Pride and Prejudice

Police lights are the same color as the American Flag. This realization haunts me. These colors define my country, and defy my expectations of who we should be. My people are policed by the boys in blue. Our women’s bodies are policed in red states. It is old dead white men who created these rules. We are over-policed and under-protected beneath these colors.

Red or blue; People believe there is a difference when both so boldly and ineffectively represent this country. Both colors also neatly nestle themselves into the rainbow flag which so many of my loved ones fall under. And yet this flag carries none of the same reverence or protection. So in the quiet moments when the parties and parades have ended I find myself a stalwart defender.

No more pretending to laugh at insensitive jokes that make me uncomfortable. I use the correct pronouns even when no one else will. I educate my elders who claim they simply come from a different time. I am not the same soft spoken boy who was too afraid to speak up for his friend in the 10th grade. I do what I can in small ways where no one thinks it will matter.