It may seem presumptuous for a cisgendered straight person like myself to even comment on something like Pride month for the LGBTQIA+ community. I often feel a bit awkward when writing about matters pertaining to, say, black history (I’m white) or women’s history (I’m male). But I do so for one reason: what matters to any people matters to all in this human quilt that covers us all by what I infer to be God’s Holy design.
By faith, I believe God has created life in its evolving form of natural selection as a challenge to see how well we as creatures can adapt to reality. In reality God’s creation is worthy of being pronounced “good.” One thing “good” in particular is our ability to survive by means of adaptation. Such adapting comes through struggle. Winning that struggle is definitely good and life-sustaining. Losing it is fatal.
I find it interesting to note the survival rate for caterpillars seeking to win their struggle to become butterflies is only 2-10%. Adapting to the reality of life inside the chrysalis is anything but easy. Yet when the butterfly wings are colorfully produced and empowered to leave the chrysalis, something “good” has just transpired.
Life goes on.
Do butterflies feel proud to have emerged from the struggle of their chrysalis? All I can say for certain is I feel proud of them for doing so and for the colorful wings that now empower their flight. To me, and I will simply assume their creator, they are even beyond good. Good and absolutely beautiful!! Pride-worthy!
But let’s consider something here.
Etymologists have determined that the survival rate of caterpillars in their struggle to become beautiful butterflies can increase to as much as 80-95% when we humans carefully remove the poop from their cocoons in order to alleviate threats of infection. Personal struggle is required; social support helps the outcome.
Here, then, is why I help celebrate Pride month with the queer community amidst their struggle and search for their own “flying colors.” If enough of us call “bullshit” where it comes to homophobia, transphobia and the like, the survival rate especially of LGBTQIA+ youth might well improve. The social rejection that otherwise may infect the queer individual with harmful shame is best removed by those of us on the outside looking in. That is why I rise to speak in support of Pride month! It’s time to remove the poop from the cocoon!
My own motives go beyond the natural struggles that lead to others’ achieving their “flying colors.” Chaos Theory helps us understand what is sometimes called the “butterfly effect” where the wings of enough butterflies might influence the development of a typhoon. Our survival as a species is tied to the ways in which we adapt to this reality, as well. We are all necessary. There is good in each of us that can be threatened by shame. We need all the pride we can get, for what goes around comes around and we are interdependent. I am proud of the LGBTQIA+ community this month and every month. Their struggles are our universal “butterfly effect.”
What matters to any people matters to all in this human quilt that covers us with what I infer to be God’s good and Holy creation. The chrysalis is conquered. May the flying colors go forth! It’s Pride month!
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