The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Check out the official site!
http://dayagainsthomophobia.org/
We would like you to take a moment to think about this cause .
What does it mean to you ? What are your believes or experiences?
We would like to invite you to share that with us here .
My good friend and author Ashavan shared this with me on this subject:
The first fight against homophobia is against ourselves. Surrounded by institutionalized beliefs so common they go without remark or correction or any hope of failing to damage us. They are the “he throws like a girl” or “she looks like a boy, doesn’t she want to be pretty” or “I feel so sorry for him” statements. The ones we all hear. The ones we all feel deep inside, because we’ve heard them so many times they’ve become a part of us.
So we first have to fight ourselves. Because we hear those images so often before we’ve come to identify. And we come to some sort of imperfect resolution where we can exist without hating ourselves. It should be easy. It’s not. And it gets worse. Because even if we can come to that resolution, fight our own homophobia enough to identify, then we have a family. A family that so often is alien from the moment we realize that identity. And we have to expose ourselves to the risk of their homophobia. If there was ever an example of homophobia and why it’s so important to recognize and fight against it, it lives in the lives that didn’t make it through that step.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I almost didn’t make it. Left with the baggage of an upbringing filled with negative stereotypes and hateful messages, I remember clearly sitting in the student union of my college and looking up at the balcony where the student offices were. There was a student run LGB counseling collective. It was the very first office at the top of the stairs. Walking in should have been easy. It wasn’t. I remember the day I made my decision to go in. I sat looking at the office door from the lobby for all four hours of the four hours they were open. Finally I managed to walk in the door. I was greeted by a student who was closing up and I was terrified I’d waited too long.
He took one look at me, and he could see it in my eyes. My fear. Terror really. He looked at me, and he gave me a hug. Said something meaningful that I wish I could remember because it was exactly what I needed to hear at the time.
But I always remembered that moment. Because I’ve been privileged to help a lot of young people over the years with that moment. And I’ve seen that same fear, that same terror in their eyes. And I’ve said different words. Sometimes they’ve been the right ones.
I know it’s better for young people coming out today. I know it’s safer. But it’s still a young person who has to first, before anything else, learn not to hate themselves. And then they have to hope against all odds (and the statistical odds of rejection are truly sobering) that their families won’t reject them.
And that’s hate. And it’s terrible. But we can fight it. We can challenge those casual words. We can speak up and not just stand by. We can combat hate with messages of acceptance and love. We can be a voice spreading a different message. We can be out and proud and visible. We can be everything stereotypes are not. And if we are the stereotype, we can prove that stereotype doesn’t say everything about us.
We can choose to not accept the status quo. We can fight to be recognized, we can fight to be represented, we can make ourselves heard.
And we can love with all we have. Starting with ourselves, by being who we know we really are.
Thank you for sharing these wonderful words and wisdom with us my friend <3
Find all the information about the HAHAT 2014 here :
http://hopagainsthomophobia.blogspot.nl/
We are proud to announce we have two different authors willing
to donate a prize for this good cause.
Miss K.C Wells is offering a copy of all 3 books in her Personal Series!
Miss Tali Spencer is offering a copy of Thick as Thieves ( ebook or paperback )
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway
Read Author Cody Kennedy’s post about this subject here: https://lovebytesreviews.com/2014/05/18/guest-post-cody-kennedy-and-the-golden-rule-applies-to-you/
Thank you for this wonderful post! I love to hear personal stories like that, people who found the courage to accept themselves, accept help and word of love and acceptance others shared and were able to rise above the hatred thrown at them. I remember looking at the gay youth group (18-25) and debating wether to go in. I had come out to a very good friend, but that friend was one living 10 hours away. So we challenged each other – she was to confront her crush and I was to confront being gay by going to the group. And I did. It was wonderful, I could talk openly and it was just fun. I felt understood and comfortable and free. I knew I couldn’t ever fit back into the closet, never ever wanted to get back. And I never did!
Thank you for this great post! It helps so much to hear personal stories from those going through these situations. It takes a lot of courage to share something so personal to everyone, not just family or friends. Thank you Ashavan for sharing your story.
great post…the final graphic says it all
you ARE a person
Thank you for such an honest and open post.
Thank you for the wonderful post! Will be sharing that graphic.
“And we can love with all we have. Starting with ourselves, by being who we know we really are.” It’s so true for all human beings. We should first accept and love ourselves as we are and then only we can love others.
Thanks for signing up 🙂
Thanks for the moving post.
Thank you for posting such a thoughtful and personal post in support of this great cause!
Very inspiring, and I love the banner!
Great post!
Awesome message – thank you for sharing!
That was a beautiful post, thank you for sharing *hugs*
What a beautiful post. Thanks
debby236 at gmail dot com
Nobody should have to feel like that. I know things have gotten better, but there’s still a long way to go. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this powerful post. Every person who shares their story helps whittle away at the ignorance and maybe gives courage to someone who has yet to be heard.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful story. Getting stories out like this will hopefully start to spread some change.This is a wonderful hop, it’s a great message to get out.
Thank you for sharing and writing such a great post. I loved the image you left us all with.
[…] Love Bytes Reviews (REV) […]
Thanks for your impassioned post and the giveaway.
Great post it must have been difficult at the time but it is getting better and after all we are as you said…..a Person
ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk
Really nice post. The fear is easy to recognize once we’re past that point, but it’s not so easy to recognize when we’re in the midst of it. I’m glad you “made” it, as you say.
Nice of you to share and participate
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Wonderful post. Thank you for sharing this with us.
thank you for a lovely post
I love that quote you posted that’s right everyone is a person
red_tigergirl2(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks for taking part in the hop!
kimberlyFDR@yahoo.com
Thanks for being a part of the hop!
raynman1979 at yahoo dot com
Thanks for sharing your friend’s story. It was powerful. If we keep pushing forward, hopefully more people will feel safe enough to step into the light.
And thanks for taking part in the hop! Have a great weekend!
skeeterlee63 @ gmail.com
Thanks for the wonderful post.
sstrode at scrtc dot com
Congrats to Anastasia & Blackasphodel