This says so much. I wish times would move quicker. I hate the phrase 'coming out' because it doesn't matter who you love - love is love and it is no different in my opinion.
Those last lines really got to me and made me cry - bless your heart MA you are you and you should be proud.

Sending hugs and love xxx

Everyone should be proud of who they are, and this poem is exactly what that says. It's taken a while, but it's brilliant that we can all live true to ourselves today. Excellent :)

Mary Anne, this is such a wonderful piece. There is something so freeing just being true to yourself. I could feel your ability to just breathe as I read this. Awesome!

“They don't understand that
coming out is a constant declaration,

that there is a reason why we celebrate
even the most minuscule sign of progress.”

I know this is a poem about LGPTQ+ community’s long strife and achievements. But what’s great about your poem is that it could be about many things, especially this part. Personally, this applies to mentally ill people like myself. I always have to “come out” and defy the stigmatization and shaming, I always have to prove that I’m as capable as, or even more than, other academics in my field. I’m always anxious of being labeled. I’m always preparing for a battle to defend my self-worth. It’s exhaustive. LGBTQ+ people (or any stigmatized group of people) must keep on striving and coming out and breaking social norms and being proud to be whoever they really are.

I love reading your poetry.