January 2023 Update
ID: “January Monthly Update” www.freedomoklahoma.org/news and the FOK logo. The background is a picture from a trans rally at the Oklahoma Capitol with a light blue overlay with orange and blue lines and dots
This year, we stay grounded in the knowledge that WE keep us safe.
A new year marks different things for different people. But in recent memory, a new year often marks a period of increased vigilance for 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans as we brace ourselves for the legislative session ahead. During a period when our trans siblings in particular are under physical and systemic attack across the country, last year was the worst season on record for the safety and equality of 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans. We’ve had to remind ourselves many times that ultimately WE keep us safe. Will you be a part of that WE in the months and fights ahead?
Our legislature has created structures that make accountability difficult. So, like last year, we’ll build a legislative tracker before session convenes in February to make sure you can follow along with bills that directly target 2SLGBTQ+ people, through every stage of the process.
Keep an eye on our social media for real-time legislative updates, and make sure everyone in your circle is signed up for action emails, for moments when we need everyone’s help.
The dignity of 2SLGBTQ+ people is inherent. What policymakers propose and the fear-mongering rhetoric that accompanies those proposals does not change that. But there are conditions at stake that potentially put our most vulnerable community members at risk. Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines to see what happens. It’s going to take all of us in this fight for a future where all 2SLGBTQ+ people have the safety to thrive.
Disproportionately high rates of suicidality, targeted violence and harm–that’s what policymakers want people to associate with 2SLGBTQ+ people. But we’ve always existed here, and we always will. 2SLGBTQ+ people live rich, fulfilling lives, with so much joy and love and community support. We’re carrying all of that pride and joy into the state legislature, into state board of education meetings, into school board meetings, into library board meetings, everywhere we go, and everywhere we will fight to protect and expand the capacity of our flourishing communities.
We know what it is to fight against impossible odds, to build progress through obstacles, to hope as a discipline, and to create an Oklahoma where 2SLGBTQ+ Oklahomans are not only safe but celebrated. It’s the work of a lifetime, of generations, of a movement. And it’s work we do together. Thank you, always, for standing in the gap with us. It’s a new year. And many of the fights remain the same. We’re ready.
In Solidarity,
Nicole McAfee (they/she)
Executive Director
Important Links and updates:
YAM Art Contest - Last call for submissions!
Tomorrow, January 2nd, 2023, is our last call for submissions for the YAM 2023 Art Contest! The art can be any medium that will translate to 2D- photography, painting, drawing, graphic design, etc. The winner will receive $100 and several “banned” books! Your entry needs to be able to answer this question: What does showing up for community mean to you?
Submission limit is 2 entries. Age limit is 25. The winning piece will be used on social media and print to represent YAM 2023. The winner can decide how they would like public credit for their work (i.e. aliases can be used, if needed). We can't wait to see what you create!
Submissions can be emailed to Taylor Raye at taylor@freedomoklahoma.org. Please include your name, age, school (if applicable), and where you are in Oklahoma in the submission email. PDF is best for attaching a submission. If you need to make other arrangements for submission, please contact them via email or by call/text at 4052942573.
"YAM 2023 Art Contest - LAST CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!" on a collage of magazine letters, paper, newspaper, and tape.
COMING SOON: Liberate
Over the last year, with support from Thrive OKC, we have worked with our communities and partner organizations to learn what caregivers need regarding 2SLGBTQ+ sexual health education.
For caregivers who are recovering from their own trauma and are skeptical of tech-based resources, we are creating “Liberate,” an Inclusive, Accessible, and Engaging Resource Hub that includes a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). Our hope is that Liberate will help caregivers experience freedom from what held them back in their own sexual health education so that they may be liberated and available to navigate sexual health with the youth in their lives now.
There’s much more to come for Liberate, but for now, you can check out our website to get an overview of the project and access the ever-evolving resource hub! Our ultimate goal is to ensure that Liberate will be available to those regardless of consistent internet access and offer various translation options–in the meantime, we want to share the work in progress so you all can get just as excited as we are. With this new project, we will have the ability to heal, learn, and liberate together!
“Liberate” and “An Inclusive, Accessible, and Engaging Resource Hub for Sexual Health Education” on cartoon web browsers with our logo, cartoon squiggles, and a heart icon.