Placebo #1, wood, sugar, gelatin capsules, metal, glass, ink
with straight people and gay men; sometimes
you don’t know you have anything. You could
not know for a long time and be asymptomatic. But even if you are tested they will still
deny you just because you are gay.
They test all the blood anyway.
Exactly. And they find out in, I think it’s three
days.
This piece, Better Blood, made me stop
and really think about it, especially after
the shooting targeting an LGBT nightclub.
All these people have been coming out to
Orlando’s Art Scene, v. 1.2
support the LGBT community, and some
are completely unaware that you guys
can’t help yourselves.
God, it has been one hell of a week. Going
from the beginning, it was anger, resentment,
and fear. Then it blossomed to gut-wrenching,
whole body grief. I didn’t leave the house for a
few days. Then I had talked to my grandfather,
who has not always been the most accepting,
but he said, “Look how many people came
out to support you. Look how many people
are here, they’re here for you.” Even though
I can’t donate blood I know that people are. I
had planned on one day going in, trying to do-
nate blood, and lying - which is a felony - but
the line was so long. I even tried to see if there
was an appointment to be made, but it was 14
days out. That immediately made me question
my place in the community. It was very weird
because I almost got to let go of a few of my
resentments. As angry as I am that I can’t donate blood, I know that people are helping and
that people do support us. It’s been a weirdly,
kinda poetic grief. It’s hard to understand.
Yeah, it’s been almost a mixed blessing,
but I don’t even want to use the word
blessing because that’s too optimistic. I
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