Further thoughts on Pride and Butch

Good morning all,
hope you are all feeling well.
Enjoying yourselves,
the Summer,
vacation,
the heat,
anticipation of Fall,
whatever floats your boat.

Been a busy week for me.
Worked quite a bit,
caught cold in the,
much too high AC,
combined with wet feet.
I'll live,
it's just a cold,
but, 
I am feeling miserable.

Watched as much of the Olympics,
as I could,
it seems every time I sat down,
to watch after my evening of work,
it was beach volleyball!!!
I am not a fan.
Last night was track,
I like track,
and Canada has been doing well,
better than expected and hoped for.

But mostly this week,
I have thought about,
finding a new job.
I went on an interview,
they offered me the job,
it seems ok,
but...
I don't know,
mind you,
Ok,
is better than not.

I have also been reflecting,
on Pride.
I had a wonderful time,
at the parade,
last Sunday,
part of that,
is the company,
I was keeping,
and,
the nice weather,
the Prime Minister...
it was a good parade.

But,
it was also,
the fact,
that Pride has changed.
It used to be,
Brave and out,
individuals,
lots of leather guys,
drag queens,
some 'seen a lot' dykes,
there are still those,
which is great,
the rainbow,
but,
also,
the gay family alliance,
Helem,
an Arab gay association,
that fights homophobia,
within their own community,
and,
so many more,
old, young, gay, bi, poly, trans,
everyone marching, dancing and singing.
So many more,
out and proud than ever before.

The newer generation,
if polls and statistics,
can be believed,
is much more accepting,
of the LGBTQ community,
are there homophobes,
in the younger generations?
of course there are,
but,
there are less-
the younger adults,
don't really see,
homophobia,
as,
acceptable,
again if statistics are,
to be believed,
they are the gayest generation,
they just see it,
as another way,
of being.

Funny,
because that attitude of,
acceptance,
brings up something else.
Many of them don't get,
the need to label,
ourselves,
we are like every one else.
Well...

Not quite,
our rights are not,
respected everywhere,
in the world,
in many places,
homophobia is the norm.
Wearing labels,
embracing labels,
is part of our empowerment,
part of our being us.
We can choose to be,
"like everyone else"
buy a little house in the 'burbs,
make babies,
or we can be out butches,
flaming queens,
whatever the hell,
we want,
that is liberation,
being who we want.

Just like the,
feminist liberation movement,
fought for women's rights,
 auto-determination,
to be employed,
equal bread earners,
free from the obligation,
to marry or suffer,
poverty and or scorn,
but, 
also to choose to raise,
their children,
be free and emancipated,
women in the home.

My label,
self-imposed,
is like that,
to me.

People don't shout dyke or butch,
at me,
occasionally they call me sir,
and are mortified,
when they discover,
their error,

Pro tip, if you call someone,
sir or ma'am and see that you,
are mistaken,
don't make it worse,
by apologizing and making a big deal,
about it,
realize and learn,
stop insisting on gender dizing,
everything and everyone,
just say,
hi, can I help you?
No gender identification,
required.

These are some,
post Pride thoughts,
I wanted to share,
with you all.

Be well.

Later girls,
BB

Author: Bookish Butch

I am a bookish butch in my mid early fifties. I live in Montréal and always have. I used to run a small used bookstore. Reading keeps me sane. My latest jiggie is photography, book project in the works, living the dream View all posts by Bookish Butch