Freedom Wins

In the face of all this tragedy, it is hard to remember what it feels like. You forget that freedom is something that has been hard fought and won for many ages. You forget that freedom means peace and happiness for all. It is hard to remember that freedom is alive when so many innocent lives are wrecked by senseless war.

Freedom can be found in so many simple things. Like the bird soaring by my window, no destination in mind. Just the feeling of the wind on its feathers and the cheerful chirps of its fellow birds. It can be found in the big oak tree growing down the street. Stretching high up in the sky with no worries about being chopped down. Swaying in the breeze and constantly growing more. It can be found within my friends, their carefree laughter lighting the room up. Their easy grins and jokes that flutter through the room. It can be found in the smiling face of my nephew. Running and laughing around his living room, not a care in his head. Playing trucks and having tickle fights with his mom.

Freedom can be found in heavy moments too. The crying face of queer youth, when the news is announced that conversion therapy is banned. The cheers of people of colour, as they rally the world, begging to be seen and heard. The hugs of strangers, in a moment of tragedy so profound that all that can be done is hug.

Freedom can be found in so many things big and small. In acts of kindness and displays of affection. In carefree days and cozy nights. In dreamless sleeps and soothing drives. In the whistling wind and hushing rain.

As someone in the LGBTQ2IA+, freedom is something we have fought for for a very long time. Over 50 years of protests, over 50 years of begging to be heard and seen and respected. Over 50 years of harassment, slurs and hatred. I have spent so much of my time grieving the loss of innocence. Innocence stolen by cruel people who do not understand that this is not a choice. Being different is not a choice. There are still so many things that the community has not gained freedom from, but so many things have gained freedom. In many places, we have the freedom to marry the one we love, regardless of who they are. In some places, we have obtained freedom to be safe from conversion camps that once sought to ‘cure’ us.

Even now in 2023, queer rights are being ripped away from those who live in “the land of the free” particularly in the states where freedom of speech means everyone who’s not queer or coloured. Trans kids are having their identities ripped away at an alarming rate while the rest of the world watches on.

Freedom is a fleeting and fickle thing, but when it is obtained, there is no purer feeling. I hope every day that the strong people of Ukraine taste the sweet kindness of freedom once more.

I hope that everyone can feel the warm embrace of freedom for their whole lives.

Freedom will win. It will win.

(This was written a year ago in light of the war on Ukraine but was unfortunately denied being posted until now. I recently read through it again and felt that I needed to give it another shot as it’s message is still relevant today. There is so many places that still have not felt peace but hopefully one day they will. I still have faith that peace will win out. I hope some of my words hit home in the hearts of those who may read this.)