The blame game is over. The victim card is gone. I am the hero(ine) of my story. I am the leading wo(man) of my movie. I am the creator of my own life. Failings, fallings, and shortcomings are a necessity in every hero(ine)’s
Freedom Is An Inside Job Read More »
Field Notes
I Choose Peace. It does not mean that there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and calm in my heart.
I Am Grounded. I am rooted in the earth, connected to all things. Like a tree, my arms extend to the universe. I am planting seeds of abundance and
October 1, 2012 This is a throwback to when I started my first blog in 2012. It includes the first interview – if it can be called that – I ever attempted. At the time, I was still learning how to articulate what I was paying attention to and how to ask questions that felt honest and necessary. I had been reading about the It Gets Better Project and following the work of Janet Mock, Dan Savage, and Ben Cohen. One question stayed with me, and on a whim, I sent it in an email – without much expectation of a response. Janet Mock is a transgender rights activist and writer whose work has contributed meaningfully to conversations around identity, visibility, and dignity. Her book Redefining Realness became a New York Times bestseller, and in 2015, Time magazine named her one of the “30 Most Influential People on the Internet.” The question I sent was simple: “What was the defining moment in your life when you chose to step out of the background and into visibility – sharing your story, experiences, and hardships in order to create change for others?” It was a last-minute email, and I didn’t expect to hear back – especially during #SpiritDay. But I did. What follows is Janet Mock’s reply. Hi Andi, Thanks for your moving post and email. I appreciate you using your platform to ignite change. The defining moment for me came two years ago, after hearing about the deaths of so many LGBTQ youth or those perceived by their peers as being LGBTQ. One story particularly that touched me deep down was that of Lawrence “Larry/Leticia” King (1993-2008) who was shot twice in class by his peer whom Larry had made advances to. (I wrote about his story here on JanetMock.com). Larry’s story and that of Gwen Araujo and that of many young trans women who die way too soon pushed me to tell my story and show young people that happiness is possible for them despite the sometimes hostile nature of our world when it comes to intolerance and acceptance. I shared my story in an It Gets Better video and Marie Claire (and my upcoming book Fish Food: A Memoir – debuting in Fall 2013 with Atria Books) with the hopes that it would resonate with some young people and let them know most importantly that they are not alone. Thank you again, Janet In Gratitude Thank you so much, Janet, for your quick response and taking the time to share these stories that have inspired your life. To learn more about Janet Mock you can follow her story on Twitter, Instagram, and her website at www.janetmock.com