Born this way

Born This Way Jasmine price

Introduction LGBTQ+ people have progressed from being punishable by imprisonment or death, forbidden from being taught in schools, diagnosed as having a mental illness, to being allowed to march in pride parades and granted equal marriage and adoption rights.

I chose this particular topic to investigate because there is a lack of awareness and I want to educate people about the community. I know that being part of the LGBTQ+ community is becoming more accepted in some parts of the world, but it is still illegal in 75 countries to identify as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender person. Transgender people continue to be killed or tortured in many parts of the world. Being a member of the LGBTQ community myself and coming out, I was inspired to do this project because many people, including friends and family, told me, “It’s just a phase.” I want to show people that it is not a phase. I also wanted to use statements to represent my own experience to highlight some of the issues I encountered as a member of the community. I’d like to shed some light on the fact that being unique is a blessing, not a curse.

I’ve avoided talking about this for far too long, and some of you may think I’m wrong, and some of you may measure your respect for me with the ruler your experience has given you, for which I apologise.

I’m sorry if anything has conditioned you to be less than loving, accepting, and kind, but I hope that no matter what story life has given you, you can try to understand mine, and although fear may be the price I pay for acceptance, disappointment may be the price I pay for truth. My life is the price I pay for being unauthentic, so this is the truth for me.

How many years does it take to see that we’re all brothers and sisters and human beings. in the same human race?

We’re all in this rat race together.

- Marsha P. Johnson

Although silence has been comfort, it has also been a cage.

I don’t know when it was exactly that i realised i like girls. i think it came slowly and naturally and scarily.

I remember sitting in my bedroom when i was younger, crying thinking about how i had to tell everyone.

Hiding who i was felt like chains around my body but in a weird way protected me like some sort of armor.

I wanted to be free from the chains but as soon as i tried to set myself free the chains pulled me down onto my knees.

But being free meant to be vulnderable. finally letting out this big secret about me relieved a massive weight of my shoulders that pushed me down as i reached for my truest self. i finally had the courage to look at my reflection in the mirrior and finally recongnise the person that was looking back at me.

I imagine, A world without injustice. I imagine living in a world that doesn’t judge others for who they fall in love with.

I imagine a world that i can come across people that feels the same feelings as me.

I imagine a world where there is no Racisim, no Homophobia, addiction or anything like these things.

I imagine a world only filled with love a world where, you could hope.

Not a world, where you judge.

The moment some men find out im into women they isntanly act like it’s this super hot thing and want to know about my sex life as if my sex life is something for them to turn into a kink. I have been told many times ‘they could change that’ meaning sex with them would turn me straight.

I have also been told that me coming out was so I avoid male attention.

fetishihizing someone’s quuerness is not even remotely the same as respecting or accepting them.

This innner voice Has been consuming me Trying to accept the picture I’m painting and let it colour me free

feeling as if my heart has gone astray, so if i have to change a part of me, Perhaps I don’t want to go to heaven.

My religon did the holy, and rightous and worthy thing of teaching me that if I were to pursue a relationship different from theirs I would suffer for enternity. what they don’t understand is that she is worth any pain and any suffering imaginable.

Despite the fact that your words have stuck to me like glue for all these years, I am finally erasing them, finally accepting who I am without feeling ashamed. I am who I am, and who I am is enough.

THIS IS ME- take me as I am

I love who I love, I feel the way I feel, and I refuse to make any part of myself less than real for the sake of what you might think is ideal, because the ideal version of myself isn’t something I should have to hide or keep locked up inside.