Community
I Can Be Both
Greetings, Vocal readers. It's been a while since I've written a story. The following story may ruffle a few feathers and raise a few eyebrows. However, I want everyone to hear me out for a few minutes. Religion is a taboo and touchy subject for most people. Growing up in Texas, I attended church with my family almost every Sunday. When I left home for college years later, I attended a local church, and I loved the people there. Just to remind everyone that this was around 2010: two years before officially coming out as a gay man. At the time, I was still hiding my true self from everyone. When I finally came out in 2012, I repeatedly asked myself this question to myself: "Now that I've come out as gay, will God love me as I am?" Even after I stopped going to that church and then I moved to a new area after I graduated from college, I was still seeking a church that was gay friendly. In the spring of 2013, I found a church in my area that wasn't far from where I was living at the time...or so I thought. I attended that church for a month before leaving it for good. The reason? They were regurgitating anti-gay rhetoric. It broke my heart that people always assume the worst about us when they don't even know us personally. Christians would tell everyone to love one another but would waste no time degrading and dehumanizing gay people at every opportunity. Some, not all, Christians are walking hypocrites. I wouldn't say that I was an Atheist, per se, but I want to be able to accept myself and believe in God at the same time.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 10 months ago in Pride
NDIS Services in Australia – Indian Support Center (ISC), Australia
NDIS Services – Indian Support Center (ISC), AustraliaThe National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides funding and resources to help individuals with disabilities lead independent and fulfilling lives. Registered NDIS providers offer a range of services aimed at improving autonomy and well-being.
By INDIAN SUPPORT CENTER (ISC)10 months ago in Pride
It is Too Early to Celebrate Women In Tech
Technology has transformed every aspect of human life, and women have played a crucial role in shaping this digital revolution. However, while the industry boasts of progress in gender diversity, the harsh reality remains: it is too early to celebrate women in tech. The numbers, biases, and systemic barriers reveal that there is still a long way to go before women can truly claim equal space in the industry.
By Ramesh Mahato 11 months ago in Pride
My Sexuality Is Not An Apology
Now that you know who is back in the White House, his hateful and dangerous policies targeting us once again has gotten even worse. He lacks empathy and compassion towards certain groups of people. This manchild has no soul. I refuse to mention him by name, because I've always seen him for who he was: a childish, petty, out of touch individual who hasn't had a dose of reality and refuses to take any responsibility for his actions. It's always everyone else's fault and refuses to do some self reflection. The next four years will be hell and his right-wing policies are becoming more extreme.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Pride
I’m Not a Boy!
Before anything, I would like to verify that I am a woman. I was born a woman out of my mother’s womb; I was dressed in women’s clothing throughout my childhood, and I have done everything in my life as nothing but a woman. I’ve never wished to become anything other than a woman, though I hold no malice for those who intend to move away or into the gender.
By Gading Widyatamaka11 months ago in Pride
More Thoughts About Clayton Kershaw
The 2025 MLB regular season is only a month away and we're eager for it to get underway. About a month ago, I wrote a story about Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. In that story, which I will post a link to it down below, I called him out for his bigoted rhetoric. In a 2023 interview, he got in his feelings over Dodger Stadium inviting The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during Pride Month. He stated in that interview that they, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, were mocking Christianity. To him, it was a personal attack towards him because he's a Christian, when it really wasn't. I've also called him out on other things, but in this story, I have even more to say about Clayton.
By Mark Wesley Pritchard 11 months ago in Pride
Transitioning Saves Lives
February 27, 2025: Today, I have been on testosterone for three years. It's wild that time has passed so quickly. It doesn't feel like that ago that I was on the phone with a gender specialist, asking about being prescribed hormones. I look back on pre-transition photos of myself - I'm so young, so oblivious to what life had in store for me. The image of myself in old photographs is like some distant relative: a younger sister or a cousin I used to know. I still know her, of course, on a superficial level. I wish she had gotten the chance to know me, too.
By choreomania11 months ago in Pride
Self-Confidence, Thy Name Is 'Virat Kohli'
The Viral Phenomenon of Virat Kohli A video that recently went viral captured cricket fans in Murree, a picturesque town near Islamabad-Rawalpindi, cheering wildly for Virat Kohli as he smashed his 51st ODI century against Pakistan. This wasn’t just another instance of Pakistani fans appreciating an Indian cricketer’s brilliance; it was a testament to the universal appeal of Virat Kohli. The scene raises an intriguing question: Can we ever imagine a similar scenario in India, where fans celebrate a Pakistani batsman’s century with such unbridled enthusiasm?
By Ramesh Mahato 11 months ago in Pride
