Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and this year, I decided to take part in the Blog Hop that was started in 2012 as a way to spread awareness and to help unite our community. I had to. This issue runs near and dear to me, and has since I was nine years old.

See, my parents divorced when I was seven, and my mother moved all of us back to her home state, where the new male figure in my life was my uncle. He was my mother's younger brother, and I adored him for a whole spate of reasons. He was funny, creative, always had a smile for everyone, and best of all, he encouraged me to push my limits, to always try harder, and to never be afraid of taking a risk. I got to see him a lot since he lived with my grandmother and she babysat me and my siblings as my mother worked two jobs to support us.

Then, in 1978, my uncle came out. And my grandmother, a very religious, stubborn woman, kicked him out of the house, their business, and her life. She didn't speak to him for almost two years.

I didn't know the particulars right away. All I knew was that he had moved into town and all of a sudden, I didn't get to see him much anymore. It took some sneaking around to get the answers I wanted, and when I did, I was furious. His absence seemed completely unnecessary, her reaction unjustified. After all, he was her only son, and he was the same person he'd been before he'd come out. Unfortunately, as well as being angry, I was also completely impotent. I was a nine-year-old child living in my grandmother's house, and she ruled over the family with an iron fist. To go against her was impossible.

My uncle was too generous and kind to hold it against her, and eventually, my grandmother began to let him back into her life. He was never allowed to have his boyfriend around, though, and any mention of his personal life was strictly forbidden. To this day, my heart breaks for him. He was forced to deny a big part of who he was in order to have her approval.

That is just wrong.

Ignorance will prevail for as long as people refrain from speaking up against those who would spread their hatred and intolerance. It's up to us to teach our children that this kind of behavior is unacceptable, to understand that who we love does not define who we are, to know that every individual has the right to be whoever they wish.

Don't allow yourself to be held hostage by other people's hatred. Speak up.

GIVEAWAY: I am giving away an e-copy of my latest release, Aria of the Eclipse, to one random commenter. The winner will be announced on May 28th. Make sure you leave your address so I can contact you if you win!

For a complete list of all the participants, check out the Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia blog!