Hello everyone! I’m so glad you’re here! It’s been a while since I posted an update. What can I say? Life gets busy sometimes.
June is almost here. Which means pride month is almost here!
But it's also a great time to bring up representation and why it still matters in 2024. Even after nine years of legal gay marriage in the U.S. and ten years in the U.K., representation is still something modern media and straight people seem to struggle with. LGBTQIA+ people have been showing up in all sorts of media these days! We have Sex Education with a plethora of different queer characters, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power with the greatest friends to enemies to lovers arc of this century! In terms of books, we’ve got graphic novels like Magical Boy and Girl From The Sea, and instant classics like The Song Of Achilles and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.
We as queer people, especially us white queers, might feel like the fight is over. We’ve won! We get to marry! We get to have our parades!
Slow down, take a breath. We are not there yet.
The fight is not over
According to a 2022 study by UCLA, LGBTQIA+ folks are nine times more likely to be victims of violent hate crimes. That study only came out two years ago, seven years after gay marriage had been legalized in the United States. Violent crimes take their toll on a person’s physical and mental health that trickles down into their jobs and social lives, leaving victims distressed and feeling unsafe in their own homes.
The rise of transgender hate has become very apparent across the western world. In the U.K politicians made anti-trans jokes, and the hate crime rate increased by 11% in 2022. In Canada, the provinces of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick introduced legislation that would require parental consent when a student requests to be called by a different name or gender identity, potentially outing kids to unsupportive parents and putting them in danger.
So, why do we need representation?
Representation helps us to see that there are other people like us in the world. That we are not alone in the struggles that come with being queer. It helps us to understand that there isn’t anything wrong with how we feel, we’re just not straight. Queer kids need representation so they can have role models to look up to that are like them. Queer adults need representation so we feel seen and not as “other”. But having queer representation is also important to straight people! If straight kids have books with queer characters, they will be more understanding and accepting of their queer classmates and folks they meet in their life! For older straight people, having queer people as a regular part of the media they consume helps to break stereotypes and helps them to see that they really aren’t so different from them.
When we spend time with those who are perceived as “other”, researchers believe that we are less likely to maintain our prejudices. A 2019 Pew Research Centre study found that Americans significantly changed their perspective on same sex marriage in just 15 years. In 2004, 60% of Americans were opposed to the idea, but in 2019, 61% of the population were found to be in favour of it. While it’s likely that there are several factors affecting that statistic, another study found that positive portrayals in media likely helped to shift the American perspective.
So there you have it.
The fight for LGBTQIA+ rights isn’t over. As many countries in the west are taking a big step backward, telling our stories has never been more important. We have to make ourselves seen and heard. We have to keep standing up for our trans siblings! This pride, make sure you fight for continued representation and rights. Let’s keep using our voices to bring the whole community forward and leave no one behind, and no story left untold.
Happy Pride everyone!
Comments