No Words

It’s Monday. That means it’s a post day for me. But as I sat down yesterday to start writing a post, I couldn’t find the words to write anything. It seems petty to sit around talking about outfits and restaurants when members of my community are hurting so deeply, when I am hurting so deeply. So this isn’t a regular post with pretty pictures and outfit details or all the right hashtags or any of that. There’s no “pinnable image,” or anything like that. It’s not the time.

By the time everyone else is reading this, we will be over 24 hours since someone opened fire on a gay nightclub, Pulse, in Orlando, Florida. 50 dead, 53 seriously injured. I could rant endlessly about the way our political and legal systems are handling it and how they have handled things leading directly to this, but everything that can be said on that topic has already been said. And it’s been said better than I could ever say it. Even TIME put together a concise article talking about what we can do to help. So go do it.

I’m at a loss. I’m deeply saddened and deeply hurt.

But I’m also prouder than ever. Seeing the community band together has been, in light of all this darkness, uplifting. Vigils being held. Songs being sung. People jumping into action everywhere. We’re coming together in ways I haven’t seen in my lifetime. And it is beautiful. Keep on hugging, supporting, taking action, using your voices, and more. Keep making ourselves heard. We can accomplish SO MUCH when we work together.

It is not an accident that this happened at a gay club during Pride month. So as we move into our Pride celebrations, everyone be careful. Don’t let them win, continue to celebrate, but please be careful. Support your sisters and brothers. And keep on being proud.

Below, just a few examples of small things we can do within our own communities. My communities include libraries, my queer choir, and the family I have created with the love of my life.

Display of LGBT-friendly books at work.

Why. We. Sing.

Never been prouder to have her by my side.
Credit: Chelsea Bliefernicht Photography