I participated this evening in a prayer vigil at First Presbyterian which was pulled together by various LGBTQ+ groups. I spoke on behalf of both PFLAG and the Mickee Faust Club. The PFLAG comments were a last minute extemporary explanation about who the group is, how it functions, and that it actually meets at First Pres in the Westminster Room. And then, I turned to talking about the meaning of the Mickee Faust Club:
The Mickee
Faust Club is known for making people laugh. But it is very hard to find humor
at a time when we are hurting, and your Faustkateers…like everyone…are in pain,
shock and horror over this hate crime in Orlando. Spaces such as Pulse are the
safe havens for those of us who have suffered threats of violence and physical
and verbal attacks for being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or any other
variation of non-conforming to the “norm” of society. It’s these spaces that
allow us to be free and to breathe and relax and be at home. The Mickee Faust
Club has been one of those comforting “queer places” for almost three decades
in Tallahassee, and it is a center of activism for the gay community. So we have felt
this attack on Pulse both at an individual and a corporate level.
But the
spirit of our theater troupe is the same vibrant, creative, strong and amazing
life force that exists within the larger LGBTQ+ community. We love. And because
we love, we are able to laugh. And because we laugh, we can shed light into
those dark corners of the world that are threatened and scared of our love.
Forty-nine bright lights were violently snuffed out this past weekend. But the
fire of our love will not be put out or put down. Or silenced with paper bags
over our heads or shoved back into the closets so many of us finally escaped.
Together with love we will take to the stage in Railroad Square and be Queer As
Faust to the Ninth Power!!
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