My little town has had something called “Mule Days” since the 1970’s, as a commemorative celebration of our town as the mule trading capitol in the area. It’s always been the typical stereotyped Southern festival. This year, however, the folks who put it on, decided to update the rules for the “Mule Day Queen” pageant. For the first time, ever, it included language stating that entrants must be a genetically born female. There were other added rules that excluded our recent influx of immigrant population as well. Of course, it also had wording about those who had given birth not being allowed to enter, even if they met all the criteria. Of course, if they had abortions, no one would know, but we are now a restricted abortion state, so time to update!
People want the “good old days”. We are not going back there. The days of parading beautiful young virgins around for the old men to judge are becoming a thing of the past. We have been teaching our young people to have boundaries, self worth, and how to spot red flags. Still, who doesn’t like to wear a pretty dress and have hair and make up like a princess for a day? No one should have to objectify themselves to achieve this feeling.
One thing I find humorous is that my children’s paternal grandfather was one of the original Mule Day founders. Of course, he passed away from gun violence……Now my 16 year old, beautiful unicorn of a transgender daughter, is next generation! No one passed those treasured traditions of Mule Day down to her. It is all a big croc of a hypocritical lie. There was no “big happy family” of mule day descendants. No one cares.
Here in our small town, within 24 hours of the “rules” for the pageant being publicized, they were taken down. The local radio station said that the “lgbtq community was having a fit”. In truth, there is a small group of us here who are organized and connected to the ACLU and the Tennessee Equality Project. We just shine light on what is being put out there. None of us in the advocate group are trans women who wanted to be a mule queen. No one threw a fit….what was done was that a group of concerned Allie’s had a conversation about their concerns surrounding the spirit of the “rules”. We then put together a beautiful, inclusive, loving, and well written statement to the community. That’s it. That was the “fit”.
I have so much to learn. People are so diverse in so many ways. God help me.
~AoA
Army of Angels: Part 2 