I appreciate the perspective in this article, but I fundamentally disagree with its premise. The queer community was a collective powerhouse, a testament to resilience and unity in the face of systemic oppression. However, after a long stretch of relative freedom and visibility today, many within our community seem unprepared for the abrupt backlash and erosion of those hard-won freedoms.
Instead of rallying together as we’ve historically done, we’re splintering along identity lines. Groups like the LGB Alliance reject the inclusion of others under the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella. In contrast, others draw distinctions like “LGBT but no Q” or just “plain G.” This fragmentation undermines us. When the wolf is at the door, we’re busy tossing one another into its jaws instead of uniting to drive it away, hoping that sacrifice will buy our safety. Spoiler alert: it won’t.
Beyond division, there’s no unified vision. Some of us want to storm the metaphorical Capitol, unapologetically loud and proud. Others prefer towing the centrist line, capitulating on rights while begging for the privilege to exist. Then there are those leveraging their privilege to blend in quietly, hoping to escape notice altogether.
Honestly, I can’t even tell you what my path is. On the one hand, I’m immensely privileged. I have a high-paying job, access to my kids, a home I own outright, and I live in a “safe state.” I often think I should keep my head down and hope this storm passes without wrecking my life. And I know I’m not alone in feeling that way. But the rational part of me knows that safety is an illusion. The writing is on the wall: this isn’t going away. My gut says to sell my house, quit my job, kiss my kids goodbye, and join the fight head-on.
In the past, our strength came from our shared status as outcasts. Today, we’re everywhere, integrated into every level of society. That’s a good thing, but it also means we need to find a way to realign, to unite around a shared vision for survival and resistance. Until we do that, we’ll struggle to reclaim the sense of community and power that once made us unstoppable.
