The Old Man's Corner. E.L. Winston

THE OLD MAN'S CORNER

E.L.WINSTON

SPREAD SOME LOVE

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah! It is that time of year again where we think of well wishes and good cheer. A time when family gathers together to share all the love, laughter, and joy. I know that I am blessed to have a family who loves and accepts me. I have people to give me warmth during a season that can be very cold. I am also cognizant that this can be a tough time for some of my Trans Siblings. They aren't always safe to be themselves with family or they don't have a family to go home to. They may experience misgendering constantly and purposefully at the dinner table from family members who should at the very least respect their pronouns. The potential disrespect takes away the warmth, the love, the joy. This time of year for those of us who have been fortunate enough to either have a loving and supportive family or have created one for ourselves need to be mindful of our trans siblings who don't have that. This is the season that the community may have to become the family. We have to do more than be mindful of our brothers and sisters. We have to create a space. You don’t have to put on a huge event with a table of 30 or rent out a commercial kitchen. Let it be from the heart. How can you stand in the gap for a brother, sister, mother, or father? When I wake up on Christmas morning this year, I have extended my family by three more. I don’t just talk about it, but I personally know the joys of opening my home. Breaking bread with someone who may be abandoned or distanced with their family could be the warmth that they need. You can change a life by creating space for those who don’t have a space to be. Within the LGBTQIA+ community, we know we have higher rates of depression and suicidal ideations. This time of year has the potential to increase those numbers because of the loneliness and isolation. Let’s do something different. Invite someone over for a holiday dinner. Get some gender affirming gifts this year for someone who may not be able to afford them. Be someone’s plus one so they feel supported at a family dinner. According to the Trevor Project, nearly 1in 5 Trans youth have attempted suicide. This is a bleak statistic, so let us take all that cheer and goodwill to decrease those numbers. Do an Old Man a favor: share your table with someone who may otherwise be without one.

Rochelle J Photography