Out of The Blue

I've spent the last couple of days figuring out the best way to address all of the news flying in from around the United States, and you know something? This shit is heavy. It's heavy and it's scary and it's all up in the air right now. With so many things going south, be it IN the South or metaphorically speaking, it's easy to feel uncertain. The ground beneath us is shifting constantly, and the rug we felt so safe standing on is being ripped out from underneath us again and again and again. If I could find the words to make it all stop and go away, I would. But I can't. What I can do, though... is give you some words of encouragement.

7 days ago, in Moore NC, a group of radical domestic terrorists took the matters of an entire County into their own hands. Led by a woman (I know) they shot up two major powerplants, resulting in loss of power for over thirty-eight THOUSAND residents. On one of the coldest nights in NC this Winter season. Shortly after, members of that group decided to raid a pawnshop (break in) and search for guns. Thankfully, nothing came of this action.

Now, why did they do this?

To interrupt and shut down a drag show that was scheduled to take place within that very same County. Yes, that's correct. They tried to shut down a drag show in NC. They didn't succeed, but what they did do was affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents for the last week. People could have died, with it being so cold. People lost food, dairy product. If they had pets that relied on heat lamps, there's a high chance those creatures passed away. While I'm in awe of the idiocy of this particular group. that's not the part of this attack that I'm focused on. The part that's got me writing and speaking out and, quite frankly, yelling, is this:

The next step was to hunt for weapons. Weapons to harm members of my community, or to potentially kill them. After Colorado, nothing involving weapons is meant to be a polite interaction. Nothing with weapons ever is. Though it destroyed an entire week for people in Moore, I will say that the grace and dignity with which the Drag Queens handled this was grade A.

"We're Drag Queens, this happens to us all the time."

And how absolutely correct they are. Every day, every moment, Drag Queens and other members of the Queer community face the constant push back of extremists everywhere. I live in the self proclaimed "most liberal city in NC" and I still deal with threats and untoward comments on a daily basis. I'm actively taking Testosterone and as changes happen, people become confused by my appearance. They wonder 'what' they're speaking to, not Who. The Who doesn't matter until I make myself known as a person. It doesn't matter until I speak my story. Then I'm seen, and I'm often seen as aggressive. I shouldn't have to be, but I am. By then, it's too late to turn back and I have been labeled as something I am not actively trying to be: Aggressive.

Not every day is so bad, though. I have support and love from those in my community here and for that I am grateful. Not everyone has this, though. Not everyone knows they have people in their corner, ensuring a safety net when things fall around them. Some have to hide their truth from their parents, their loved ones, their siblings and schoolmates. Some are surrounded by the likes of domestic terrorists, and it simply isn't safe to come out and be who they are. Some have already died for being just that.

Seven days ago, an act of Domestic Terrorism happened. Seven days ago, an act of Domestic Terrorism failed. Seven days ago, the Department of Homeland Security issued a national warning to the LGBTQIA+ community. We are now in the top three groups to be threatened and affected by acts of violence. We are now on a list. I remember reading the headline and immediately laughing. I was shocked that I did but chose to roll with my own reaction. After everything I've been through and seen on the news, this was just a regular day in the South for myself and many others like me. It was laughable that the DOHS just NOW made it known to the world that we were in danger, as if we haven't been facing it our entire lives?

According to the Sheriff's department, the woman who caused the issue-the woman who led the attack- was met in her home with a word of prayer and nothing more. Did you know that prayer is the fix all for great tragedy? I sure as shit didn't. I'm not surprised though. Prayer in the South is a HUGE catchall for anything like this. School shootings? Thoughts and prayers. Attacks like this? Thoughts and prayers. And apparently cover ups.

Wherever you are, reading this, I want you to know that in light of these events... we are still here. They didn't win. The drag queens continued their show in the dark (with flashlights) and the night went on. Again, extremists failed. The world is scary, and it is unwavering in this. Things for those in our community are getting dodgy. So, what do we do? We push on. We keep rallying. We protest, and we stick up for ourselves and those around us. We keep making ourselves known, unabashed and proud to be who we are. We keep each other safe.

For those of you that cannot do it aloud with the rest of us, this blog is dedicated to you all. Know that somewhere in this world, you have a stranger rooting for you and all that you do. May you one day have the safety and peace of mind to be able to come out, gay as Hell, and stare your fears in the face. May you one day be able to be YOU to your absolute fullest.