Friday, June 26, 2015

I'm Here and I'm Queer

I’ve been wanting to write this post all of June, since it’s Pride month, and today on a day when my social media dashes are blowing up with rainbows over the legalization of same-gender marriage in the United States seems like a pretty good time!

First thing you should know? I’m queer.

What does that mean to me? Basically that I have the capacity to be attracted to, get crushes on, and fall in love with people of any gender.

I’m pretty much as “out” as I can be in most areas of my life. I even make a point of saying I’m queer on my unschooling Facebook page every now and then, and I lose “likes” every single time.


I’ve had people say it’s inappropriate to talk about “what I do in the bedroom” which is such a ridiculous statement, since I’ve never said anything more than I did just now in this post.

I’m queer. I’m into people of all different genders.
It’s not about sex: it’s about who I like and love, and how welcome--and how safe--I feel in any given group. It’s about the internal struggles I’ve had to go through to accept this part of myself that I didn’t see reflected anywhere around me, that caused a lot of anxiety and fear and a little bit of shame, too. It’s about how I present myself, how I want to be seen and understood, how I experience the world. It’s a part of my identity.

My queerness doesn’t wholly define me. Of course it doesn’t. But it is part of what defines me as a person, a piece of the Idzie puzzle.

And as with many positive things in my life, unschooling had something to do with where I’m at now. More specifically, the unschooling community, and all the queer friends I made in it at a crucial time in my life. I was really questioning my identity in my late teens, and there were so many patient, supportive new friends who listened to my fears, validated my feelings, and assured me that I didn’t have to attain some pinnacle of queer perfection to identify as such.

Basically? I met a bunch of people who understood what I was feeling, and who welcomed my confusedly queer self with open arms.

So on this day, a landmark occasion in the US, I figured I’d take the time to be even more out, and to remind people that you’re surrounded by LGBTQIA+ people, whether you know it or not. Don’t make assumptions about who people are and who they like based on their perceived gender. Don’t assume your children are straight and cisgender. Leave space in your words and actions for people of all stripes, so that when someone you love is ready to start sharing more of their true selves, they’ll know you’re there to listen and support them.

Happy Pride month everyone!

7 comments:

  1. May I ask a respectfully intended question? What's the difference between queer and bisexual?

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    1. @Becky Queer is sort of an umbrella word, and can include anyone in the LGBT community. Basically, someone who identifies as bisexual can also identify with the word queer, it's mostly a matter of what feels right to you, what you identify with. Here's some info if you'd like to know more: http://internationalspectrum.umich.edu/life/definitions

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    2. and one more, about the word queer specifically :) http://community.pflag.org/abouttheq

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  2. Beautiful "Outing" post!
    YaY SCOTUS!

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  3. I didn't know this about you. Must have missed those FB posts,lol. You're right being queer is just a small part of the puzzle that is Idzie. I admire the way you embrace who you are so fully and hope that this can be an inspiration to others.

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  4. I'm asexual. I could just pass it off as "haven't found the right guy yet", but I'm too honest for that!

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  5. I'm asexual. I could just pass it off as "haven't found the right guy yet", but I'm too honest for that!

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