Affirmations of a Gay Man
May I be content with myself and not compare my achievements to those of others. When one of my brothers gets a boyfriend, a very attractive boyfriend, may I congratulate him and not tweet passive aggressively.
May I find something new to love about my body each time I look in a mirror.
May I recognize the people and events that allow me to feel comfortable in my own skin today. People and events such as, but not limited to, the following: Bayard Rustin, Harvey Milk, Oscar Wilde, The Stonewall Riots, Audre Lorde, Wham!, ACT UP, Elton John, RENT, Alan Turing, concentration camps, The Daughters of Bilitis, every single drag queen that ever had the courage to put on her heels––and Lady Gaga (who is optional). May I feel the presence of these things always and may it humble me always.
May I never tell another gay man that he is too femme for me. May I never tell myself that I am too femme to be desirable.
May I go to the gym if and when I fucking feel like it––because it is not “gay church.” I am not negligent of my own identity if I choose not to go.
May I remember everything else about me that is essential to my identity. May I remember that gay men don’t exist in a vacuum.
May I be willing to take on the challenge of helping others overcome oppression, too. May I believe the words, “none of us are truly free until all of us are.”
May I never beat myself up for not having a boyfriend.
May I never beat myself up for not being as successful as others believe I ought to be.
May I be a beacon of body positivity to every gay man coming out of the closet now. May I treat my body like the miracle that it is.
May I love myself fully––not because nobody else will––but because I unapologetically deserve to love myself.