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As I write the second edition of this newsletter, I’m reflecting on the intersectionality of liberation. June is Pride month, which honors the June 1969 Stonewall Riot, led by predominantly unhoused black and brown trans women and sex workers against ongoing police violence toward queer folx. (If you aren’t aware of the origins of pride, check out this introduction.)
We are also entering the ninth month of ongoing genocide in Palestine. Audre Lorde wrote, “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” As queer folx, it is imperative that we honor the queer, trans and gender expansive ancestors who came before us. In particular, the black, brown and indigenous ancestors who have been erased and silenced due to systemic oppression. It is also imperative to connect our collective struggle with the liberation of others facing systemic oppression, in particular Palestinians, members of the global majority and the SWANA community. Queer liberation is inherently tied to collective liberation. (Before reading on, take a moment and listen to this song.) As a trans social justice oriented therapist, I believe that therapy is political. It is imperative we name and explore that the constructs of power, white supremacy, and colonization that are so inherent in all systems - including the history and lineage of the therapeutic profession - in the therapeutic space. This is even more important when individuals and communities are being actively silenced and doxxed for speaking out against genocide. In her book Freedom is a Constant Struggle, Angela Davis writes, “Everyone is familiar with the slogan ‘The personal is political’ -- not only that what we experience on a personal level has profound political implications, but that our interior lives, our emotional lives are very much informed by ideology. We oftentimes do the work of the state in and through our interior lives. What we often assume belongs most intimately to ourselves and to our emotional life has been produced elsewhere and has been recruited to do the work of racism and repression.” As the genocides in Palestine, the Congo and Sudan continue, Davis’ words are an invitation to turn toward our interior lives and interior embodiment, and turn toward - not away - from the collective trauma unfolding before us. Turning toward is an embodied practice. Turning toward means not looking away when something is uncomfortable or taps into our own internal biases. Turning toward means noticing when our bodies are feeling pain, discomfort, or grief, and leaning into collective community and talking about what we are witnessing and experiencing. Turning toward means feeling the presence of our ancestors, and feeling into the interconnectedness of our liberation. Turning toward means not staying silent, and honoring where we can use our privilege to fight for the liberation of those who are facing violent oppression. A few ways to turn toward in an embodied way: When feeling hopeless or numb, identify ways you can take action and seek out community Reading and listening to queer voices, particularly queer voices of those of the global majority Reading and listening to voices from the Palestinian and SWANA communities Identifying ways you can use your voice in your own community to engage conversation and amplify historically marginalized voices Noticing and honoring how the impacts of systemic oppression show up in your body, your internal dialogue, and in your interactions with others. When you notice these impacts, turning toward them instead of disconnecting from them. Journal about it, talk to friends about it, create art about it. Let it move through you. If you are engaged in activism and feeling overwhelmed, check out this resource on sustainable social activism. If you’re feeling isolated and wanting to build community, check out this resource on pods and pod mapping.
Below are a list of organizations, actions, and events this month and beyond to support the ongoing fight for Palestinian liberation: Palestinian Youth Movement Bay Area Jewish Voice for Peace Bay Area Audre Lorde Project Virtual mental health support for Bay Area Palestine-solidarity organizers I have openings for those needing support via individual therapy, as well as openings for consultation with other therapists wanting to learn more about queer embodiment and working from a radical, queer lens. For more information, please visit my website or email me.
In solidarity, Eula
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