#ex jw

[darcyisspidey]

”But why do you need Pride Month?”

I remember my parents and their friends and family always taking opportunities to say homophobic stuff, especially when schools teaching about the LGBTQ was brought up. My parents would make me skip school on IDOHOBIT day and if the school was doing an event for pride month.

But there were days when my class taught about it, and it gave me a jumping point for when I eventually did my own research.

[sniper-montag]

actually i think we shouldn't be chill with people who say they can't "support queer rights cause it's against their religion"

[darlinghearted]

Maybe

dennis is so little and so cold and so lonely. but he has to be brave. maybe one day it won’t be so tough.

words: .8k

Dennis’s bed is quite cold. It’s not warm like he thinks beds should be. His blankets were thin, not quite keeping out the bitter cold of the hospital wing. He was so lucky, though! He had a roof and sometimes even water! He pressed a shaky little kiss to the fur of his best friend, a little stuffed lamb that his Mama had given him way back when he was truly tiny. 

“‘S gonna be okay, Baba. We gonna be okay. Promise.” He whispers, hugging her close. Baba was scared, she was so small and the world was so big. Dennis was scared and small too, but not as much as her, so he had to be brave for her. 

He tried his best to get comfortable, even as he shivered a bit. His eyes felt so heavy, he just wanted to fall asleep. Tears formed in his eyes, quickly wiped away. He mumbled a little apology to Baba, not wanting to scare her more. Her little smile reassured him that it would be okay, that it was alright to cry.  

He curled tighter around her, nuzzling against her soft fur. He ran a hand over the worn leather of his Bible, remembering his father’s voice before it got harsh and mean. It was years and years ago, when Dennis was only five. His father had given him a task that was too difficult, and he cried so hard when he couldn’t do it. His father, in complete contradiction to his later manner, hugged him close and said he should’ve known he was too young to help with the larger animals. Dennis was terrified of them, especially since their workhorse, Jude, had spooked and broke his oldest brother’s arm. He brushed Dennis’s hair back, smiling at him.

“It’s alright, buddy. You know what God says for us to do when we’re scared?” Dennis shook his head. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be struck with terror or fear, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.” 

Dennis whispered the words again, fingers tracing the embossed lettering on the cover. He had given up on his father ever talking to him that softly again. When he had told his parents that he didn’t want to continue with his theology degree, his mother’s wails and his father’s roars of anger were all consuming, completely erasing the life they had before. He wasn’t their son anymore. He was an apostate, completely falling into worldliness. He was shunned totally, never hearing from his family again. 

But maybe one day, he’ll have someone who loves him no matter what. Maybe one day, somebody will hold him when he’s sleepy or sad or small and coo at him, telling him that everything will be okay. To fix up a nice warm dinner and wrap him in a big comfy quilt so that he stays cozy. He whispers to his friend, filling her in on his dream. 

“He’ll be extra nice, Baba. He’ll make us cookies and yummy food. He won’t yell if we mess up.” It seems so far away, practically impossible for anyone to treat him with such kindness. “He’ll not mind when we have nightmares. He’ll make us feel safe like we used to, remember?” He barely remembers, but maybe she does. 

He wraps the moth eaten sheets tighter around himself, being extra brave. He got tired, sometimes, of being brave. He wanted to be little like how he saw other people do, where they didn’t have to worry about if they were going to have food or water or a roof. He wasn’t confident that he would ever get that chance, though, so he had to get used to being brave even when he just wanted to be small. 

He hums a soft melody, trying to soothe her and himself at the same time. He didn’t have a Papa, as much as he wanted one. He didn’t have anyone to hum him lullabies and to snuggle with him until he fell asleep, so he does it himself. He does it all himself, like a big kid. When the old building creaks and moans as it settles, Dennis has to fight off all the monsters himself. When his stomach cramps from hunger, he has to sneak food off of the sandwich cart himself. When all his emotions get too big for him, he has to comfort himself. Well, Baba does help with that. 

