Activism
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In the early 1950s, the United States was gripped by a paranoid fervor that led to one of its most insidious campaigns against its own citizens. Known as the Lavender Scare, this period saw government agencies systematically purge LGBTQ+ individuals from federal employment. Labeled as security risks solely because of their sexual orientation, thousands lost…
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Alexander Leon once said, “Queer people don’t grow up as ourselves; we grow up playing a version of ourselves that sacrifices authenticity to minimize humiliation and prejudice.” Those words have always resonated with me, capturing the challenges I faced growing up queer. Early on, I learned to conceal parts of my true self—my interests, my…
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My father was a loving and accepting man. I watched him grow and evolve over the years—his beliefs shifting as he learned, as he listened, as life opened his eyes in new ways. He never clung to an idea simply because it was familiar. Instead, he allowed himself to question, to reconsider, to change. When…
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I saw this quote by Charles Bukowski, and it hit me like a brick to the skull: “I see men assassinated around me every day. I walk through rooms of the dead, streets of the dead, cities of the dead; men without eyes, men without voices; men with manufactured feelings and standard reactions; men with…
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In an ideal world, I would be able to hold my husband’s hand in public without a second thought. Not just in the safe pockets of the world—the city streets where we blend in, the Pride festivals where we are celebrated, the family gatherings where we are known—but anywhere. Any street, any town, any room.…
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Imagine waking up in a world where every person looked the same, lived the same, and loved the same way. No diversity, no difference—just one narrow definition of existence. At first, some might think this sounds peaceful, orderly even. But look a little closer, and you’ll see something far more disturbing: a world drained of…
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Let me be blunt: when you vote for politicians who call us “degenerates” or promise to “protect traditional values,” you are not just casting a ballot—you are signing off on a blueprint for our erasure. The Department of Homeland Security’s recent decision to revoke protections barring the surveillance of LGBTQ+ individuals isn’t a bureaucratic tweak.…
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Dear Future Family, Today is March 1, 2025. When I was a boy, my grandmother would say March came in like a lion or a lamb. Her voice was warm, steady, the kind that made you believe whatever she said. I’d sit by her closely, listening to the wind howl outside, never imagining I’d one…
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Faith. It’s a word that’s followed me like a shadow, shifting shape depending on the light I cast on it. For years, I’ve turned it over in my mind, trying to grasp its edges, only to find it slipping through my fingers like smoke. Merriam-Webster offers definitions—”strong conviction,” “complete trust,” “belief in God,” “firm belief…