LGBTQ Hope and Joy Are Antidotes to Fear

A Prism & Pen writers prompt

When I asked Prism & Pen writers yesterday what our new prompt should be, I was thinking about fear, about how a story I’m working on shows LGBTQ people serving as canaries in a coalmine. I was thinking about how a surging right-wing push to snatch back our human and civil rights is scary for us and for everyone who values equal dignity and treatment for all members of society.

As I thought about that, Logan Silkwood suggested we write about hope. “What recent news or experiences give you hope for our future as a people or for you as an individual?”

Linda Caroll chimed in to agree, while echoing my canary-in-a-coal-mine thinking. “I really like Logan’s suggestion of hope. I find myself so angry at so much as the right seems to be growing more vocal. It’s like they want to push women back into the kitchen and the entire LGBTQ community back in the closet. I wasn’t even alive in 1950 and I sure as shite don’t want to live there.”

Then GB Rogut suggested we write about the people who helped us come out of the closet, “for some of us it could be the few people who symbolized a safe space.”

She got me thinking!

Betcher ass, I’m scared of going backwards. I grew up a deeply sad, frightened gay kid in the conservative Christian world of the 1970s. I don’t want any kid to suffer the way I suffered.

But fear didn’t define me!

I came out to friends. I created safe spaces with them. I won’t lie and say my teen years were joyful, but I nurtured hope as a young adult in the early 80s, which soon led to amazing love and joy.

Yes, I had to hide my identity from most people, but life was NOT terrible. In fact, fighting for positive change gave my life meaning, while caring for suffering friends and created family gave it purpose.

LGBTQ Hope and Joy Are Antidotes to Fear, Even Rational Fear

I fear society is regressing on equality for women and LGBTQ people. I hope the regression I see is temporary and that progress will resume soon. My fear is rational given current events, but so is my hope. I remember living with joy when things were objectively worse than they are today, and I know young people everywhere are refusing to step back into the past. Working with them fills me with joy.

LGBTQ Hope and Joy Are Antidotes to Fear

That’s our P&P prompt for the next two weeks. My own reaction is one of an aging gay white man. How do you view hope and fear as a trans person, a young person, a woman, a Black person, an immigrant or other “outsider?” How do you view hope as the parent of a trans kid or as a loving cis/straight friend or family member?

Like all our prompts, please think about this one as an idea generator, not a restriction. If fear, hope, and joy resonate with you, send us a story! If not, send us a story about whatever does resonate!

Quills out, editorial support available

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You tell your stories, we’ll help you share them.

Please send in your essays, poems, short fiction, memoir, art reviews, or history. If you’re already working on something else, we welcome submissions about anything within our guidelines at any time.

