Free Self-Expression Should Be a Human Right
Important lessons on the ethics of writing on LGBTQIA+ topics as a gay man
I recently wrote an article that pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me some important lessons. These lessons would not have been possible without the editorial support of Logan Silkwood.
I wrote an article tackling the controversy of trans participation in sport (link at bottom). I usually lean towards writing on topics within my domain of expertise or experience, which is a good all-round ethical principle.
To write or not to write
There were several times in writing the article that I questioned whether I should be writing it at all.
In this case, I am neither transgender nor even particularly into sport. My pull towards this topic came from a passion for respect and inclusion, topics no doubt fuelled by my experiences in the LGBTQ community.
I pushed through my doubt out of a belief in being a good ally and a desire to honour my creative pull.
My sense is we need more people writing about these topics and from different angles or perspectives. My ethical conundrum was less a question of whether I should write it and more about how I should tackle the article.
I trusted that in submitting to Prism & Pen where it was published, the editors would soon enough give me feedback or say no to the article.
The ethics of writing about gender and sexuality
When I think about ethics, the safest (although sometimes scariest) position to write from is that of personal experience.
As a gay man, who am I write about trans experiences? I felt I was safe, as the focus of my article was less about gender and more about inclusion. The nuance may be lost on those who don’t think about these topics often, but to me it was clear.
I knew I couldn’t write about trans experiences, and I steered clear of making assumptions in my writing.
Logan embraced the article and made me feel welcome as a writer, although also pushed me to elaborate on some sections with more examples as evidence to back up my ideas.
My initial draft was written quickly with only a couple of skeleton ideas that didn’t have the required flesh to fully embody a great piece.
As I hunted around for examples, the article grew and became more compelling. It moved from personal opinion into a clear and defensible argument.
The luxurious freedom of privilege
I had never had to tackle this quandary of having to defend my articles before.
I am privileged. As a white gay man, my sexuality and gender-identity is seen with enough social acceptance that I rarely need to think about what I write.
Sure, I have written extensively here about my gay experience and seen my followers drop after writing certain articles. But I never mourn the loss of readers who don’t resonate with my truth.
This confidence is also aided by my use of a pen name, which affords me a little anonymity.
In the process of working with Logan on my article, I realised that free self-expression is a privilege some writers don’t have. Online trolls will find a way to pick holes in an argument, especially attacking trans perspectives.
I hadn’t ever faced this personally, so it wasn’t on my radar. Logan was helping me prepare for the event of my article being attacked or criticised. In the process, my article became stronger, and I became more confident about publishing it.
Not all LGBTQIA+ writers share the luxury of free self-expression. For some people in our community, almost every aspect of life can feel like a fight where defence is the minute-by-minute norm.
Part of me wants to challenge that. Why should anyone need to defend their own ideals, values, or even sense of self?
Yet on the positive side, learning to defend one’s ideas is powerful. For when ignorance and truth meet, even if ignorance wins the battle, truth will always win the war. (A war metaphor may feel overblown but it’s the daily reality for many minorities.)
This experience made me stronger and more sensitive as an ally. I want to continue to have courage to speak about topics that are outside of my immediate experience. Thanks to Logan, I feel more equipped now to do that.
I also hope that one day all LGBTQIA+ people will be able to experience free self-expression without needing to defend themselves. And that this will no longer be a luxurious privilege, but a basic human right.