Life is long and a lot can happen. Life slows to a crawl for those who suffer and seems to hasten when we have the resources and money to fulfill our goals.
Ona's second comment: she talks for a long time! Anyhow, after 24 years of life, tucked into the Bible Belt, I moved to Denver, Colorado. It is west of those states and not far in mileage, but the large metropolitan area of Denver is night and day different there. That's not to say I gave up my former life. I found a lesbian Country and Western bar where I could dance the dances I had learned in my childhood. They even had a Gay Rodeo that came to town! Wild, totally wild. And Pridefest. Well Pride last year was about 500,000 Queer and Queer loving people gathering for a weekend. Doesn't matter what you look like, or how you speak, or the level of your education, for that weekend, differences are set aside and we are just there to love on each other. I finally understood what it meant when people called me a Bible Belt Reject. I loved the beauty of the Midwest, the warmth of my family, and the loving college I attended. Those were not negated, but here, there was a siblinghood I hadn't found there. And if I had been OUT there, I would likely have understood the Reject part better. Dear, dear writer: You are a grown Queer and I respect your choice to stay near the land of your origin, but I want to invite you. Come to Denver at the end of June and visit PRIDE. It is unimaginable! You can always return to your homeland, shore, and writing. But when you are there after visiting this, you are there by choice, not by accident. Very few accidents are joyous...but many choices are. Blessings, love, and wisdom to you , my friend. 💜
Hi. I read this interview yesterday but needed to sit with it until today, when I found some words. Your experience as a Queer Muslim looking at or for Queer Muslim literature and papers moved something deep inside me. I am from the Midwest of the United States, an area often called the Bible Belt. I grew up in Kansas, went to four years of school in Oklahoma, then took a 2 year job in Nebraska. In none of those places was I able to be out..to be me...to be seen, really, deeply seen is such an important thing. Some people loved me, and people who respected me in each of those places, but I still could not be myself as a Lesbian. And no matter how hard a friend tries to see you, if they can't see that part of me, they do not truly see me. I wish you were seen...all of you.
Well, hrumph. That wasn't nice. I was typing a long response to this interview, and suddenly, a huge chunk of it just disappeared. I don't know if there is a character limit in responses or the size of the box. Anyhow, stay tuned for the rest of my response!
you are welcome but it is me who should be thanking you. I am glad we were able to figure out a way to protect your privacy and still share but like Scott said, it is my hope that one day the need to be closeted for safety reasons will be no more.
I also, because of you, have to read east of eden again, i tried once before and just could not get through it, but The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books -so I know that EofE must hold some of that same brilliance. I know that every time is not the right time for a particular book - so maybe now is the time for me to pick up the book again. Also, I never watched V is for Vendetta - but I think I'm going to read the graphic novel first. I'll let you know what I think.
Numbers wise, I lost a few subscribers pretty much immediately after hitting publish but just as quickly I gained as many new subscribers as I lost. And I wouldn't have it any other way. So thank you my friend. ☺️
Ona's second comment: she talks for a long time! Anyhow, after 24 years of life, tucked into the Bible Belt, I moved to Denver, Colorado. It is west of those states and not far in mileage, but the large metropolitan area of Denver is night and day different there. That's not to say I gave up my former life. I found a lesbian Country and Western bar where I could dance the dances I had learned in my childhood. They even had a Gay Rodeo that came to town! Wild, totally wild. And Pridefest. Well Pride last year was about 500,000 Queer and Queer loving people gathering for a weekend. Doesn't matter what you look like, or how you speak, or the level of your education, for that weekend, differences are set aside and we are just there to love on each other. I finally understood what it meant when people called me a Bible Belt Reject. I loved the beauty of the Midwest, the warmth of my family, and the loving college I attended. Those were not negated, but here, there was a siblinghood I hadn't found there. And if I had been OUT there, I would likely have understood the Reject part better. Dear, dear writer: You are a grown Queer and I respect your choice to stay near the land of your origin, but I want to invite you. Come to Denver at the end of June and visit PRIDE. It is unimaginable! You can always return to your homeland, shore, and writing. But when you are there after visiting this, you are there by choice, not by accident. Very few accidents are joyous...but many choices are. Blessings, love, and wisdom to you , my friend. 💜
Hi. I read this interview yesterday but needed to sit with it until today, when I found some words. Your experience as a Queer Muslim looking at or for Queer Muslim literature and papers moved something deep inside me. I am from the Midwest of the United States, an area often called the Bible Belt. I grew up in Kansas, went to four years of school in Oklahoma, then took a 2 year job in Nebraska. In none of those places was I able to be out..to be me...to be seen, really, deeply seen is such an important thing. Some people loved me, and people who respected me in each of those places, but I still could not be myself as a Lesbian. And no matter how hard a friend tries to see you, if they can't see that part of me, they do not truly see me. I wish you were seen...all of you.
Well, hrumph. That wasn't nice. I was typing a long response to this interview, and suddenly, a huge chunk of it just disappeared. I don't know if there is a character limit in responses or the size of the box. Anyhow, stay tuned for the rest of my response!
hello miss Ona! thank you for sharing this ^^ lots of love from the small corner in the philippines!
that's meeeee. thank you so much for this! never thought I'd be featured like this ever!
you are welcome but it is me who should be thanking you. I am glad we were able to figure out a way to protect your privacy and still share but like Scott said, it is my hope that one day the need to be closeted for safety reasons will be no more.
I also, because of you, have to read east of eden again, i tried once before and just could not get through it, but The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books -so I know that EofE must hold some of that same brilliance. I know that every time is not the right time for a particular book - so maybe now is the time for me to pick up the book again. Also, I never watched V is for Vendetta - but I think I'm going to read the graphic novel first. I'll let you know what I think.
Numbers wise, I lost a few subscribers pretty much immediately after hitting publish but just as quickly I gained as many new subscribers as I lost. And I wouldn't have it any other way. So thank you my friend. ☺️