Do you see this too?

Hello all! I felt I needed to post in some of my favorite queer groups about something recently happening to me and maybe find some solidarity, or provide some to others, who may have seen similar things in the last year or two.

I had an art booth at a pride event this weekend. I am a queer artists, and the pride parade my city does each year is my best event all year. My art is very pride related and geeky friendly. The event this weekend was a small one in a neighboring area.

As I do every event, I posted about it in various local Facebook groups. Now, I saw some crazy pushback last month for big pride, but this morning a man anonymously commented on my post and used the tragedy of Matthew Sheppard to not so thinly veiled threaten me. I was so taken aback. I’ve never experienced this kind of vitriol in these places. It seems to be ramping up pretty hard.

After that, I won an award for best booth at the actual event. It felt really good but my art can’t support me, I still work full time, not many people can afford art. I even leave free sculptures in free little libraries around my city to help foster art and reading in kids. But this really had me questioning why I’m even doing it.

Then I thought about a younger adult at a recent non-pride event and how his eyes lit up when he realized my pieces were pride themed even at a normal event. He thanked me for making my art accessible in normal spaces.

So, my friends, I will carry on, and you should to! *hugs to queer creators finding out old safe spaces aren’t so safe anymore*