I typed this quote in the style of a rainbow, because it was really inspiring to me while dealing with my own HOCD/SOOCD (which (in simpler terms, not to invalidate these themes) is really just internalized homophobia). It’s hard for me to accept myself as Bisexual because part of me feels I’m faking it, or that I’m not ‘gay’ enough, or that I don’t deserve it and I just want attention and yada yada yada. It’s been hard for me to put my struggles into a piece of art that feels not only meaningful, but meaningful on a personal level. I’ve been trying to get into poetry again, but everything I write seems too cheesy 🧀. I feel like this poster is a start. The cloud is the feeling of love and one’s sexuality; the raindrops are typed as resilient, to show the spirit to survive all the struggles the lgbtqia+ community has to go through in order to not only break through society’s systemic/internalized homophobia, but one’s own internalized homophobia to fully accept themselves. The love (cloud) facilitates resiliency (rain), because it feels really good to feel like yourself, especially if you’re apart of the community, and lgbtqia+ people will fight through all of the hate and obstacles to be able to feel like themselves (because they’re strong like that)The rain, which also reminds me of crying (something I am very familiar with) can also show all of the hardships and tears that are shed in order for one to continue going on the right track to accepting themselves or to feeling like they’re accepted by society. Then the rainbow is the beautiful end result! The strong feeling of love and knowing oneself along with endurance and strength to push all the ‘doubt’ and doubters away will eventually end up as a beautiful rainbow, fully embracing all of its colors, while being as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside, and not only being that, but feeling that. The grass represent being one’s natural self, once they reach the rainbow (meaning they feel like who they are meant to be and feel). The hearts just say my name (I had to put my signature somewhere) and I thought they would work and also just fill up some empty space to make the poster look fuller, and honestly, gayer (look at those extra rainbow stripes!). 

It’s a really tough time for lgbtqia+ people in general, with Roe V. Wade possibly being ripped up by homophobic and sexist a**holes (check out the many Them articles about it if you want to be more informed from a more queer perspective), so I think it’s really important that gay/queer/trans/NB etc. people, in particular, remember to love themselves and to just keep fighting through. The Say Gay bill got overruled (thank goodness!), so maybe this one will too!? The negative voices may seem much louder right now, but I assure you, somehow, there are SO many people who are NOT idiots! Thank you for reading, this was therapeutic for me to vent and try to put my suffering into a productive place, hopefully I’ll be able to do it more often. Stay strong, s(t)ay gay (baybeee)!