I’m not going to be afraid. I’ve been dealing with this shit for nearly 40 years. Fear is what keeps us from being who we are. I came out to more than 500 people in some form of personal communication be it a lunch, coffee, dinner or happy hour, or a phone call or email. That gauntlet was intense and I laid it bare and was vulnerable with no protection. Folks could have buried me, ruined my life. Instead most people in my life chose to stand with me and I became a testament to the power of good people doing the right thing, the little things. As a result my family thrived. I live a life that is truly enviable. It’s remarkable and I am grateful.
much like Christopher Walken’s character in Pulp Fiction …. “This is my birthright, I’ll be damned if any republicans are gonna put their christofascist grubbing hands on my birthright…”
so listen, I gotta put a fucking M back on my ID. Bring it mother fuckers. You proclaim to love an all loving God yet you come to ruin my life. You cannot take who I am away from me simply by changing my ID. You’ll burn in hell and I will live victoriously because I am authentic.
I’ll show up to customs when I travel looking as cisgender as I am, the officer will be confused and I’ll laugh it off, show him my baritone voice I never got rid of and keep in reserve and I’ll even show him a picture of me devouring a burrito like a dude - hey some habits die hard - the way my wife loathes, all as proof that shockingly yes to the fucking christofascists “I’m a man.” I bet I’ll get a laugh and they will let me and my sons and wife through.
and then you know what? I’ll kiss my lesbian wife and go home and celebrate with a nice bottle of wine and flip them the bird in the comfort of my own home.
they cannot take who I am away from me. They simply cannot.