Diversity Rules Magazine

5 Diversity Rules Magazine February 2020 thought, instead of simply the hateful ran ngs of a despicable minority. This is unacceptable. We must take a stand and renounce this false nar- ra ve being spewed by those who wish to do the queer community harm. It is doubly offensive when those within our own queer community sup- port the forces that wish to inflict harm on our person and take away hard- fought rights. Addi onally, silence and apathy toward the injus ces of our world are just as fatal as if one took a knife to our heart and killed us. Our society needs to reject the forces of hate, degrada on, humilia on, and all that which is grounded in the percep on that some in our society have a greater right to the freedoms of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness than others they deem less worthy be- cause of the darkness that resides in their hearts. We must all become more aware of the evil around us, and work together to stop it in its tracks, for the benefit of the greater good. We must all work for the advancement of our human species to a higher plane of consciousness that is focused on people, their needs, and their happiness. This brings me to the other part of the equa on. The empowering queer which relates to ac ons that are more independently based, that advances the men- tal, spiritual, and financial well-being of each of us singly as the individuals we are. If we do not learn how to empower ourselves to achieve great things and to foster the respect we rightly deserve as the queer people we are, how on Earth can we expect to contribute and advance the greater queer good? We are all born into a state of innocence, unfe ered by the influences of other people's opinions and ac- ons. We are pure in the sense that all we have is that which is us. We do not see the faults in others, or their physical impairments, and any other a ri- butes that are deemed less than acceptable by the adults that influence our lives as children. Somewhere along the spectrum of life, we begin to allow the opinions of others to become our own. We start to lose our individuality in order to fit in with our peers or to not give an outward appear- ance of being different. We begin to be molded to society's expecta ons of who we should be, how we should act, and func on within the greater society. If one is queer, the desire to then hide that aspect of ourselves becomes even more pronounced, especially if living in an environment where not being straight is perceived as a much less acceptable human condi on. Self-doubt creeps in, and we begin to live within our- selves, and sequester who we really are un l it is forgo en or becomes so shrouded, that it is not part of our human consciousness any longer. We fabricate a false façade which simply creates confusion and conflict. We become empow- ered by others and their thoughts and ac ons instead of that fueled by the soul forces residing within ourselves. Sadly, many do not awaken to the power of self. They simply traverse life embodying the expecta ons of others, thinking it is their own individuality. Others on the other hand, seem to awaken to the possi- bili es of going beyond the molded lives we created based on the percep ons of others. Something we read, someone we talk to provides the spark to get us thinking outside of that false façade. We become mo vated to pursue knowledge that awakens the spirit within and begins to replace the fake selves we have lived with for so long. Such an awakening can cause drama c, and o en- mes trauma c reac ons, throwing us deeper into confusion and uncertainty. We begin to reject the worldview that we have lived with for so long, and it can create serious psychological issues, some of which may result in a need to seek professional help to deal with. However, once this door of enlight- enment to self has been opened, there is no turn- ing back. The forces of self that have been locked away inside have been released, and it is the spark to individual empowerment that we all deserve to experience, in order to fulfill our life's mission and to advance the greater good. Regardless of wheth- er one is queer, straight, black, white, or whatever Empowering Queer - Con't on page 16

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