Even though his Mama might not like him too much anymore, Baba still does. She wipes up his tears and helps him be brave. She protects him when he’s too sleepy to do that himself, just like now. He cuddles into the extra pillow, pretending that it’s his Papa. Maybe one day, it will be. But for now, he lets fitful sleep overtake him, praying extra hard for his Papa to come and make it all better. 

[sullyullypokes]

"Homosexuality is righteous; Let God be found a liar"

This is my first piece in a series of blackout poems using magazine texts distributed by the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses, all of which are publicly available online for viewing.

The project (not yet titled) aims to show unabashed declarations of queer love, resilience, and spiritual reclamation, while also acknowledging the pain and grief so often caused by high-control religious groups; shunning is one such example.

Being an ex-jw myself, my hope is that other sexual and gender minority peoples who have been negatively impacted--either directly or indirectly--by religious teachings and practices, will find these pieces a source of healing.

Source text from May 15, 1970 issue of 'The Watchtower' - 'The Spread of Homosexuality', which can be read here: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1970365

[sunflowersandbuttercups]

To anyone leaving religion just know.

YOU DO NOT OWE ANYONE AN EXPLANATION FOR LEAVING.

[the-rad1o-demon]

So far, chances of KOSA being enacted is 31% according to the site linked below.

Kids Online Safety Act (S. 1409)

A bill to protect the safety of children on the internet.

Let's get that fucker down to zero, guys!!

Stuff to help us do that is linked here!

STOP KOSA: Protect LGBTQ youth from censorship, organized by Fight for the Future

Hello, We’re a queer women led group of artists, engineers, a… Fight for the Future needs your support for STOP KOSA: Protect LGBTQ you

The call scripts linked below were originally for Congressional representatives, but now that the bill is in committee consideration by Senate Commerce, you should call your Senators instead and you can use the scripts for them. Also, when calling your Democrat senators, make sure to add that Senator Blackburn explicitly stated in interview that it would be used to "protect children from the transgender." I think it's pretty clear that this is not meant to protect children. It's just going to harm children further, especially trans children.

(Article below with a video of the interview embedded.)

Earn it Act & copycats Call Script

Scroll down for Call Script. You can Copy & Paste it for emails. [phone] connects you to your congress representatives. You have 2 s

Marsha Blackburn Makes It Clear: KOSA Is Designed To Silence Trans People

It still amazes me that KOSA has any Democratic co-sponsors, let alone 21 Democratic co-sponsors in the Senate led by lead Democratic sponso

Please help stop this bill in its tracks. Reblog, donate, call your senators, and keep an eye on the bill's chances of being passed. We can't stop now. 31% is still kind of a big number. We need to shrink those chances by a lot more.

[still-leuna]

Apostasy flag/ Deconstruction flag

completely free to use and distribute, no credit needed

Variants and explanation below

Symbolism:

- Black: trauma and rupture

- Grey: uncertainty and letting go of black and white thinking

- White: hope, openness, and kindness

- Turquoise: exploration and movement

- Orange: joy, self-acceptance, solidarity and community

- Red on white: accepting one's own impurity, sexual positivity

- The sun: life and new beginnings

- Tapir: ex-mormons (per request)

- Bird: freedom/liberation, moving into light

This flag is meant for anyone who has deconstructed from a religion or spirituality. This includes anyone who used to be in one religion, but is now atheist or agnostic, or reconverted to a different religion or spirituality, or renounced a large part of their own religion or spirituality while still hanging onto other parts.

Apostates are often heavily ostracized and persecuted. In some places renouncing your religion can be punishable by torture and death. Many people who deconstruct experience being disowned, violated, and put into religious therapies and programs.

Even when you are safe, leaving your religion can be an extremely lonely experience.

This flag is meant to be used by apostates and deconstructing people to cheer themselves up and feel pride, while also signaling support and solidarity towards others with similar experiences. This flag is meant to unify all apostates and deconstructing people through their experience.

If you live in a place where identifying as an apostate/ex-religious openly might put you in danger, please prioritize your safety and anonymity!!!