Thinking about S...
Just before pride, while smoking with the smokers, I bounced a little and said that I was looking forward to Pride. One of the smokers turned and asked "So, where's Straight Pride?". I groaned and yukked it up, but she continued with, "No really, where is it?" and I tried to explain why LGBT Pride is still important, but she pressed on with, "Yeah, yeah, I know all that stuff. But isn't there nothing left to celebrate?", and the others weighed in with similar sentiments. I could have fought that battle, but I didn't. I just went back up to the office to work.
Today, the same person (who, by the way, I'm quite fond of, she just comes out with this stuff sometimes), got talking about probably another jumper in the Liffey. So, I mentioned S's circumstances. She asked if he'd had his family to support him, and all I could answer was no. He didn't. Sure, they were at the funeral... They made a great fucking show when he was dead, but they weren't there when he was alive. I made it clear that him being trans was one of the issues there.
The thought occurred to me at the time that I could drive the point that this is one of the reasons we still have Pride, but I didn't. She may or may not make that connection, I don't know.
Today, the same person (who, by the way, I'm quite fond of, she just comes out with this stuff sometimes), got talking about probably another jumper in the Liffey. So, I mentioned S's circumstances. She asked if he'd had his family to support him, and all I could answer was no. He didn't. Sure, they were at the funeral... They made a great fucking show when he was dead, but they weren't there when he was alive. I made it clear that him being trans was one of the issues there.
The thought occurred to me at the time that I could drive the point that this is one of the reasons we still have Pride, but I didn't. She may or may not make that connection, I don't know.