Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech said "Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."
I have a great respect for the Gay Community, for their capacity to rise above the violence and oppression that is often directed towards them. To me, Dr. King's words are proven every Pride March. I see an overwhelming show of love, a rejection of revenge, aggression, and retaliation.
Photo by Alex Stone, All Rights Reserved.
I (like many) fell in love with Jamie Clayton's character Nomi Marks with her monologue in Sense8:
"For a long time I was afraid to be who I am because I was taught by my parents there's something wrong with someone like me. Something offensive. Something you would avoid, maybe even something that you would never love. My mom, she's a fan of Saint Thomas of Aquinas. She calls pride a sin. Saint Thomas saw pride as the queen of the seven deadlies. She saw it as the ultimate gateway sin that would turn you quickly into a sinaholic. But hating isn't a sin on that list. Neither is shame. I was afraid of this parade because I wanted so badly to be a part of it. So today I'm marching for that part of me that was much too afraid to march. And for all the people who can't march. The people living lives like I did. Today, I march to remember that I'm not just a me. I'm also a we. We march with pride."
Photo by Alex Stone, All Rights Reserved.
Photo by Alex Stone, All Rights Reserved.
October 11th was National Coming Out day and I feel immense pride in those that had the strength to come out. I have seen the judgement and cruelty that is directed by people following that decision. I know I may be a stranger, and I know the encouraging words of a stranger cannot combat the discouraging words of a loved one but there are many strangers like me that admire you and I hope that it counts for something.