Happy Pride!
For friends and family and anyone who just would like to be themselves. It’s cool to be you any month of the year. Happy Pride.
I chose to work with circles on this set because it’s a part of every gender and sexuality symbol. Toruses (those rings) are circles on circles. A complete torus creates oneness, wholeness - something that everyone seeks in one way or another.
I admittedly went back and forth far too long on posting these. After listening to some poor advice, I stayed silent for a few weeks. Silent support, isn’t really support, it’s just silence.
I’m going to digress for a minute on support and attitudes, something I’ve been considering for a year or so. I feel that the fear of backlash even from within a community (can be any community) can keep people from engaging with the very community they want to support. Especially in communities where outrage is - and should be - a central driver. There is a time and place for outrage: it can get things done; it can get attention and support. But I can’t think of an instance where outrage is welcoming. Saying things like “You’re not doing enough.” “You need to be more vocal if you want to change any of this.” “Well, where have you been all this time?”
Whoever might be reading this, I want you to know that you are welcome and that you should take a chance and display that flag, or not smile at your coworker’s next weird joke, or add that bumper sticker. Some acts of support by their nature aren’t very visible, like research for voting, the time behind writing or creating, everyday conversations. Start with the small stuff that you can do and go from there. Small stuff like seeds becomes big stuff like trees given time and support.
Textless version of the main shot