Where's Your Pride Vocal?

I have had the privilege to be able to be an out queer and genderfluid person in most of my spaces. My wife and I are accepted and loved by the people in our lives. Our rights as a same-sex couple are protected. And even more so, I've been able to support and empower queer youth in their identities. Even in the Arctic.

These statements are not as common as you think, yes, even in 2024. Around the world, and even in places that are considered "modernized" and "liberal", being a part of the LGBTQ+ community is still not normalized. Rights are continuously being attacked, especially trans rights, in America. While in some places LGBTQ+ rights take a step forward, it feels like in others we take a step back. Yes, in a lot of ways things are better than decades ago. But there is a resurgence of hate and discrimination that we consistently have to fight back against.

Vocal, you used to be a part of that fight.

And just like the world, you take one step forward and one step back. Is that really called progress then?

Pride Community

Vocal, your PRIDE community is so important. Like immensely important. Though it is not the biggest on Vocal, it is special.

And while it slowly grows in stories and creators, we see that Vocal is not.

Almost 6 months ago, Queer Vocal Voices, a Facebook group was started in response to microaggressions and homophobia that was rising on Vocal and in Vocal-affiliated spaces. Queer creators sought a safe space of their own. Yes, in 2024, we still need a safe space of our own.

Thanks to Jim, River, and now Savannah as well, we have been running a beautiful homey group. Not only do we support each other as Vocal writers, but we also inspire, grow, and showcase outside queer writers and artists. But that's not all, we host challenges, and also tell Vocal what we need more of on this site.

It started with word count.

Other than in the Poets community (and sometimes Fiction), our pieces need a minimum of 600 words to be approved. We found this restrictive. How are we to grow the PRIDE community, when our queer stories, experiences, poetry, prose, essays, etc. are dumped in another community? They belong in PRIDE.

Vocal, you did good on that one. You removed the word count barrier for the PRIDE community. Now, our queer voices aren't as swallowed and shoved aside in Poets, Fiction, Humanity, etc. Now they can be heard louder. Now we want to publish more because it has the right fit.

And guess what?

You also helped us out with some more #tags. We had to ask (because you sometimes forget we exist), but you did it. Quite quickly too. Look at you boo.

But here's where you fucked up.

Vocal, you done fuq'd up big

In 2021, you released a Pride Playlist challenge asking us for our LGBTQ+ Pride anthem songs. We have gave you over 100 playlists and lit Vocal up with LGBTQ+ images and lyrics.

In 2022, you asked us to dig deeper with a poem After the Parade. We gave you over 1000 poems. Maybe not all of them were poems for the challenge. I mean, you did put up 5k, there'll always be some spam. But again, we saw a resurgence of queerness and a rainbow flag waving across the site.

In 2023, nothing. What da fuq? Did you forget Vocal?

Now, we're in 2024. And boi, did you make it worse.

Vocal, did you know that in 2023 there were over 510 anti-LGBT bills introduced to legislation across the U.S.? 80 were passed into law.

This year, 285 have been introduced so far.

And I'm giving you American statistics, because we know where you're based. We know whose voice is annoyingly louder.

Vocal, did you know that last year, 2023, Canada put out a travel advisory to the U.S. saying that travel is dangerous to certain states if you are part of the LGBTQ+ community?

Do you realize how messed up that is?

People are terrified for their lives. Youth, elders, teachers, service people. Where is it safe?

But Now LISTEN

Vocal, we came to you. Told you we had an important idea. Way back in February. We told you we would put up the work, the writing, the promotions, the judging. All we asked was for you to back us up. Front us some prize money to offer. Whatever.

We wanted to team up with you Vocal. We wanted to work together to launch the "Letters to Our Queer Youth" challenge with you. Because our queer youth need love, need validation, need support.

You could have done that.

We know you have more reach than our small Facebook groups. We knew that you could help us make a difference.

But, not only did you say no, you also yet again released nothing for Pride month. Nothing to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. And listen, awarding Top Story to a few of the participants in our lil' challenge is sweet and all. But it's not enough.

You can do better.

You should do better.

Your Challenge Vocal

Pride is a year long thing. A lifelong experience and emotion. It doesn't have to just be in June. Pride month is commonly celebrated in June as a tribute, a fight, a commemoration of the Stonewall Riots and Stonewall Rebellion.

But Pride is a lifelong journey.

We are queer and we are here all year long.

And so I call on YOU Vocal, to release a Pride/LGBTQ+ related challenge this summer. Call it Summer Lovin', or Queer Resurgence, I don't know. But do something.

Show us queer writers, queer adults, queer elders, and queer youth, that you see us. That we matter to you. That our lives and representation are needed and matter.

Because our voices fuckin' matter. And we are not going away.