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