“Can a man and a man have a baby? No.” Our editor paced. “Can a woman and a woman have a baby? No.” He glanced toward my wall of protest—a rainbow flag, clippings from a recent Pride gathering (still half a decade from official, a few hundred souls rallying at the state capitol), two brides as my screensaver. We were in the middle of a standoff over a column I’d submitted.
Thank you, thank you. It's sad but true. We're an iterative bunch, we humans. Here's the way power structures are seeping in to spawn fear of what's different. Now here's the way. And now. But we're iterative in our ability to grow too. I appreciate your words much. (P.S. I thought I'd responded. My apologies if I'm responding twice. Just figuring this medium out.)
I found you on Notes today and thought I'd take a look. Wow! Beautiful, powerful, and sad when you think these battles still go on. I'm looking forward to reading more of your pieces here.
Thank you, Ramona! I very much appreciate you being here. I'm new to Substack and am finding it's a pretty great place to connect with people and to share my love of words and processing experiences and all they contain, both sadness and hope, through them.
Thank you, thank you. And yes, sadly that's true.
Brave and beautiful!
Deeply felt, vividly observed and altogether wonderful. A clarion call that rings just as true in the era of “don’t say gay.”
Thank you, thank you. It's sad but true. We're an iterative bunch, we humans. Here's the way power structures are seeping in to spawn fear of what's different. Now here's the way. And now. But we're iterative in our ability to grow too. I appreciate your words much. (P.S. I thought I'd responded. My apologies if I'm responding twice. Just figuring this medium out.)
Well said, Holly. Along with your frustration, I feel your love for that place and its tradition-bound people.
Thank you, Rona. I’m glad both came through ♥️
I found you on Notes today and thought I'd take a look. Wow! Beautiful, powerful, and sad when you think these battles still go on. I'm looking forward to reading more of your pieces here.
In the meantime, thank you for this one.
Thank you, Ramona! I very much appreciate you being here. I'm new to Substack and am finding it's a pretty great place to connect with people and to share my love of words and processing experiences and all they contain, both sadness and hope, through them.
Beautifully written 👏 😍
I agree, beautifully written. And the Jenga tower works as a powerful metaphor. I can feel it and your life shaking and vibrating.
Thank you for saying that and for reading.
Thank you!
Beautifully written Holly. I loved and have lived the Jenga metaphor, so I felt your writing viscerally.
Thank you, Deb! Right?! Oh the wobbly structures our lives can sometimes be.