And the Bible says, God created day and night,
land and sea, flying birds and swimming fish.
And in between (but not mentioned), God made
more beauty: dawn and dusk, intertidal wonder,
corral reefs and estuaries, squirrels with wings,
penguins, soaring dolphins, flying cod,
and platypus, for heaven’s sake!
Not to mention the purple-throated sunangel,
one non-conforming hummingbird,
or the “half-sider” cardinal, a male/female chimera,
split down the middle, in marvelous colouration
and morphology of both — and never mistreated by the flock.
And humans, male and female, God made them,
and in between (but not mentioned), still more beauty:
a red-lipped, purple-fingertipped trans woman
who loves to dance, and when she does,
sparkles like stirred coals;
and two trans men, whose love for each other,
whose love for others, expressed through the vocations
they’ve taken on, rise above
the fear-based rejections they’ve faced;
and like Jay, who carries a weight of unseen pain,
from bricks thrown by a pious mob,
defending an exclusionist reading of Genesis,
and yet, because she’s come home to her body,
has adopted the name, Joy.
Clearly, this poem is not a polemic. Just a rather simple (simplistic?) observation — towards tolerance. As it is, I personally know some wonderful trans people (which is an advantage), so I worry about the ever-growing anti-trans rhetoric that is fueling far-right politics, galvanizing a segment of Christianity, giving a certain liberty to paramilitary and neo-Nazi hate groups, resulting in a year-by-year increase in violence against trans and gender non-conforming people. Framing this is the systematic erosion of their human rights. Already this year, just south of our border, state lawmakers have introduced 460 bills attacking the rights of LGBTQ+ people, with 356 bills specifically targeting transgender people. Obviously, Canada is not immune (there are, and will be, ongoing attacks on Bill C-16). In the meantime, we can remember that LGBTQ+ rights, are human rights; and maybe, should we wish to reinforce that, we can talk to trans people, listen to their stories.
Stephen,
This is the most beautifully articulated expression of inclusion, of being an ally, of being human. Like you, I worry greatly about the intolerance, racism, hate, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments and politics that we are witnessing.
Thank you for this.
Thank you, Diane, for your own voice of inclusion.
Thanks, Steve, for this reminder/invitation to the beauty of inclusion.
Thank you so much, Ike!
Our Adult education class at church is in a series now discussing this issue. Thanks for this inclusive, compassionate approach.
Thank you, Don. I’m inspired to hear this is being discussed within your church.
Don, in your discussion, you may also consider, if you haven’t already, the gender-expansive person of color, known only as the Ethiopian eunuch, who was welcomed as one of the first Christian converts.
Lovely poem and good observations in the post script Stephen . We must not allow politics to erode our humanity
Exactly right about political erosion. Thanks so much, Ananda.
Thanks, Steve – my friendships with gay and trans people have enriched my life greatly! For heaven’s sake!
Love is Love is Love,
and you my friend are quite
fluent in the language
of love
Thank you <3 <3
Thank you for your kindness, Tamara!
Hi Stephen ? I am the photographer of the above bilateral gynandromorph cardinal. I would appreciate credit on the photo please. Thanks!
That being said, I love your poem. It makes me sad that so many people are made to feel less than because of how they feel or who they love. The world needs more thoughtful and empathetic people like you.?
Hi Shirley, thank you so much for responding and letting me know you’re the photographer of that marvelous cardinal. Such a beautiful shot. And thank you for your kindness.
Thank you! I’m just an amateur and got a few lucky shots.
And thank you for the photo credit!