dorianneosoul.com

Here’s my monthly #lgbtqsoulinspiration y’all: Like MLK, Jr spoke about justice and righteousness, I allow those two beautiful things PLUS my truest self and my gayness to roll down like water and move through my life a mighty stream!! Do I want more and more of me showing up as me every moment of my life? Yaaaaaas. Can I be even more ME- er? 
Can I be even more GAY -er than I am? (Whatever that means uniquely for me?) 
And can I embrace and support and stand up for my ALL members of my LGBTQ and non-binary fam even more? 
Yaaaaaaas, to ALL that!!! 
I’m flowin and I’m rolling, baby, mmmmmmkay?!!!!!! Let’s GO! 🏳️‍🌈

Here’s my monthly #LGBTQSoulinspiration y’all: Usually for pride I talk passionately and generally about LGBTQ issues or share my coming out journey. This pride - to close out this month - I must acknowledge that I need to be so much more vocal about trans lives and therefore recommit to supporting, building awareness and raising my voice regarding my trans sisters and brothers, especially transgender women of color who are being murdered at epidemic proportions...the vast majority of whom their murderers are never brought to justice. Disgusted, deeply saddened and horrified by the video footage of 20 year old #iyannadiorbeing attacked by a mob in Minneapolis and the story of a trans woman being tied to a vehicle and dragged in Jacksonville, as we fight and organize for justice - and make sure LGBTQ people of color are included in that - we must especially elevate the struggle of our transgender and gender non conforming brothers and sisters and the violence facing them. They are us. We are them. Today I renew my commitment to being a source of more effective support - in all areas of my life as a pharmacist, citizen, artist - for our transgender family.

Here's my monthly #LGBTQSoulinspiration, ya'll: (Conversations w/ myself that I share with others) Body. What kind of body do you find attractive? What kind of body do you just adore? Worship? Salivate over? Yum, right? Ok, now does your body look like that? When you think of your body are you proud to show it or ashamed? Are there certain things that you don't like about your body? What if all the energy you put into praising other people's bodies you put into celebrating your own...just as it is? Pretend we live in a universe where your body is just as special as anyone else's...cause we do (even if we live in a society that hasn’t completely caught up with that truth!) Now think about the bodies you've loved and that have loved you, that you've touched, held, been held by...Have they always fit the American societal 'standard'? Maybe not, but there was wonder in those bodies wasn't there? Yes! Our bodies perform miracles every moment of the day...think about that! Our bodies are living organic miracles! Affirmation; I begin to indulge in the deliciousness of my own body...when I spread that lotion over my skin, when I'm working out, when I try on that pair of jeans, when I walk down the street, I do it in love, in appreciation of the gloriousness my own unique body...! As hard as it might be, I let go of worshipping, adoring, coveting other people's bodies. I begin to honor my own body...I save that body love for me first!

Here’s my monthly #lgbtqsoulinspiration, y’all: Happy National Coming Out Day! #nationalcomingoutday As a gay man, I just don’t come out once and it’s done. I wish it were that way. That easy. Every time I meet new people. With each new job. I come out again and again and again. And it’s not always a ‘happy’ or comfortable process because in coming out, the chances are high that I may become a target for others homophobia, it may trigger huge shifts in relationships, be the reason for me not getting an opportunity and even violence. But, I choose to come out over and over again in my own way - and in some cases in my own time. Because it also opens me up to be loved by allies as I unapologetically live my truth. At the same time, I do not judge those in the LGBTQ community that choose not to make it known. Coming out is each persons choice and I respect that. AFFIRMATION: I am a proud black gay man. (It’s taken me years to be able to say that) Even though coming out and being visible has its challenges, I celebrate my coming out over and over again because it is how I speak my truth into the world. It is how I say, “I AM HERE. WE ARE HERE. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE SEEN. WE MATTER. AND I WANT TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO REMIND LGBTQ YOUTH THAT THEY MATTER. I welcome all people into the inclusive music spaces I create. And I applaud and am grateful for all allies who stand with the LGBTQ community. We all deserve to thrive! #gay#lesbian #transgender #lgbtqallies

Here’s my monthly #lgbtqsoulinspiration y’all: There was a time when I thought I was better than effeminate gay men because back then I was closer to cis gender acting. I'd judge them harshly and say I wanna be and wanted a 'real man' There was a time when I'd look at trans women to find their 'imperfections' and applaud those who were able to look 'womanly' without me noticing that they were trans. There was a time I'd look at more 'masculine' acting/ looking lesbians and imagine how much more 'beautiful' they'd be if they just had the right make-up and skirt outfit on. Who TF did I think I was? There are many people who still think like I did. I am so grateful that I shifted from that destructive mindset. Because the truth is that society has created these 'hierarchies' in our minds. My low self-esteem as a gay black man was screaming to straight cis gendered people "look at me, I'm just like you...I'm normal, so accept me into your club! I'm LGBTQ but I can pass for straight, just like you." That all came from a deep fear of being different. I am different. We all are. That’s a beautiful thing and it’s not to be f#cked with! AFFIRMATION: F#CKSTANDARDS. I LET GO OF ANYTHING WITHIN MYSELF THAT HOLDS ME OR ANYONE ELSE TO ANY STANDARDIZED WAY OF EXPRESSING THEMSELVES IN THE WORLD. FEMININE, MASCULINE, SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, LGBTQAAI OR STRAIGHT-CISGENDERED, I OPEN MY EYES TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN THE MANY WAYS THAT HUMAN BEINGS SHOW UP IN THE WORLD! I SET MYSELF AND EVERYONE AROUND ME FREE TO SHOW UP AS WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE. NO JUDGEMENTS. NO HEIRARCHIAL STANDARDS.JUST HUMANS. #blackmenyoga#blackmendoyoga

