Growing up, my parents would say,
“ Koj yog dabsis? ”
And I would reply
“ Kuv yog Hmoob “
I knew and yet i did not know
What that meant.
As I grew older, the more I distanced myself
Because the Hmoob community I was in
Was homophobic and transphobic
Thus Hmoob, to meWas not accepting.
However,
I learned that I am no more
Than a bamboo among oak trees.
And thus I learned
That my Hmoobness
Is just as queer to white folx
As Queer
To the Hmoob community.
