LGBTQ+ People Are Not Going Back: We Will Not Hide

We will not return to being bullied in the schoolyard or hiding in the closet.

Photo by the Author.

We refuse to live in fear and oppression any longer. We will not suppress our hearts under duress or at your command. There is no turning back the clock; time moves forward, and so do we. We stand together in the light of love, not in the shadow of hate.

We will stand proudly and celebrate who we are. We will not succumb to hate. We will support one another and refuse to be marginalised by you or anyone else. There is no time for tears or shame about being who we are. I will not sit back and let others relive my past experiences. Our love speaks for itself, and we will let it shine.

We will unite again and find comfort in each other’s arms, united under one cause: the freedom to love. We will fight until you see our light — the light of love that burns brighter than the sun. It is the light that illuminates our hearts. This time, we will not forget the path, for our struggle is connected to the struggles of all others. Let freedom be our guiding light — the freedom to love ourselves and whoever our hearts desire. We have rejected self-hatred and will not return to that place, not to save face or to appease your hatred.