One of my friends who is from Armenia, in her late 30s and only recently came out to her traditional family invited me to attend a discussion “Self-Expression in the Armenian LGBTQ Community,” which I just returned from. A few days earlier, we saw an exhibit titled “The Many Faces of Armenians: A Celebration of Queer-Armenian Art,” at Arbil/Roslin Art Gallery in Glendale. Analogous to my friend’s personal coming out, both events were deeply moving, thoughtful and took courage for participants and the organizations hosting them (ACE/121 Art Gallery, Arbil Books, Roslin Art Gallery, Gaucho’s Village, Gay and Lesbian Armenian Society). They deserve much praise and support for the first event of its kind.
What is quite clear is that sexuality-a potent force, one of the most intimate in human life and dramas- can be experienced in ways that uplift and bring forth our best selves, our kindest expressions of care and love for others; and/or it can be used for ugliness, abuse, selfishness, condemnation, deflection of political realities, and cruelty. Even when it resides in a neutral zone, it really never is. I'm not talking about the mundane expression of it solely here. How we receive others in their deepest human essence matters...as does policy and discourse.
What is quite clear is that sexuality-a potent force, one of the most intimate in human life and dramas- can be experienced in ways that uplift and bring forth our best selves, our kindest expressions of care and love for others; and/or it can be used for ugliness, abuse, selfishness, condemnation, deflection of political realities, and cruelty. Even when it resides in a neutral zone, it really never is. I'm not talking about the mundane expression of it solely here. How we receive others in their deepest human essence matters...as does policy and discourse.
RSS Feed
