Tag Archives: gay pride

My Existence Is Not Political

This 64″ x 44″ quilt is one of a series of three quilts I’m creating in response to the anti LGBTQ+ legislation happening in the country. As of the creation of this quilt in April 2022, Florida and Texas have enacted laws that will harm LGBTQ+ youth. Politicians in other states are trying to follow suit. California and Colorado currently have the most protections for LGBTQ+ youth in the country. They are represented by the two right side up light gray triangles in the field of “stars” in the upper left-hand corner of the quilt.

I am not a very outspoken person by nature and creating these quilts is not nearly as helpful as the amazing folks doing the brutal work of fighting back against this legalized bigotry, but this is a very minimal way I can contribute.

I’m appropriating the upside down pink triangle motif that homosexuals were required to wear in Nazi Germany. In the early 1980s, Avram Finkelstein, Charles Kreloff, Jorge Socarrás, Brian Howard and Chris Lione, and Oliver Johnston created the Silence=Death poster, turning the triangle right side up and changing the color to a hot pink/fuchsia. They wanted to change the symbol from one of victimization to one of empowerment. And their poster has become an instantly recognizable call to action in the LGBTQ+ community. However, I’ve flipped the triangle back to its original orientation as a stark reminder that history repeats itself.

The actual quilting consists of the following statement.

People are going to label this project as a series of political quilts, but I want to reiterate that no one’s sexual identity or gender identity is a political act. Our existence has absolutely nothing to do with politics. It is simply who we are, just as your sexual and gender identities are who you are. Just because you might have trouble understanding it doesn’t mean we are not deserving of the same right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as everyone else. But since our society seems to be insisting on making identity something that can be legislated, I feel compelled to speak out against the dangerous path our country is heading down. As of the creation of this quilt series, seven states have laws protecting LGBTQ+ youth. Seven states have no protections whatsoever. Two states have passed laws that actively endanger LGBTQ+ youth. The resulting physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual harm that will result from this hateful legislation will be the fault of the legislators who voted to pass these laws, the constituents who voted these legislators into office, and all who did not speak out in defense of the children who will be harmed. And they will be harmed. When these children are abused and bullied for being their bright and beautiful selves, where are they supposed to go to seek help now? How can anyone supporting these abhorrent laws possibly believe they will be on the right side of history?

I’m a Queer Quilter

In case you’re not aware, June is Pride Month, a reflection on and celebration of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and lives. I have had an incredibly fortunate life as far as being a gay man born and raised in the United States. While I never felt comfortable with my sexuality until I was in college, once I finally got over my denial and came out of the closet, my family and friends continued to love and support me unconditionally. Many LGBTQ+ folks are not nearly so lucky, and that’s why this is such an important month for our community. I could write pages about my opinion on gender and sexual identity politics in this country, but since this is a quilting blog I just want to stick to the word I typed at the end of the previous sentence: Community.

My journey into the world of quilting began as a solo mission. I took online courses and sat in my sewing nook, cutting, piecing, and quilting all by myself. It didn’t take long, however, to realize what an amazing quilting community is out there throughout the world. Thanks to social media, I soon connected with quilters from near and far, quilters who identify as male, female, nonbinary, trans, queer, straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual. Quilters of all ages. Quilters of so many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Quilters who speak a completely different language from mine. Quilters who use fiber arts as a way to express their strong political and moral values. Quilters who use fiber arts as a productive way to pass the time. Single quilters. Married quilters. Quilters with children. Quilters with furry children. Quilters who keep all children at arm’s length. Quilters who have made one quilt. Quilters who have made thousands of quilts. The list goes on and on.

This community is just as colorful and varied as the most amazingly enormous rainbow quilt you can imagine, and just as that quilt is bound together by variegated rainbow metallic thread (because why not imagine such a thing exists?!), we are all bound together by our love of this timeless art form.

Pride Month is important for many reasons, but what I hope everyone truly takes to heart is that this is a time of acceptance. Please understand how important it is to allow those around you to bring their whole selves to whatever group you are part of. When we can bring 100% of ourselves to work, to our families and friends, to our creative projects it’s truly amazing how much stronger we all grow as a community. Happy Pride!