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Prompt Stories so far

Esther Spurrill-Jones, BFoundAPen, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Fred Shirley, Ikedi Oghenetega, neil chapman, David Wade Chambers, Artemis Shishir, alto, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro 🏳️‍🌈, Rodney Frazier, Simon, Carl Rebeiro, Brian Fehler, Deneishia Jacobpito, Chris Hedges, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Alex David Bevan, Ikedi Oghenetega, David Wade Chambers, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, Valentine Wiggin, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro, Rodney Frazier, Simon Z. Brian Fehler, Cassie Brighter, Deneishia Jacobpito, James Patrick Nelson, Brigid Maloney, Gabriela, Presley Thomas, Evan McCoy, Loren Olson, Ken Wilson, Chandler Myer, NaNa’sworld, Arabelle J., Liam Heitmann-Ryce, Prickly Pam, Dawn McGrath, Jonathan | sex & theology, Tabitha Lowndes, Emma Nwosisi, Melissa Speed, Dr. Thomas J. West, Till Kaeslin, Dave Smurthwaite, Ellie Rebecca, Zoey Milford, Edris Quinn C., Dennett, Michael Constable, Jim Martens, Stephen Foster, Kravitz M. Kristen Nadel, William Kuhn, Denisa Bogdan, MSci, Rafaela Mempin, Tre L. Loadholt, theoaknotes, Rachel Brindell, Elle Fredine, Jess Darnell, Emma Holiday, Gabe Evaristo, Joshua Mackey, Steve Alexander, Stevie Wilkinson, Andy Killoran, Nick Bundarin, ElMehdi El Azhary, Bradley Wester, Stella Luna (they/she?), Chuy G. Gonzalez, MS, Aaron W. Marrs, Tima Loku, Cam, The Transgender Therapist, Sean Bennett, Ty Bo Yule, Alessia Autumn, Allen R. Marquez, Spencer James, Mary-Ellen Maynard, Gaby Spadaro, Elena Joy Thurston, Mina Krane, Jason Masters, Jeff Harvey, Laurence Best, Don Stouder, J. S. Richards, Fiona Feng, Yvonne Borgquist, Sarah McManus MSc, Annabelle Rose, Laura Silverstein, LCSW, Kyla Sawyer, Ellen Caminiti, rowen maeve, Rafaela Mempin, Punch Drunk Cola, Jeff Poole, Mrs. Capricious, Justine L, Patsy Fergusson, John Westphalen, Curtis Harding, Phoenix Huber, Val Servino, Jadon-Maurice Forbes, Molly Martin, Henry Lee Butler, Grey Alexander Crawford, Les Campbell, Casira Copes, Niki Madore, Shachee Swadia, Chevanne Scordinsky, Reis Asher, Jahleel Wasser, Jaimie Brickey, Doody Richards, Patrick Paul, James Fox Jeffries, Alexander Petrovnia, Elaine D Walsh, ƒ Michael Wells, Jack Herlocker, Lindsay Soberano-Wilson, Don Orr Martin, Jackson Banks, Martin Friend, Coby Bronze, Cate Talley, Damian Delune, Emilly Olivares, Sree Jaya, Sogen Ohata, David Arias, Kayla Vokolek, G. L. Balend, Anthony Eichy Eichberger, Shanker Mahadev, Jenna McRae, Jay Rose Ana, Kevin M. Casin, Linda Caroll, Unzip It, Judy McCord, Eric Beach, Dr Jeff Livingston, Topher Bigelow, Christopher Kelly, Joseph Coco, Jordan Michael Becker, syys, Mike Rosebush, PhD, Eilís O’Keeffe, Meghan McKie, Rand Bishop, Ryan Doskocil, Jacob Green, JULIAN GRACIANO NUNEZ, Marcus Davensky, Rebecca Herz, Alexander Tan, X.S., Ken Scout, Kitty Whitemore, Ellison O., Ed Guzzo, KP_the_writer, Judah Leblang, Arthur Keith, Jess Whitehall, Takoda Leighton-Patterson, S. Armstrong, Elena, Dunollie, Rita Malone, Nicole Stewart, Amanda Laughtland, Stephanie Moga, Tyler Albertario, Na.tasha Tr.oop, Suzanna Alastair, Lorelei Weldon, Victoria Stagg Elliott, Staten Blogging, Jaimie Hileman, Roo Benjamin, I. J., Helianthos, Brynn Tannehill, Lari, Amelia Harlow, Mary DeVries, Alyssa Ferguson, Anna, Casey Lawrence, Meagon Nolasco, spoorti, Antoni(a) Ceballos, A. T. Steel, Logan Silkwood, E. Katherine Kottaras, Eugene Pierson, David Moreton, Joanna Miles, Fay Wylde, Mila Bea, Elliott Jacob, Gerald Sturgill, Kim Barrett. Jenny Starr✨, Alex Mell-Taylor, Jonny Masters, Collin McGuinness, Ryan J. Mills, Kyle Palmer, Teresa Wymore, Dan Thomas, Lisa B-L, Lex Laursmith, Skye Mo’ipulelehua Kahoali’i, Mona S Gable, Josie Quinn, Aris Jace, David Milley, Kitty Williams, Josep Ferrer, June Thomas, Steve K, Jennifer Roth-Burnette, Amae, Danni Michaeli, Kai Stowers, Sieran Lane, Michelle Marie Warner, John A. Giurin, Michael Horvich, aleXander hirka, Tyger Songbird, Michelle Paquette, Karyn Marie, Grayson Bell, Laura Albrecht, Simon May, Antonia Ceballos,