Last night was the first A Night OUT on the Square event for me as an official PRIDENTON board member. Already anxious about how the event would go, especially with the very real threat of agitators attending, I was also asked to speak. This year’s theme is “Rooted in Resistance”–a salient and uplifting title for a year filled with hurt, disappointment, and rage. I, along with so many in our community, have been struggling with finding joy and sustaining hope throughout the legislative session and after. But that’s why it’s important to look toward our queer and trans family, leaders, and ancestors. Their support, knowledge, and love has encouraged me every step of the way including writing the speech I was tasked with focusing on why we chose “Rooted in Resistance” for our theme. I’m humbly publishing it here in it’s entirety:

Hello Denton! As Enedelia said, I’m James Jackson, I use he/him pronouns, and I’m a proud trans Texan. I’m honored to be a new board member for PRIDENTON! Thank you for being here. 

I don’t know about y’all but this year’s Pride feels bittersweet. A lot of us are proud to be LGBTQIA+, a lot of us are struggling with our identities, and even more of us are feeling strangled by the hatred of those in power. Maybe for you it feels difficult to get up every morning, let alone show up to Pride events. But you did it. You’re here. And I’m so glad you are. 

Predominantly white, cis, hetero men are writing and passing legislation to try and eradicate us, and yet we’re still here and we still show up because we have something they don’t: love and solidarity. Solidarity is born out of empathy. And of course, your love moves you to solidarity. 

I’m grateful to have witnessed solidarity throughout my time organizing both here and in Austin. Along with my comrades in OUTreach Denton and PRIDENTON, we’ve gone to the state Capitol over and over and over again to protest, rally, and testify for queer and trans rights. There’s nothing like hearing one collective voice shouting “Trans rights are human rights” echoing as we march down oppressive hallways. There’s nothing like hearing cheers and singing persist inside an institution that has been co-opted by fascists. There’s nothing like looking around and seeing parents with their trans and gender expansive children at the front of the crowd. There’s nothing like meeting parents taking off work to show up alone to represent their kid simply because they love them. 

This year’s PRIDENTON theme is “Rooted in Resistance.” As a board, it took us several meetings and two retreats to sum up a reflection of the past year and what we wanted folks to take home with them after they experience Pride. We arrived at “rooted” because when you plant a tree, you’re not going to just bury it in some soil and hope for the best, right? You gotta come back to it, water it, make sure it’s growing. We as a community are digging deep into the ground and staying here so we can cultivate the liberatory future we are fighting for. Rooting is how we sustain the movement.

And “resistance” because the act of rooting is already a form of a resistance. You’re burrowing into soil rich with the history of our trans-cestors who have laid the groundwork for our liberation. You’re protecting the environment around the tree necessary for growth and then watering the ground with art and ideas and words. You’re blossoming and letting the tree break through and climb toward the sun.

I know you’re tired. You’ve already resisted the oppressive ideologies you grew up with in the church or by simply existing in white supremacist culture. You’ve resisted the notion of the gender binary or that sexuality is inflexible. And currently, I know you’re resisting the dangerous and horrific narrative that LGBTQIA+ people, specifically trans and gender expansive people, are groomers and perverts.

But you know what? Even through the exhaustion and the hurt, you’re still resisting because the roots of your resistance lie in your refusal to bend to their will. You resist their belief that God doesn’t love you or that you’re going to hell or that you don’t have a future or that you don’t deserve to live. You resist their continued attacks because you are done. 

Those in power don’t want us to stay. They want us to give up. They want to imprison us and eradicate us. But we will never be eradicated. We will always exist. We refuse to accept a reality in which we aren’t free. Even if we’re forced to move out of Texas, we’re still resisting fascism. 

Now, before I get to the end, allies listen up. This is for the white, cis, hetero, and able bodied folks: Look, I get it. It’s scary out there and you wanna help but maybe you got other things going on. You’re hurting for your queer and trans loved ones but you have work, responsibilities. You want to enjoy life instead of getting involved in politics. 

Well, I’m done trying to be gentle or hold your hand or even educate you. You aren’t doing enough. You need to do more. I’m calling on y’all to fight with us and for us in every part of your daily life. Don’t be complicit. Be loud about your love for trans and gender expansive people. As Mariame Kaba, activist, writer, and educator says, “Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair.”

The existence of trans and gender expansive people is literally and actively trying to be erased and criminalized. Our lives are at stake. We are queer and trans 365 days of the year, 24/7. We can never really sit back and be comfortable. We create our own joy and find happiness in our communities or in gender euphoria or in our relationships as often as we can. We don’t want to be the target of fascists. We want to live.

There are two very important things we need to remember. One: We as human beings have an innate love and care for each other and two: we have hope for the future. Let’s use that. Those are our greatest strengths against tyranny. Mariame Kaba also said “Hope doesn’t preclude feeling sadness or frustration or anger or any other emotion that makes total sense. Hope isn’t an emotion. Hope is not optimism. Hope is a discipline.” 

Let’s root ourselves in resistance and cultivate that hope and love already flourishing inside of you. They can never take that away from us.

I think one of my favorite parts of the night was one of our board members’ goddess daughters coming up in the middle of the speech for a hug from her goddess parent!

There were so many more beautiful, joyous moments throughout the night. If you were able to attend, thank you for letting your love shine through the oppressive darkness that sometimes clouds our spirits. You are loved.

Additionally, I extend my gratitude for allowing me to use my words to help communicate my raw feelings of frustration and hurt. I hope my speech was as healing as it was for me to write.

Photo credit: Enedelia Sauceda