In the past few days, we have been privileged to witness an increasing awareness and understanding within the m/m romance community about the complex issues of gender/s and sexuality/ies.
This has been a significant and positive step forward in healing a rift caused primarily by ignorance and bringing hope where there was once anger, turmoil and devastation.
This is by no means an end, however.
For if there is one thing we have all learnt is that a rainbow cannot easily be grasped or defined.
Rainbows are constantly changing. Rainbows are not fixed. Even when an artist tries to portray them in a photograph or piece of work it is only one moment in time they are capturing, not the full journey of a rainbow.
It is this fluidity we need to embrace and encourage others to do so as well.
To this end, we are sending out a challenge.
A challenge to help us increase awareness, acceptance and support for the trans*, intersex, intergender and questioning people in the m/m romance community and broader community by adding this to your site:
We believe this will stand hard as a sign post symbolising hope as well as a safe space for GLBTQQ people to freely be themselves. Whoever ‘they’ might be at that particular moment and whoever ‘they’ might be in different moments in the future.
We do this on the day which marks the 13th International Transgender Day of Remembrance; a day for remembering those trans* who have been the victims of hate crimes.
We also do this in association with the Safe Reading Zone campaign; a promise to those GLBTQQ people among us that we will support them.
So, will you accept our challenge?
Perhaps this excerpt from an interview in September 2011 between genderfluid Andrej Pejic and ABC’s Nightline Juju Chang will help you make a decision:
Chang: When you see yourself in the mirror, do you think of yourself more as a man or as a woman?
Pejic: I like to keep my options open.
Chang: What does that mean?
Pejic: I see myself.
‘I see myself.’
That, friends, says it all.
Please help us spread this message.
With hope and love, Aleksandr Voinov, Amara Devonte and Kris for ’embrace the rainbow’.
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
Great idea and love the image. Wish I had a blog to put it on.
*whispers* It looks fabulous. 😀
How lovely Kris. I'm on my phone ATM but will put it up when near the PC.
I love the image and the message behind it.
Very cool!
Will add it to my website ASAP.
That's a great idea, Kris. *Hugs* to you and your friends who put up the challenge.
Richelle: You could use it for your avi. I hear that's the 'in' thing nowadays. 😉
Amara: *whispers back* It does. 😀
Kaetrin: Cool! Thanks, luv.
Stephani: We so appreciative of your support, Stephani, and the opportunity to participate in the Safe Reading Zone. So looking forward to seeing that go live. Safe spaces are so important.
Chris: *GRIN*
Sean: *smooches*
Emilie: Thanks, Em. *hugs* I've certainly learnt that awareness for issues affecting ALL GLBTQQ people is an important message to pass on.
I love the image and the message. Added to my blog. I just wasn't sure if I should link it back to this post or elsewhere. Thoughts?
Oh, and yes, my new userpic is Andrej Pejic. Just…WOW! And I love the quote from him that you included.
Orannia: Feel free to link back to this post. I'm also going to create a page on my blog for the 'embrace the rainbow' awareness campaign.
“Oh, and yes, my new userpic is Andrej Pejic. Just…WOW! And I love the quote from him that you included.”
Awesome, isn't ze. This is one of my new fave tumblrs: http://andrejpejicpage.tumblr.com/ Enjoy. 🙂
Linked. Thank you!
To borrow a phrase, awesome sauce *grin* Ohhh, and I can see http://andrejpejicpage.tumblr.com/ being one of my new favourite tumblrs too. Thank you!
Welcome, Orannia, and thank you for carrying the message forward. 🙂
Done – it's in my sidebar, linked to here for the moment. Let me know when there's a campaign page up there and I'll relink 🙂
Will do. Thanks, Jo!
I've actually written a post to explain my change in userpic, and felt this post followed it perfectly, so I've included that too. Hope that is OK, but if not I'm happy to change it.
And thank you 🙂 *hugs*
Orannia: The more people who are exposed to this important message the better. So feel free, luv. 🙂