mongering and dig out Anita Bryant’s old catchphrases to make Florida the leader in hate again instead of just taking it for granted that we are society’s undesirables.
It’s different this time, though. They are coming for us at every angle because we are there in every angle this time. Streaming music and TV/movies and podcast platforms have entire sections of us. There’s queer video games and dating apps and collections of comic books. Libraries are getting defunded and attacked because there are SO MANY queer books, magazines, and out queer adults who are involved in their communities, openly as themselves not just a rumor. They can’t just rely on HIV to scare kids straight anymore. There are affirming websites, organizations, social media accounts, youth groups/religious groups, school organizations allowed to meet on campus (!!), and employee diversity and equity organizations, and more. Major Fortune 500 companies strive to be seen as “LGBTQ-inclusive” internally and externally from rainbow logos to the HRC Equity Index rankings. We’re a desired customer base. We’re worried about support being performative because it could unjustly gain public favor to say they are on our side. Celebrities and athletes and politicians are out and are allies at a national level! It’s not just a provocative stunt for a female singer to kiss another female singer but an accurate reflection of the music they are making together as specifically sapphic-created music about their own queer experiences and lives.
The hate is so strong, and it has been, and it will be. And it is and has been and will be a State of Emergency. And you’re right, what took the HRC so long? And you’re right, rainbow capitalism hypocrisy is worthless. And you’re right, it’s not fair that we have to show up again and again, decade after decade, and get hate and fear and fight legislation and be kicked out and rejected by our families and face lower health and thriving outcomes. You’re right, the mass media has been a gleeful accomplice in driving this brainrot and obsession with hunting us down and the violence and threats. You’re right to be scared and to get your documents in order and beg lawmakers and donate. It’s valid to feel grief and set high boundaries and demand more be done.
But somewhere in there, we have to remember, it’s different this time. We’re not so tiny and disposable and hidden. We’re not so easily erased and discouraged. We’re not a scandal or a shameful secret no one talks about. We have power, united together, like never before.
Don’t give up hope. This is going to take all of our anger and our joy and our community strength and inclusivity so we aren’t torn fighting each other. This is going to take generations more to come. But when it comes around to Making Queer History or Making Gay History: 2020s edition, we’ll be able to look back and say we didn’t drop the baton to play discourse wars or oppression olympics or cut off letters. We must remember this time in history is OURS. And that’s why they are scared in retaliation. Together with our allies, we’re a formidable force. We must keep going until we’re all free, the whole planet.
Don’t wait for it to be handed to you. Take Pride.
Invisible Cake Society 