moment:

the words fell out of my mouth:
"aw, pregnant lesbians make me so happy! i just wanna be like, hi, i think you're awesome, and i want to be just like you someday!"

...then i heard the clock give a resounding

TICK

lesson:

courtesy of one of the bartenders at work:
"that's what i like so much about people, really. no matter what you think, you're always wrong."

suggestion:

one of the most significant acts of allyship i have witnessed is when people in heterosexual relationships refer to their significant others, spouses or otherwise, as "partners." in queering their own relationships through the use of a non-gendered term, specifically one that is customarily applied to same- or similar-gender relationships, these people support the idea that it is not the gender of one's partner that is important--it is the commitment between two people that is important. i love hearing people mention their partner and then use a gendered pronoun i wasn't expecting!

so here is my suggestion for straight allies who want to know what else they can do: start using the word "partner." spread acceptance of the term--and the idea--by applying it to your own privilege.

realization:

congratulations to the many people who attempted to instill this value in me throughout my childhood and adolescence. i really do aspire to live a life of service.

Veterans Day

the reality everyone ignores:

• Veterans account for over 20% of the U.S. homeless population, despite being only 8% of the overall U.S. population.
• The VA estimates that approx. 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, and about twice that many experience homelessness over the course of a year.
• Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan face an unemployment rate of nearly 12%, substantially greater than the overall U.S. unemployment rate of 9.1%.
• Eighteen veterans commit suicide every DAY. A veteran attempts suicide every 80 minutes.

when you thank a veteran for their service, remember that what you are really thanking them for is doing horrible things so you don't have to do them, seeing horrible things so you don't have to see them, making unmakable choices so you don't have to make them, and risking their lives so you can feel safe in your own home. if you really want to honor veterans and military members today, work to END UNJUST WARS.

adjusting

straight people don't tell each other "be safe" as they part for the evening. that's a part of trans-centered culture i have come to deeply love and appreciate.

moment:

got a job offer. with a buzzcut. in a hospital run by nuns.
i have to admit, i'm feeling pretty invincible as a gender terrorist right about now.