Morning to you all. Hope his will be a great day all aroound.

Today is June 2nd., the second day of Pride Month and while I join in the celebration of this month and its significance I also believe it is a celebration that should be celebrated by us all, individually and together as a community every day of the year throughout the year and into eternity. It is our month, officially designated and recognized as such by the Federal Government some years ago. That does not mean that we were not celerating our pride before that designation any more that it means that we will cease to celebrate all that that makes Pride so important at the stroke of midnight on June 30th. It is a month in which we may celebrate who we are more openly with the world at large. A period of loud and screaming presence as well as  many hours of quiet reflection of what our live are, how we got here and where we want to be in the future. And, in many ways most importantly, it is a time when we can publically be an example to all those, young and old, who have not taken that step into personal acceptance of the true nature of their being for whatever reason, without judgement or fear and perhaps be an example that will help them take that step into the open acceptance of themselves.

I was lucky to be born a Queer man in 1948 and have been openly Queer for over 75 years now. Sometimes more blatently that others but always proud of who I am, then and now. Yes, I struggle still with how my life as a Queer man must change as I age and as all aging folks, Queer or not, sometimes want to hang on to the past because it was easier and happier in so many ways.

And yes I use the word Queer. It is a word that I feel must be owned by our community as a component of that pride that we celebrate this month. One of many definitions of Queer is "denoting or relating to a sexual or gender identity that does not correspond to established ideas of sexuality and gender, especcially in heterosexual norms". And I fit that definition more that any other. So I choose to committ to the use of Queer as well as Gay in written and verbal statement of my identity as appropriate to that conversation. 

And I know that the word Queer has traditionally been used to denigrate me and my community. But, like the "N" word is the property of the Black community and is universally prohibited by other races due to its negative use by other than Black people. It is my opinion that Queer should belong to my community as a identifier of my person and my pride but not allowed to be used by non-Queer people to denigrate us for the same reasons that the "N" word can not be used by non Black people. And like Black people must correct the inapproprite use of that word we as Queer people must do the same.

I know that not everyone in my community will agree with me and that is as it should be simply because we are such a diverse community made of all races, all genders, all political and religious spectums, all everything that defines a community.

So please do not be offended if I use Queer here more and more often as even I make this transition to my identity.

Now, one more time, something that I intended to be a simple and short posting has become even more. I will continue to post in this slant as I continue to grow.

I hope you all have an incredible Pride Month, party, celebrate, reflect and love as only our community can and carry that celebration into everyday of your lives beyond these all too short 30 days. We are truly wonderfull and marvelously made beings like no other on earth.