Tongue-in-Cheek PRIDE

Invites and encouragement I declined,

Confused expressions are what I find,

From youthful exuberance eager to go,

And watch the corporate pageantry all for show,

Not knowing what I’ve come to see,

After so many years being this “new” me,

They still think their authenticity fights,

A machine of politics and blinking lights,

But I know something that they don’t,

That their gender expression won’t,

Be the thing that keeps them employed,

Or protects them from hopes destroyed,

When through smiling teeth and convincing lies,

Phobic corporate drones, their promotion denies,

So when they ask me why I don’t go to pride,

I’m faced with a difficult choice to decide,

Do I tell them the truth that they’ll come to find?

Or tell a half-truth I hope they don’t see behind?

Compassion tells me that they deserve to know,

But compassion tells me not to dim their glow,

“I just don’t like the crowds anymore”

Is what I say and hope to shut the door,

On this conversation I didn’t ask to be part of,

And they seem content with my answer, sort of.

And now the weekend has come and gone,

And all the corporate campaigns are done,

It’s back to the regular business week,

With all it’s phobic tongue-in-cheek,

Of why that person got the job I desired,

And how the best candidate was who got hired,

Trying hard to ignore the painful fact,

Of this deck of cards, against me stacked,

Never mind that I was more qualified,

Because I’m expected to remain dignified,

As I pour over their resume completely dull,

Knowing that mine was twice as full,

So while they share excited stories about parades,

I am forced to choose between quitting and charades,

Do I remain in this job I’ve come to love,

Knowing the discrimination coming from above,

Or do I try to find another employer,

Where being transgender isn’t a career destroyer?

Maybe one of those sponsor corporations,

And hope they weren’t just there for public relations.