I Will Not Be Divided

As a result of the battle and victory over Same-Sex Marriage in the courts, many people begin superimposing the HRC equal sign with a red background over their Facebook (others used the rainbow flag). As a response, some who disagreed with the decision began using the Christian cross with a red background in place of the HRC equal sign. I am not sure if this was actually in conflict with the original image, but it does incite a frustration of mine: the attempt to pull me apart by the various aspects of my existence. Some believe I should stand in solidarity with my LGBT existence over and against my Christian existence. Some believe the my African American existence trumps them all.

I want to make it very clear! I will not be divided. I am an individual who is a member of all of these communities by the mere fact that I exist. To prioritize or deny either one of them is to deny the person that I am. I am an African American, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender)/SGL (Same Gender Loving) Christian.

To signify my defiance of this trend, I placed my own symbol in a red background. It is the symbol of the Christian cross, alongside the HRC equal sign (representing the LGBT community), followed by the Adinkra symbol for "Freedom" (the Fawohodie). Together they literally translate into the following:

The Cross Equals Freedom

This symbol represents all of the seemingly conflicting aspects of my existence that have been pushed into the light of public opinion and unrest. But the message of this symbol creates a double entendre: my freedom in Christ makes me free to be who I am. I am made free because of Christ's work on the cross. I am free to be all that God created me to be, including African American and LGBT/SGL. Again, "I WILL NOT BE DIVIDED!"