We are living in a remarkable time in history when change is occurring. Society is beginning to change as it has started to recognise the value in our differences and diverse cultures. There is a much greater understanding and acceptance of gender-identity and sexual-orientation. The LGBT community has gained momentum in recent years and all of us as members of that community have tried to make ourselves heard. Laws are gradually changing; inclusivity is increasing; and there is a greater sense of openness. Celebrities are coming out publicly, which in the past could have been the end of their career. As a lesbian woman, I can feel that the landscape has changed and become more compassionate, but the trans community is still often met with ignorance and a lack of understanding. We must all, as members of the LGBT community stand together and support each other as individuals. Within this changing society, we now have an opportunity to express ourselves, our individuality and to be who we are. We may have all had a sense at some point in time, of showing up in our lives, not quite feeling like it WAS ours, but rather, like it was what we were SUPPOSED to be doing. Not feeling like our lives quite fit who we are.
This is a concept I think most people can relate to, at least to some degree - that feeling of showing people what they want to see. Sometimes it feels like the only option, but it leaves us feeling empty and false as if there were a barrier between us and the rest of the world. When we are hiding who we are there is a constant tension - an ongoing awareness that we are inside wanting to be heard but don’t feel able to speak. When we show up as ourselves, everything that we experience becomes more meaningful. There is often a misconception that one’s image is superficial, that clothing is materialistic and meaningless, but every one of us has an image. We all choose every day, to what extent we will convey who we really are by the image that we present. When we step out the door, we make our mark on the world. If people see what we show them, then why not show them the truth? Through our clothing and the way that we dress we have the power of self-expression. Being honest about who we are in this way takes courage. It can involve being prepared to go against societal norms and taking a step in a different direction, but it also provides an opportunity to release the pressure and the burden of having to portray a false sense of self.
For many members of the LGBT and especially the trans community, coming out means facing possible rejection, alienation, even violence. Yet people face their fears and they do come out. Why? I think it is because there is an inherent realisation within every person that we as human beings are not here to play a role that someone else has laid out for us. We are here because we are supposed to live our own lives regardless of what may be expected of us by our family, our friends or by society. We are all here to make a difference, and we do that by being ourselves. Being completely yourself is the most honest action anyone can take. It takes courage, but it also leads to freedom.