Here's my monthly #LGBTQSoulinspiration, ya'll: Hurricane Dorian. Chyle...something about having a hurricane with your name on it doing destruction on the Bahamas and beyond forces you to do some soul-searching. It reminds me not only of natures capacity for great beauty and destruction but also my own human capacity for those two superpowers. Growing up gay in a household, in a city, in a culture, in a society during the 80's and early 90's where there was nothing to support me as a gay kid - and I mean nothing - I felt isolated and I suffered a lot of verbal abuse and psychological trauma and hurt that I'm working to heal. [“What happens to a dream deferred? Maybe it sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?"- Langston Hughes] There have been a few times in my life as an adult when I've been triggered and reacted to people out of my trauma (saying hurtful things, abandoning friendships with no explanation - some deserved; some not) But, more often the case has been that I react to MYSELF out of my trauma (it could be as simple as not celebrating myself as much as I should) So, as I contemplate Hurricane Dorian and the destruction it's left in it's path, I become more and more mindful of my own power to uplift as well as my power to hurt and destroy. I continue to do all the things I can do to heal and work through my trauma so that I catch myself before I react in situations from that damaged kid inside me. LGBTQ or not, many of us human beings have had traumatic experiences and hurts in life. So, it's vital to do the inner work so that we do not hurt others like we have been hurt. And to the National Weather Service: DON’T NAME ANYMORE HURRICANES AFTER YA BOY! (📸: C. Williams via Dorian’s Live Neosoul & Yoga: The Neosoul Experience w/ J. Nkalati ) #lgbtq #lgbt #gay#lesbian #transgender #queer

Here’s my monthly #lgbtqsoulinspiration: I was talking to a straight person and she said: “I just feel like [gay people] are always trying to push their agenda onto us. What they do behind closed doors is their business!” Of course right after she made that comment, I told her I was gay [she had no idea] I mindfully and respectfully explained to her that it was about visibility; that straight people have been visible for so long and that it is now time for marginalized groups to be just as visible. As far as agenda, I mean the straight ‘agenda’ has been so pervasive in our culture, right? Pushed on ALL since birth, right? I mean it’s been ‘shoved down our thoats’ via all outlets, even though it’s not representative of ALL peoples way of life. And...In terms of what I do in my bedroom being my business, what if I were to tell you as a straight person to limit talk about your newly found lovers, your wedding engagements/ announcements, your anniversaries, your gender reveals for your babies to you and your partner’s bedroom? That would be crazy absurd, right, because you know that being straight and all those things are about waaaaay more than what you do in the bedroom. I welcome some - not all straight people cause many understand 💯 - to entertain the fact that it’s the same for lgbtq people...who we are goes way beyond sex even if you don’t agree w/ the lifestyle. But we DO have sex and we can talk openly about that too, ‘cause straight people do it all the time everywhere they go! AFFIRMATION: I SEE MYSELF REFLECTED MORE AND MORE IN LIFE AND I CELEBRATE HOW FAR LGBTQ PEOPLE HAVE COME. THERE’S MORE WORK TO DO AND I DO MY PART IN MY OWN WAY TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND POSITIVE IMAGES! I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALLIES AND ALL THOSE WHO STAND UP FOR FREEDOM FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THEM! #lgbtq #gay #lesbian#trans #queer

Here's my monthly #LGBTQSoulinspiration, ya'll: STARVING FOR SOUL FOOD, I've always loved church, just like I love reading self help books. But, with both, I rarely hear the LGBTQ life uplifted and celebrated or even mentioned. I always have just taken beautiful philosophies that speak from a heteronormative point of view and add in my experience to make them my own or with the church, I had to take out the talk about abomination and consume whatever spiritual food my hungry soul could feed off of. So, I created these LGBTQSoulinspirations for myself that I share with others so that I can truly see my gay self reflected in soulful inspirational self help, self care writings and philosophies. AFFIRMATION: I am grateful for the people and spaces who make it their mission to speak directly to my LGBTQ soul to continually uplift and inspire me. I am grateful for the wisdom within to know that there need not be any intermediary between the Godforce within me and myself; I need not feed off of the scraps I gather from tables where I am not truly included and welcome. I can go to Godforce's table within anytime and serve myself heaping, healthly life-giving plates of spiritual soul food to stay alive and thrive off of. I can eat huge meals that are good for my soul at a table where me and my #LGBTQ sisters and brothers and our allies are always at home!

Here’s my monthly #lgbtqsoulinspiration , y’all: (notes to self I share with others) “Yours is the greatest story yet to be told! So, stay! No one can tell it like you!" - Alexandra Billings, Transgender Actress LGBTQ activist (who I had the pleasure of meeting and hearing speak this past weekend) 
Yep! Stay visible! Stay alive! As this wild and beautiful world turns on its axis; as humans do what they do at this point in evolution, keep telling your story; keep living it proud keep bringing more and more and more of you to the people around and to this planet! Oh the world needs YOU! Baaaaaaby, YOU need you! #gay#lesbian #transgender #queer#questioning #bisexual

Here's my monthly #LGBTQSoulinspiration, ya'll: Being an LGBTQ person does not make me less TRUSTWORTHY, wholesome, moral, valuable to society, upstanding in the community than any straight person. PERIOD! #gay#lesbian #trans #queer #questioning#bisexual #inspiration #equality