“I have crossed the horizon to find you. I know your name.

They have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you.

This is not who you are! You know who you are.” ~ Moana, Know Who You Are

(Yes, this blog post is inspired by my most recent viewing of Moana–basically one of the best animated films ever.)

This month I’ve tried to focus my writing on Pride Month and affirming how amazing all of us LGBTQ+ folks are. And of course, I’ve tried to remind myself and you that even with all the really awful things that are happening in the world, we’re not alone and are in this together.

For this one…I mostly want to say, thank you. Thank you for being yourselves and affirming other people. I would not be the person I am today without many of you reading this. You could tell me…”You know who you are” and love me in ways I didn’t know how to love myself yet. You have been my family when my own family has not sought to understand or love me in the ways that affirmed me as a human being.

I know…I KNOW it’s all hard. It really is. Life sucks sometimes. And it sucks to not be able to be who you are. But if you’re still figuring that out and need reassurance: “You know who you are.” Be who you are. You are wonderful, fantastic, beautiful people. Even those of you I don’t know as well.

You’ve probably had people tell you things that tear you down and break your spirit. Don’t let them. Homophobia can tear you apart from the outside voices of people saying you’re not real, you’re not enough. It can tear you apart on the inside as you tell yourself those things. So I can’t emphasize enough. You are real. You are valid. You are enough. You know who you are.

I’m feeling a lot of things I’m not sure I can express in words. I just want you all to be safe and loved and cared for. This is a shitty world and a lot of shitty things are happening in it. But you, my dear friends–this is not who you are. Some of you I’ve not met in person. I wish I could hug you and tell you this. So this is my cyber hug post, I guess. Let these words lift you up and know: All these horrible things do not define you. You know who you are.

You are not alone.

You know who you are.