beautiful video features folks from the trans community in London and their allies who understand the trans journey of love. Transition looks and feels different for every person involved. For those who are experiencing difficulties accepting and understanding them- selves or their loved ones, the community you see in the video show there is: hope, love can win and it does get easier. My now named QSA (Queer-straight Alliance) still meets on Wednesdays. I have another 10 years of teaching and I have ev- ery intention of continuing to be the staff advisor for my school's club, continuing to write and perform music from the heart and
continuing to be an out and proud queer. To see Lori’s video, Umbrella, go to https://youtu.be/U92ls-72RS4
Then my partner told me that he is trans. He hoped that be- cause I had always said gender didn’t matter that I was finally the right person in his life to admit this truth. Embarrassingly and unexpectedly, I fell apart. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of loss and self pity, but I loved my partner. I asked myself over dramatic questions about who I was living with and focused on how this would impact me, Just as I was embracing my queer identity, I was having it tested, erased. I turned to my guitar. I wrote “ Umbrella ” quickly and with tears, a lot of tears. Some lines were how I felt, some lines were about how I wish I felt, I wanted to be the person I thought I was: tolerant and loving regardless of gender without denying that I felt lost and scared. I wrote “ Umbrella ” for me as ther- apy. I’ve almost always used writing as a way to package my emotions, order them so I could express them in a way that feels like I can connect with others who get it in their own way. That’s how good music impacts me. I almost immediately start- ed to perform “Umbrella” at queer events and many people ap- proached me to tell me how much the song touched them and or has helped them feel less alone. While song writing helped me feel less alone, it did take me time, therapy and a wise friend to help me learn to accept. Two years into Mayson’s transition, we did get married and once I knew our relationship was going to survive, I made it my mission to make a music video to accompany “Umbrella” to try and show others going through transition that there is hope that their loved ones can be there during and after. Unfortunately not all relationships survive so often times in the queer commu- nity, we have to make our own family. I wanted folks to know that they are not alone. I found filmmaker, photographer: Nicole Coenen, a proud mem- ber of the LGBTQ+ community who has a passion for creating Queer content and she was willing to do it on a budget. The
519.473.5955 kateyoung.ca
I am proud to be your representative in Ottawa and want to stay informed of the issues that matter most to you. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. My office can also assist you with:
• Employment Insurance • Citizenship and Immigration • Canada Student Loans • Passport and Travel Information • Veterans Affairs
• Canada Child Benefits • Canada Pension Plan • Old Age Security • Guaranteed Income Supplement • Income Taxes
200-390CommissionersRd.W. • LondonON N6J 1Y3 • kate.young@parl.gc.ca
PRIDE Villager
Issue 4 • Spring 2020 Page 5 To advertise here, please contact Barb@VillagerPublications.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs