37 Best, Jonah

Dear Reader,

When writing this Pressbook, the first thing that came to mind was not the articles, authors, paintings, maps, artists, or laws that would become the focus of our studies. Rather, I wanted to focus on the individual who decides the read this “toolkit”. Yeah, that’s you, and yeah, this is kinda cheesy. I wholeheartedly believe that learning about the History of Sexuality is necessary to understand how far queerness has come throughout the ages, there’s no denying that fact. However, history is not complete without the people who live through it. This includes the people mentioned in this book such as Michel Foucault and Adrienne Maree Brown, but also people like you, the other people co-authoring this pressbook, and me. We may agree or disagree with the beliefs and theories of these authors, and I implore you to craft your own opinions on the works we (as a group) discuss, but the past and its writings does not determine our futures.

I grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I’m 20 years old. I love trivia games. I enjoy watching football and basketball.  I’m Jewish. I’m gay. I’m me. All of these things are key pieces of myself, but none define me. I define me. Being gay is not easy, in Oklahoma or anywhere else, but it’s getting easier. The environment is changing for the better, and it helps, but I believe the ease comes from a change in perspective. Learning how to love yourself is a journey, one that I have yet to master (and may never do so), but it’s something that we must strive for despite its challenges. Remember: you define you.

Defining yourself is not easy, it’s a lifelong process. My high school required daily chapel, offered Christian conversion courses, and administratively refused to defend queer students. This was incredibly frustrating, and made both myself and my friends feel hopeless. However, when life seems stacked against you, it’s important to know that you are worth it even if others, especially those with authority, don’t think so. Your opinion and view of yourself matters more than anybody else’s view of you. Use that power and embrace it.

As you go forward in your life, there are a few things you need to remember. First, love yourself. You are talented, beautiful, caring, kind, and above all, worthy. Be good to others. Which leads us to my second point. The world can be a scary place, so try making it a little less scary. Smile! Say something kind. Be helpful. We all have off days, nobody is perfect, but do what you can. You can bring a lot good in this world. Lastly, it’s okay to not know. You may not know who you’re attracted to or have religious doubts. Not knowing is a massive part of life, so talk it out, read a book, look it up. You may never uncover what you seek, but the journey can teach you far more. Trust me, a random 20 year old from an online toolkit, you are worth it!!

Best,

Jonah